The Scapegoat (1958)

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Movie
German title The scapegoat
Original title The Scapegoat
Country of production United Kingdom
original language English
Publishing year 1958
length 91 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Robert Hamer
script Robert Hamer
Gore Vidal
production Michael Balcon
music Bronislau caper
camera Paul Beeson
cut Jack Harris
occupation

The Scapegoat is a British crime comedy from 1958 directed by Robert Hamer with Alec Guinness in the title role or a double role and Bette Davis in one of the leading female roles. The story is based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier .

Wrote the novel for this film in 1957: Daphne du Maurier

action

John Barratt, an English French teacher, teaches in a small high school in the British provinces. His annual vacation in France is coming up, which the lonely bachelor also uses to reflect on his not exactly exciting life. When he was followed by a stranger on the evening of his first day of vacation, he took refuge in the nearest French pub. The pursuer arrives and speaks to John about his great resemblance to himself. The stranger introduces himself: his name is Jacques De Gué and he is a country nobleman from head to toe and with a considerable estate. His family at the headquarters of St. Gilles Castle runs a glass blowing business rather badly. Monsieur le Comte induces John to drink excessively, so that the Englishman's tongue quickly loosens. Jack says he's single, without a family, and frustrated by the futility and emptiness of his life. When Jacques learns that John does not yet have any accommodation, the French suggests that the British stay at the de Gués' hotel. Since the hotel is fully booked, Count Jacques relocates his doppelganger without further ado. John is already a little drunk when Jacques hands him a last glass of champagne without John noticing that the Frenchman has added a sleeping pill. John falls asleep happily.

When John wakes up the next morning, he is amazed that he wakes up in someone else's bed in someone else's building in someone else's pajamas. His generous host Jacques seems to have been swallowed up by the earth. When his English passport could not be found, John asked the chauffeur of the noble family, Gaston, to call the police so that they could go in search of the missing landlord. However, Gaston phones the family's doctor, Dr. Aloin, who passes on an alleged invitation from Jacques to the unsuspecting Briton: John is expected at the Chateau St. Gilles. As soon as he arrives there, nobody seems to believe that he is John and not Jacques. The family doctor states that the Briton obviously suffers from schizophrenia . John is greeted warmly by Jacques' little daughter Marie-Noel, who also thinks he is her father. John is totally confused. When Marie-Noel reveals that her bedridden grandmother really wants to see him, John follows her to Jacques' mother's room. The old Countess De Gué was waiting for him longingly, because he was supposed to bring her something from Paris. With the help of a maid from the castle, John checks Jacques' suitcase and discovers several presents, one of which contains several vials of morphine. The maid brings these ampoules to the old countess at once.

While strolling through the old walls, John meets Jacques' wife Françoise and his sister Blanche. Both were made by Dr. Informed Aloin of Johns / Jacques' apparent mental confusion. Blanche leaves the room straight away and Françoise accuses him of being cruel. Confused, John goes outside and wonders how he should proceed in this strange situation. Only the somewhat precocious Marie-Noel, who starts a conversation with him, seems to John to be somewhat normal here, even if even she does not recognize that he is John and not Jacques. Since nobody seems to believe him here, John decides not to insist on his British identity for the time being. At breakfast the following morning, John meets Jacques' brother-in-law Aristide, who, also believing that he has Jacques in front of him, asks him about the outcome of business talks in Paris. In the course of just a few days, Françoise, Blanche and Marie-Noel are confused by the apparent change in Jacques Jacques character for the better, as it must obviously be quite a disgust. In his polite manner, John begins to take a serious interest in all the family's needs, including the run-down glass foundry. With this he confuses the family members again. Marie-Noel then reminds John that he has to drive her to the nearby town of Villars for her weekly music lesson. The Englishman is still wondering what a strange game this Jacques is playing with him, when he is almost trampled by a galloping horse on which the attractive Béla is riding. The young lady obviously seems to be Jacques' queen of hearts. John accepts Béla's invitation to tea in her little house and enjoys her company. Back at St. Gilles Castle, John goes through Jacques' business papers and finds out that Jacques has not visited the foundry in fourteen years.

