The Scapegoat *** (1959, Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Irene Worth, Nicole Maurey, Pamela Brown, Geoffrey Keen, Peter Bull) – Classic Movie Review 2826

Alec Guinness stars in The Scapegoat in two roles as doppelgangers.

Director Robert Hamer’s 1959 British black and white crime mystery thriller movie The Scapegoat offers Alec Guinness the luxury of two roles as a French count called Jacques De Gué, who plans to kills his rich wife, and his English teacher double John Barratt, whom he tricks into standing in for him as the killer.

The two meet by chance in France and become acquainted. Barratt gets drunk and accepts De Gué’s invitation to share his hotel room. Waking up in the morning, Barratt is alone and his clothes and passport are missing. De Gué’s chauffeur (Geoffrey Keen) arrives to take his master home but Barratt cannot convince him that he isn’t the count.

Eventually, they meet in private and the count demands his identity back but Barratt refuses. Both men have come armed and shots are exchanged.

Though Gore Vidal and director Hamer adapt the source novel by Hitchcock favourite Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, The Birds), this is not quite the twinkling black comedy it should be from the director and star of Kind Hearts and Coronets. However, it does have its moments and its mild charm, and Guinness puts everything into trying to make it work.

Bette Davis has an amusing star cameo

Bette Davis has an amusing star cameo as Guinness’s cigar-smoking, bedridden Countess mother (allegedly her part was cut down after disagreeing with producer Guinness), though it is quite hard to imagine her as Guinness’s French mother!

A Du Maurier-Guinness production, this Ealing Studios’ movie is one of its final flings before its tragic demise.

Peter Bull, (as Aristide)

Also in the cast are Irene Worth, Nicole Maurey, Pamela Brown, Geoffrey Keen, Peter Bull (as Aristide), Annabel Bartlett, Noel Howlett, Leslie French, Alan Webb, Maria Britneva, Eddie Byrne, Alexander Archdale, Peter Sallis (Customs Official) and Harold Kasket.

Peter Sallis (Customs Official)

A rejected score consisting of classical selections and original music by Douglas Gamley was recorded in England.

The original choice for John Barratt / Jacques De Gué was Cary Grant, but Daphne du Maurier insisted on Alec Guinness because he reminded her of her father, actor Gerald du Maurier, and du Maurier and Guinness produced it together with Michael Balcon. Guinness took over as director when alcohol-troubled Hamer was drunk.

The film was a box-office flop, costing $943,000, and earning $570,000 in Northern America and $625,000 internationally, for a loss of $382,000.

The Scapegoat is directed by Robert Hamer, runs 92 minutes, was made by Du Maurier-Guinness and Ealing, was released by MGM, was written by Gore Vidal and Robert Hamer, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, was shot in black and white by Paul Beeson, was produced by Michael Balcon, Alec Guinness and Daphne du Maurier, was scored by Bronislau Kaper, and designed by Elliot Scott.

It was remade by writer-director Charles Sturridge in 2012, with Matthew Rhys, Eileen Atkins and Anton Lesser.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2826

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