Death of a Scoundrel
Encyclopedia
Death of a Scoundrel is a 1956 film starring George Sanders
, Zsa Zsa Gabor
and Yvonne De Carlo
. It was written and directed by Charles Martin.
Death of a Scoundrel is a fictionalized adaptation of the life and mysterious death of Serge Rubenstein.
This film and The Falcon's Brother
are the only two films to feature real-life brothers George Sanders and Tom Conway
. They play brothers in both films.
A Czech refugee, missing and believed dead, Sabourin one day turns up to find his love Zina is now married to his brother. Out of spite, he betrays his brother to the police.
Sabourin sets sail for America. At the port in New York he observes the shady Miss Kelly as she makes off with ship passenger Leonard Wilson's wallet. Sabourin makes a romantic play for Kelly, only to steal the wallet when her back is turned. Kelly's estranged husband pursues and shoots Sabourin in the street, but Sabourin still gets away.
On a tip from the doctor who removes the bullet, Sabourin invests in a company that manufactures the drug penicillin. He fraudulently uses a $20,000 cashier's check from inside the stolen wallet to purchase the stock. Encountering the wealthy Mrs. Ryan, widow of a prominent businessman, Sabourin earns a considerable sum of money for her as well by tipping her to the stock, then covers his own bad check with a $20,000 loan from the grateful Mrs. Ryan.
Sabourin becomes a great business success, with Miss Kelly and his broker, O'Hara, coming to work for him. He and his lawyer Bauman unscrupuously make deals to attain wealth while Sabourin begins courting a number of women romantically, including Mrs. Ryan's young secretary, Stephanie North, financing her ambition to be an actress, as well as the married, affluent Edith van Rensselaer. Also resurfacing is Zina, to whom Sabourin pledges his love and help, lying through his teeth.
As everyone in his life comes to understand just what a scoundrel Sabourin is, each has a reason to kill him, until someone ultimately does.
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
, Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor is a Hungarian-born American stage, film and television actress.She acted on stage in Vienna, Austria, in 1932, and was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936. She emigrated to the United States in 1941 and became a sought-after actress with "European flair and style", with a personality that...
and Yvonne De Carlo
Yvonne De Carlo
Yvonne De Carlo was a Canadian-born American actress of film and television. During her six-decade career, her most frequent appearances in film came in the 1940s and 1950s and included her best-known film roles, such as of Anna Marie in Salome Where She Danced ; Anna in Criss Cross ; Sephora the...
. It was written and directed by Charles Martin.
Death of a Scoundrel is a fictionalized adaptation of the life and mysterious death of Serge Rubenstein.
This film and The Falcon's Brother
The Falcon's Brother
The Falcon's Brother is a 1942 film in which George Sanders, who had been portraying "The Falcon" in a series of movies, appears with his lookalike brother Tom Conway; the brothers play brothers and Sanders hands off the series to Conway, who plays the new Falcon in nine subsequent films...
are the only two films to feature real-life brothers George Sanders and Tom Conway
Tom Conway
Tom Conway was a British film and radio actor, and elder brother of actor George Sanders.-Early life:...
. They play brothers in both films.
Plot
Clementi Sabourin is found dead. Police come to investigate, and when they question Bridget Kelly, who found the body, she tells them everything she knows about his past.A Czech refugee, missing and believed dead, Sabourin one day turns up to find his love Zina is now married to his brother. Out of spite, he betrays his brother to the police.
Sabourin sets sail for America. At the port in New York he observes the shady Miss Kelly as she makes off with ship passenger Leonard Wilson's wallet. Sabourin makes a romantic play for Kelly, only to steal the wallet when her back is turned. Kelly's estranged husband pursues and shoots Sabourin in the street, but Sabourin still gets away.
On a tip from the doctor who removes the bullet, Sabourin invests in a company that manufactures the drug penicillin. He fraudulently uses a $20,000 cashier's check from inside the stolen wallet to purchase the stock. Encountering the wealthy Mrs. Ryan, widow of a prominent businessman, Sabourin earns a considerable sum of money for her as well by tipping her to the stock, then covers his own bad check with a $20,000 loan from the grateful Mrs. Ryan.
Sabourin becomes a great business success, with Miss Kelly and his broker, O'Hara, coming to work for him. He and his lawyer Bauman unscrupuously make deals to attain wealth while Sabourin begins courting a number of women romantically, including Mrs. Ryan's young secretary, Stephanie North, financing her ambition to be an actress, as well as the married, affluent Edith van Rensselaer. Also resurfacing is Zina, to whom Sabourin pledges his love and help, lying through his teeth.
As everyone in his life comes to understand just what a scoundrel Sabourin is, each has a reason to kill him, until someone ultimately does.
Cast
- George SandersGeorge SandersGeorge Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
as Sabourin - Yvonne DeCarlo as Miss Kelly
- Zsa Zsa GaborZsa Zsa GaborZsa Zsa Gabor is a Hungarian-born American stage, film and television actress.She acted on stage in Vienna, Austria, in 1932, and was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936. She emigrated to the United States in 1941 and became a sought-after actress with "European flair and style", with a personality that...
as Mrs. Ryan - Victor JoryVictor JoryVictor Jory was a Canadian actor.-Biography:Born in Dawson City, Yukon, Jory was the boxing and wrestling champion of the Coast Guard during his military service, and he kept his burly physique. He toured with theater troupes and appeared on Broadway, before making his Hollywood debut in 1930...
as Leonard Wilson - John HoytJohn HoytJohn Hoyt was an American film, stage, and television actor.-Early life:Hoyt was born John McArthur Hoysradt. Before becoming an actor with Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre, the Yale University graduate worked as a history instructor, acting teacher and even a nightclub comedian...
as O'Hara - Nancy GatesNancy GatesNancy Gates is a retired American film and television actress.-Film:Gates, born in Dallas, Texas, entered acting at a young age, receiving a contract with RKO at the age of 15. Her first screen appearance, uncredited, was in the 1942 film The Magnificent Ambersons. That same year she had her first...
as Stephanie North - Coleen GrayColeen GrayColeen Gray is an American movie and television actress born in Staplehurst, Nebraska. She is known for her roles in the films Nightmare Alley , Red River , in which she played John Wayne's fiancée, and Stanley Kubrick's The Killing .-Early career:Born Doris Jensen, Gray was a farmer's daughter...
as Edith van Renssalaer - Tom ConwayTom ConwayTom Conway was a British film and radio actor, and elder brother of actor George Sanders.-Early life:...
as Gerry Monte Sabourin - Lisa Ferraday as Zina Monte
- Werner KlempererWerner KlempererWerner Klemperer was a comedic and dramatic actor, best known for his role as Colonel Klink on the CBS television sitcom, Hogan's Heroes.-Early life:...
as Herbert Bauman