The Scapegoat is a 1959 British mystery film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Alec Guinness, Nicole Maurey and Bette Davis.

De Gué's chauffeur Gaston shows up to take his master home, and Barratt is unable to convince him that he is not the nobleman.

A bewildered Barratt allows himself to be taken to De Gué's chateau, where he meets "his" family: daughter Marie-Noel, wife Françoise, sister Blanche and formidable mother the Countess.

He decides to renew a contract with the local foundry, even on unfavourable terms, to avoid throwing the longtime employees out of work.

When Barratt investigates, he learns that Françoise's considerable wealth, tied up by her businessman father, would come under his control if she were to die.

[5] Later though, she regretted her choice, blaming Guinness for the film’s box-office failure,[5] a production that du Maurier herself had partially financed.

It is certainly an elegant, evocative piece of craftsmanship, but Robert Hamer's technical ability which is painstakingly considerable is here insufficiently expressive to carry a rather vague and elusive plot and construction.

...The story is intriguing, but Hamer's own dialogue lacks edge and bite; there is little attempt to apportion dramatic emphasis or build to a climax.