Anthony Mallare (Noël Coward) is a publisher who (it appears) wishes to ruin the life of every person he comes in contact with. Every sentence he says is like a poisoned dart aimed for the greatest damage, and delivered in cold lifeless tones. He is under no illusion regarding his own personality, remarking to his staff at large that he has found the perfect woman—one as empty as he is: "I must marry her ... it would be like two empty paper bags belabouring one another". He finally manages to completely destroy the career and life of an aspiring young author (Stanley Ridges) and his girlfriend (Julie Haydon), who curses him with the hope that he will die friendless. Shortly afterwards he is killed when his plane crashes into the ocean—Haydon's character, upon hearing of the tragedy, remarks, "I've just found out there IS a God!"
Faced with the prospect of damnation he is allowed to go back to earth to find one person who will mourn for him—which person turns out to be Haydon. (Those around him are astonished to see him apparently alive and back at work, but gradually become aware that something supernatural is afoot.)
The Scoundrel had its copyright renewed in 1962 (R297413 25 Jun 62) and for several years has been available via unauthorized VHS and DVD copies. In March 2008, the Noël Coward Society screened a 16mm copy of the film at the Paley Center for Media in New York City. (Renewal notice in Minus and Hale, Film Superlist, vol. 8, p. 747)
