Ein eleganter Gauner (1946)
14KEin eleganter Gauner: Directed by Douglas Sirk. With George Sanders, Signe Hasso, Carole Landis, Akim Tamiroff. Born in a French prison in 1775, François Eugène Vidocq becomes a professional thief and is later appointed chief of Parisian police.
“How many u0026quot;Vidocqu0026quot; versions are there ? Probably more than youu0026#39;d want to see.The last one was released a couple of years ago (feat Depardieu) and was a commercial and artistic flop.French versions galore are up for grabs including a miniseries in the sixties.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis American version of the thief-turned -cop is a different matter cause it is probably as far as the real life character as it can be.George Sandersu0026#39; suave portrayal is actually close to Arsene Lupin the French gentleman-burglar invented by Maurice Leblanc.After all Detlef Sierck (Douglas Sirk) was European .Aunt Ernestine is some kind of equivalent of Lupinu0026#39;s old nanny Victoire.The parallel with Saint George and the dragon is a good idea ,when a man has actually to fight against himself on the way to redemption.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film is highly praised in Vidocqu0026#39;s native France:Jacques Lourcelles writes that ,u0026quot;lost in Hollywood ,Sirk is at home again in an old tale of good old Europa.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI must confess I find u0026quot;scandal in Parisu0026quot; a bit cold and sometimes dull and I like Sirk best in his u0026quot;Melodrames Flamboyantsu0026quot;.”
