The Scapegoat main backdrop
The Scapegoat main poster

The Scapegoat

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6.8/10 • 34

1959-08-061h 32m

MysteryCrimeThriller

He took another man's name... lived another man's life... loved another man's woman!

An Englishman in France unwittingly is placed into the identity, and steps into the vacated life, of a look-alike French nobleman.

Directors
Robert Hamer
Editors
Jack Harris

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Alec Guinness

    Alec Guinness

    John Barratt / Jacques De Gue

  2. Bette Davis

    Bette Davis

    Countess

  3. Nicole Maurey

    Nicole Maurey

    Bela

  4. Irene Worth

    Irene Worth

    Francoise

  5. Pamela Brown

    Pamela Brown

    Blanche

  6. Annabel Bartlett

    Annabel Bartlett

    Marie-Noel

  7. Geoffrey Keen

    Geoffrey Keen

    Gaston

  8. Noel Howlett

    Noel Howlett

    Dr. Aloin

  9. Peter Bull

    Peter Bull

    Aristide

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Apr 4, 2022

6/10

Alec Guinness walks into a bar where he encounters his doppelgänger. They might be twins. His "Barratt" character is a teacher of French at an British university, his mirror image an impoverished local aristocrat. The two drink together, then end up sharing the latter man's hotel room. In the morning, "Barratt" wakes up and there is no sign of his roommate. Next thing, a chauffeur arrives and, assuming he is the aristocratic version of himself, takes him to their chateau where he meets the (his) family. Clearly he is being manipulated, but why and by whom? It does not take him long to realise that this family is pretty dysfunctional - lead by the morphine-addicted "Countess" (Bette Davis in her best Elizabeth I form), with his wife , his mistress and his daughter all adding to this familial maelstrom. Guinness is quite good here, but somehow the premiss didn't quite gel for me. He accepts the fake life and it's people all too readily. There are no protestations or police visits; his narrative (spoken throughout) does not reconcile easily with his actions and the ending, though I did quite like it, was all just a bit too rushed and convenient. The photography with them both on screen at the same time is flawless, and Bronislau Kaper's score fits well with the story too, but it's all just a little lacklustre.

Media

  • The Scapegoat poster
  • The Scapegoat poster
  • The Scapegoat poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
chauffeurfranceupper classdrug addictionmarriage contractmurdercountesslook-alikemistressdeathassumed identitydowagerdrugged drinkenglishman abroadnoblemanrich wifenew lifeyoung daughterchateauvanished man