An elegant crook

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Movie
German title An elegant crook
Original title A scandal in Paris
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1946
length 96 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Douglas Sirk
script Ellis St. Joseph
production Arnold Pressburger
music Hanns Eisler
camera Guy Roe ,
Eugen Schüfftan
cut Albrecht Joseph
occupation

An elegant crook (original title: A Scandal in Paris ) is an American crime film by director Douglas Sirk from 1946. It tells the story of the criminal and criminalist Vidocq and is a free adaptation of the autobiography of Eugène François Vidocq .

action

Eugène François Vidocq is able to escape from prison with the help of the family of his cellmate Emile . On the run to meet Emile's family, they have themselves portrayed on a church wall: Vidocq as St. George , Emile as a dragon.

The family council sends the two of them to the army in Marseille with forged papers. There, Vidocq Loretta, the favorite of Police Chief Richet, courted and was able to steal a valuable garter from her.

After further misdeeds, Vidocq and Emile travel back to Paris. In a cemetery, Vidocq wins the trust of the jeweled Marquise de Pierremont by recapturing her monkey. As a guest in the Pierremont house, he meets the police chief Richet, who reports to the police minister, Pierremont's son, how he is going to find a long-sought criminal - apparently Vidocq.

During the night Vodocq and Emile steal the marquise's jewels and hide them in the garden to fetch them later. However, when the police minister dismisses Richet the next morning because he cannot solve the theft, Vidocq changes his plan: he presents himself to the police minister as a criminalist. He "finds" the jewels he is hiding and can thus convince the police minister to appoint him the new police chief.

Therese, the daughter of the police chief, likes this phrase. She had fallen in love with the image of St. George earlier and later recognized the resemblance to Vidocq. She had also been informed by a priest about the true identity of the people depicted in St. George and the Dragon.

As police chief, Vidocq puts Emile's family members in the Bank of Paris in order to ultimately rob them.

In Paris, Vidocq runs into Loretta, who has meanwhile married the former police chief Richet. She blackmailed Vidocq into paying her bills in a hat shop, and she then succeeds in stealing his business card and thus learning his new name and position.

On the day of the planned bank robbery, both Loretta and the Marquise visit with Therese and her sister Vidocq. Loretta makes an appointment with him in the hat shop, the Marquise goes with him to the bank to deposit her jewels. Vidocq goes to the fair with Therese and her sister. There Vidocq and Therese get closer and kiss. Therese is ready to start his criminal career, but Vidocq changes his mind. He goes to the Emiles family at the bank and tells them that he will pursue them as police chief if they try to rob the bank but they can keep their new positions. Everyone decides on their positions, except for Emile, who disappears.

Meanwhile, Loretta Vidocq expects in the hat shop. Richet, who had pursued her and holds a shadow for her lover, shoots her. Vidocq arrives shortly afterwards. Richet faces him and only wants his old adversary - not knowing that this is Vidocq himself - to be caught.

Emile later ambushes Vidocq and still wants his share of the booty. He tries to stab Vidocq, but he himself kills Vidocq with a spear.

Vidocq marries Therese and confesses all his crimes to the police minister. He will be forgiven as he will compensate all victims.

Further information

Director Douglas Sirk considered the film to be one of his best works.

criticism

Cinema wrote that the film was "an old-fashioned crook of great charm". The lexicon of international films said the film told a "somewhat badly constructed story." Otherwise, it only finds positive things: The film is "very enjoyable", "full of irony, frivolity and black humor" and "played with disarming charm".

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b An elegant crook , at www.cinema.de, accessed on November 23, 2013
  2. ↑ An elegant crook. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed September 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used