A Scandal in Paris

A Scandal in Paris follows Eugène François Vidocq, a charming French thief who was born in a prison and spent his early years committing robberies and seducing women. After time in the army under Napoleon, he and his accomplice Emile Vernet scheme to rob the wealthy Marquise De Pierremont, with Vidocq posing as a gentleman relative of a baron she once knew. The plan takes an unexpected turn when the marquise's son-in-law turns out to be France's minister of police, giving Vidocq the idea of taking over as Paris's chief of police instead and attempting a robbery of the Bank of Paris. His position grows complicated by the minister's daughter Therese, who sees only a saintly face.

The film was directed by Douglas Sirk and released in 1946, the earliest of the nine titles listed for him here, before Lured, Shockproof and the later melodramas. George Sanders stars as Vidocq, with Signe Hasso, Carole Landis, Akim Tamiroff, Gene Lockhart and Alma Kruger in supporting roles. Arnold Pressburger produced for United Artists, and the credited cast numbers twenty-two.

On IMDb the film holds a rating of 6.5 from around 1,400 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.4 from a much smaller base of 32 votes. Both figures point to modest but real interest in this period crime comedy, which blends history and romance with Vidocq's unlikely career.