The Scarlet Sinner was based on The Mand Who Played Fidele by Gerald Beaumont. Heroine Fidele Tridon (Mary Astor) has grown up with the knowledge that her father has promised her in marriage to Baron Kurt Badeau (Frank Morgan). When Fidele comes of age, the Baron shows up expecting to claim his young bride. In the interim, however, Fidele has fallen in love with wealthy horseman Philip Collett (Lloyd Hughes). The enraged Baron frames a duel with Phillip, then fakes being wounded so that the boy will be arrested for attempted murder. But our heroine manages to expose the Baron for the liar and coward that he is, thus paving the way for an orange-blossom finale with Phillip. Currently unavailable for reappraisal, Scarlet Sinner would be worth seeing if only to watch beloved character actor Frank Morgan play a no-good scoundrel.
by Hal Erickson
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