Later, at the foundry, John learns that his French doppelganger has obviously not renewed the workforce's contracts for years. John, who is more and more immersed in the role of Jacques, meets with the Countess, only to announce that he intends to extend the contracts in any case, even if it does not pay off for the Count's family and the foundry should go bankrupt. The old lady does not agree at all with her supposed son's decision and recalls a clause in a family contract that arouses John's curiosity. In this contract, when Jacques married the wealthy Françoise, it was stipulated that in the event of her death, the property would go to her daughter or, in the case of underage, to her guardian. And that would be Jacques in the event of death! Françoise goes to John and at that moment sees him reading the contract. She thinks he has evil on his mind and complains tearfully that he, Jacques, never loved her. John reassures Françoise and says that he is ready to change this contract. In the coming days, John, who has meanwhile deeply internalized his role as Jacques, visits Béla again on his next trip to Villars. He finally wants to tell the whole truth to the woman he has liked. Meanwhile, Béla has long known, as she admits, because John is, according to Béla, completely different from his French reflection.

Back at the castle, John becomes very restless because a big hunt is scheduled for the next day. Jacques is considered a master marksman, while John just knows where in a rifle is in front and where in the back. To sabotage his participation, John deliberately burns his hand, which he would have to shoot with, in the foundry. Around three weeks have passed before Gaston approaches John to hand him a written message to Bélas. When John then drives to Béla, she claims that she has not sent him anything. Nevertheless, the young happiness spends a nice day together. When Gaston John drives home to St. Gilles, a police inspector and general practitioner Dr. Aloin. He informs John / Jacques that Françoise died after she fell out of the window on the second floor. During the examination in the castle the next day, the old countess testifies that she was the last person to see Françoise alive. Blanche, on the other hand, stiffly and firmly that she heard Jacques' voice in her room shortly before Françoise was killed, and accuses John, alias Jacques, of murder. Gaston contradicts Blanche with his statement that John drove to and from Villars. Gradually John realizes what an evil game Jacques is playing with him and that he should be used as a scapegoat for the murder of the greedy, counts rascal. Jacques planned the entire charade long in advance, in order to get rid of his unloved wife and not to be prosecuted for it. A little later, John receives a call from the count who wants to meet him at the foundry. John actually goes there and charges Jacques with the murder of his wife. He will not give up the masquerade that has been imposed on him because he believes he can help the de Gué family. Jacques draws a gun and tells John to leave the property and the area immediately. But even John did not come here unarmed and killed his criminal likeness in an exchange of fire. The next morning, John goes to Béla and makes it clear to her that they both belong together.

Production notes

The scapegoat was created between mid-June and early August 1958 and was premiered in England at the end of 1958. The German premiere took place on January 8, 1960. The German television premiere was on the evening of July 5, 1971 on ZDF .

Dennis Van Thal took over the production management. Elliot Scott and Alan Withy designed the film structures, Olga Lehmann the costumes. Tom Pevsner was an assistant director.

useful information

The original plan was to let Cary Grant play the dual role, but Daphne du Maurier is said to have insisted on Guinness.

synchronization

role actor Voice actor
John Barratt, Jacques De Gué Alec Guinness Harry Meyen
Countess De Gué Bette Davis Tina Eilers
Béla Nicole Maurey Eva Katharina Schultz
Françoise Irene Worth Edith Schneider
Gaston Geoffrey Keen Peter Schiff
Dr. Aloin Noel Howlett Alfred Balthoff
Aristide Peter Bull Horst Niendorf
Police inspector Alan Webb Kurt Waitzmann

Reviews

The lexicon of the international film judges: “Coolly staged crime story that does not use the possibilities for deepening. Exciting, but well constructed; played brilliantly by Alec Guinness in the double role. "

The Movie & Video Guide stated: “Respectable acting saves a blurry script”.

Halliwell's Film Guide saw here "a disappointing implementation of a good story, with clear evidence of frequent re-cuts and a particularly listless middle section".

The magazine Cinema located a "well-acted, but somewhat confused Daphne-du-Maurier film".

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The scapegoat in the German synchronous files .
  2. ↑ The scapegoat. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 1, 2020 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. ^ Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 1138.
  4. ^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 886.
  5. ↑ Short review on cinema.de.

Web links