I Was an Adventuress
6.2 /10 1 Votes
5.8/10 Letterboxd Genre Comedy, Crime, Drama Producer Nunnally Johnson Country United States | 6.8/10 IMDb Director Gregory Ratoff Music director David Buttolph Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date May 10, 1940 (1940-05-10) Based on Jetais une Aventuriere
1938 French film
by Jacques Companeez
Herbert Juttke
Hans Jacoby
Michel Duran Writer Karl Tunberg (screen play), Don Ettlinger (screen play), John OHara (screen play), Jacques Companeez (original writer), Herbert Juttke (original writer), Hans Jacoby (original writer), Michel Duran (original writer) Cast Vera Zorina (Countess Tanya Vronsky), Richard Greene (Paul Vernay), Erich von Stroheim (Andre Desormeaux), Peter Lorre (Polo), Sig Ruman (Herr Protz), Fritz Feld (Henri Gautier)Similar movies Richard Greene appears in I Was an Adventuress and Little Old New York | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I Was an Adventuress is a 1940 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Vera Zorina, Richard Greene, Erich von Stroheim and Peter Lorre. Actress/ballerina Countess Tanya Vronsky (Vera Zorina) works as decoy for two international con artists Andre Desormeaux (Erich von Stroheim) and Polo (Peter Lorre).
Plot
Countess Tanya Vronsky acts as bait for notorious jewel thief Andre Desormeaux and his assistant, Polo, on their tour through Europe. Everything goes according to plan until Tanya falls in love with their next target, Paul Vernay. Still, the gang manages to victimize Paul. After the heist, Tanya announces that she is retiring and goes on to marry Paul. Desormeaux tries to convince her to change her mind, but in vain.
They meet again months later in Paris, and Desormeaux makes another attempt at persuading the countess to work with them again. In order to get rid of them for good, she pretends to go along with their plans, but instead sets them up to be caught.
However, her plan is thwarted, and her two accomplices come to her home during a party and pretend to be guests. They manage to steal the guests' jewels and escape. Before they leave, Desormeaux blackmails Tanya, threatening to tell Paul about her past if he does not get 200,000 francs.
The theft is soon discovered, and Paul and Tanya go after the thieves in their car. On the way, Paul learns about Tanya's background and forgives her. While they are away, Polo returns to their house in a sudden change of heart, and gives back the jewels. Meanwhile, Desormeaux is boarding a ship to America.
Paul and Tanya come back and discover that the jewels have been returned. They forgive Polo. Tanya entertains her guests at the Vernay mansion by performing a dance from the ballet Swan Lake.
Polo then boards the ship, pretending to still have the jewels in a briefcase. He then "accidentally" drops the suitcase in the water.
References
I Was an Adventuress WikipediaI Was an Adventuress IMDbI Was an Adventuress LetterboxdI Was an Adventuress themoviedb.org