A Scandal in Paris

7/19/19461h 40m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Every man has his price... and every woman pays it. ~

Overview:

A smooth-talking French thief wangles his way into an important position as prefect of police.

Director:

Douglas Sirk

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

prison
jealousy
dancer
prisoner
paris, france
judge
blackmail
bank
marseille, france
artist
painter
deception
scandal
murder
criminal
police officer
policeman
jewel thief
deceit
impersonation
duplicity
scheme
playful

Cast

George Sanders

~ as ~

Eugéne François Vidocq

Signe Hasso

~ as ~

Therese De Pierremont

Carole Landis

~ as ~

Loretta de Richet

Akim Tamiroff

~ as ~

Emile Vernet

Gene Lockhart

~ as ~

Prefect of Police Richet

Alma Kruger

~ as ~

Marquise De Pierremont

Alan Napier

~ as ~

Houdon De Pierremont, Police Minister

Jo Ann Marlowe

~ as ~

Mimi De Pierremont

Vladimir Sokoloff

~ as ~

Uncle Hugo

Pedro de Cordoba

~ as ~

Priest

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 2 year(s) ago
6
"Vidocq" - well that's the name he ultimately elects to stick with - has something of the "Oliver Twist" to the story of his birth. His mother was a petty thief, constantly in and out of jail, so he decides to follow in the family tradition where he (now George Sanders) meets "Emile" (Akim Tamiroff) and the two set about making themselves their fortunes! Their lively adventures eventually take them to the home of the influential Marquis de Pierremont where using a fair degree of guile - and having secured the amorous attentions of his grand-daughter - he finds himself chief of police and ideally situated to relieve the Bank of Paris of 50 million Francs. Thing is, the man he dispossessed of the job (Gene Lockhart) is convinced that something is amiss and is determined to expose the charlatans. Meantime, the erstwhile inscrutable "Vidocq" might actually be falling in love and considering a decent life on the right side of the law! I quite like the mischievous premiss here, and the first ten minutes - with a witty accompanying narrative - are quite entertaining. Thereafter, though, it all rather falls into a predictable melodramatic romp through Parisian society and the kleptomaniac tendencies of our hero start to become subsumed into a sea of romantic slush - despite the more venal aspirations of "Loretta" (Carole Landis). The production is really stage bound - especially noticeable with some of the supposedly outdoor scenes - and there's just too much chat and not enough interesting going on. I was quite disappointed with this plodding fancy dress drama, sorry.