DEATH OF A SCOUNDREL

US, 1956, 116 minutes, Black and white.
George Sanders, Yvonne De Carlo, Victor Jory, Nancy Gates, Colleen Gray, Zsa Zsa Gabor, John Hoyt, Tom Conway.
Directed by Charles Martin.

Death of a Scoundrel is an interesting moralising drama of the 1950s. It could be seen as a 1950s equivalent of The Wolf of Wall Street, much, much more restrained in its presentation of the capitalistic dream, the consequences of wealth, sexual liaisons and exploitation.

George Sanders portrays Clemente Sabourin, from Czechoslovakia, educated at Oxford, the dapper English gentleman in style. It strains some credibility to hear that he spent years in a concentration camp, not looking any the worse for wear, visiting his brother who is married his sweetheart and runs an antique shop. In, he reports his brother to the police who is arrested and killed. Sabourin gets a passport for the United States, meeting a businessman on the boat, Victor Jory, whom he later swindles. He has the American capitalist dream, not particularly concerned about honesty.

He succeeds almost immediately, an encounter with a prostitute, played by Yvonne de Carlo, shot by her boyfriend and going to the doctor and discovering penicillin, immediately exploiting it on the stock exchange, helping a visitor to the exchange, played by Zsa Zsa Gabor, who for some time was George Sander’s wife. Sabourin buys mansion, continues takeovers, lives the high life until his swindles catch up with him.

Sabourin becomes repentant at the end, persuaded to give all his money back to those he had cheated. Unfortunately, George Sanders is far more persuasive in his suave dishonesty that in the scenes of his change of heart.

George Sanders’ brother, Tom Conway, appears as his brother in this film. They had both appeared as The Falcon and coincided in one of the films, The Falcon’s Brother.

While quiet in turn compared with later films, it is nevertheless an interesting film to watch.

1. A film of the 1950s? The aftermath of World War II? In Europe? In America? American dreams? Capitalistic dreams?

2. The film seen in retrospect, the 21st century perspective on finance and Exposés, financial crises, in America, worldwide?

3. Locations, dark Europe during the war, the contrast with New York, the views, the slums and the affluent world, offices, the high life, mentioned in restaurants? The musical score?

4. The title, Sabourin as a scoundrel? The tone of his name?

5. The prologue: Kelly arriving, the mansion, Sabourin dead, photographing the angle of his body? The butler? The police arriving? Sabourin’s mother and her saying she knew nothing? The occasion of the flashbacks?

6. Sabourin’s story, his cheque background, studying in Oxford, his impeccable British manner? In the concentration camp? Visiting his brother, wanting to marry Zena, her thinking he was dead, marrying his brother? The spending of the money for the goods in the shop? Not able to sell them? Sabourin and his betrayal, going to the police, the interrogation, reporting his brother, getting the passport? News of his death? How much real effect did this have?

7. On the boat, the encounter with Wilson, sharing ideas, talking about dreams, honesty, making money? His card? Landing, Wilson losing his wallet, Kelly taking it, Sabourin joining her at the bar, the police and the interrogation? Kelly’s boyfriend and his watching? The apartment, the conversation, Kelly changing her dress, Sabourin taking the wallet, the boyfriend following, shooting him, going to the doctor and the removal of the bullet?

8. The talk about penicillin, the tip for finance, the phone call to O’ Hara, visiting him, cashing the cheque, buying the shares, their rapid rise during the day? Meeting Mrs Ryan, talking with her, persuading her to invest? Her making money? Her cheque? His demand on our Hara to retrieve the cheque, the difficulties, O’Hara? and the deal, partnership?

9. Kelly, her arrival, getting the job, accompanying Sabourin to Canada, his giving the information to the press about Wilson and the oil, threatening him and Wilson’s reaction, buying him out, lying about oil, then the truth? Mrs Ryan, making the money, arranging the party, his disdain, changing his mind? Inviting her secretary to go? Meeting the wealthy man from Chicago, his wife, the dates for the meal, Kelly and the husband?

10. The secretary, her dreams, her working for Mrs Ryan, wanting to be an actress, Sabourin investing $75,000 in the play, the director, going to the first night, the text paralleling his own behaviour, the repetition in the apartment, the girl and her disdain, his getting revenge, getting her ousted from the play, her coming to visit him, thanking him, his change of heart and relenting?

11. Making so much money, buying the mansion, society coming to him, the parties? The years passing? Kelly working for him?

12. The effect of the play, Kelly’s remarks, the girl walking out of the supper? Kelly and her declaration of love?

13. Going to Chicago, the planning of the takeover, the phone call to the wife, the liaison with her?

14. Sabourin and his making money, exploiting people, people trusting him in investing? The sexual liaisons – and the suggestion, action offscreen?

15. His mother, not loving her, realising how he could use, bringing her to America, installing and the house, his request that she say he was illegitimate, a Swiss father, enabling him to take refuge in Switzerland and keep his wealth? Her disdain?

16. Kelly, challenging him, signing the documents to give money back?

17. O ’Hara, his arrival, the fight, his resentment about the money, the shooting? Sabourin coming home to die? Asking his mother to forgive him, and her not doing this?

18. A moralising film, 1950s style?