替罪羊

THE SCAPEGOAT. ITV, UK, 2012. Made for TV movie， cast by Matthew Rhys, Eileen Atkins,Andrew Scott. Based on the novel by Dapne du Maurier. Written and directed by Charles Sturridge. Previous filmed in 1959, starring Alec Guinness.

Two men, one a schoolmaster who’s just been let go, and another who is outwardly a man of some wealth and power, discover that they are exact lookalikes. So much so, that the latter of the two swaps clothes and belongings, and heads out to parts unknown. They swtiched places so that the rich can carry out his plans for the fortune.

Leaving the ex-Greek teacher no choice but to take the other’s place, complete withe family mansion, wife and daughter, a bedridden mother, a younger brother and sister, the brother’s wife (who he has been dallying with), a mistress (in town as a craft shop owner) and a flock of servants. Indifferent and cold as it is, the family members hardly found that the host is changed to a different man. Even though he doesn’t know any of them, no the house, the room, his responsibilities as the male head of the family. He catches on very quickly and wittly.

Soon he utilized care, if not love, all of them, and he soon settles in to handle their affairs for them far better than the man he is posing as ever did. Set at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, this is a film filled with not only fine acting, but charm and heart. The family finally reconcilled, i.e., Lady Spencer walks out to the society, the wife wins his husband back and the furnace resumes operation with help his sister.

There is a small but crucial bit of a murder plot involved as well. When the absentee owner of the house sneaks back in and sees how well his imposter has worked his way into his home, he decides to take advantage of it in a most deadly fashion. Luckily ashes to ashes, nothing remains as happy ending. (Andrew appears more handsome and younger than he did in Sherlocko(^▽^)o）