A Scandal in Paris / Lured

Douglas Sirk, the German-born filmmaker who fled Europe for Hollywood during World War II, became famous for mixing social commentary into his sophisticated, glossy melodramas in the 1950s, but he spent years working his way up from B movies and studio programmers. This collection presents two of his early American films, low-budget period pieces starring George Sanders. In A Scandal in Paris (1946), Sanders stars as suave con man and criminal mastermind Vidocq, bringing a mix of bemusement, blasé attitude, and aristocratic poise to the role. It's based on the (highly dubious) memoirs of a real-life rascal who claims to have become chief of police of 19th-century Paris while continuing his life of crime. Sirk's continental wit and playfulness coupled with Sanders's droll delivery and impeccable manners add a knowing wink to the production. Lured (1947) stars Lucille Ball as Sandra Carpenter, a brash and worldly American showgirl in London who is persuaded by Scotland Yard to act as bait to catch a suspected killer. Sanders costars as Robert Fleming, a cultured ladies' man and theater producer who becomes a suspect. This stylish Victorian mystery is less thriller than witty cat-and-mouse game and it also features Boris Karloff showing off his knack for comedy in a small role as another suspect. Both films are triumphs of design and visual ingenuity: A Scandal in Paris suggests a Paris in miniature while Lured uses fog-drenched atmosphere to conjure up London without leaving the studio. Satisfying costume dramas with a satirical edge, both films bow on Blu-ray with audio commentaries by film historians (Wade Major on A Scandal in Paris, Jeremy Arnold on Lured). Recommended. (S. Axmaker)