A Scandal in Paris

The rogue who would later call himself Eugène François Vidocq is born in a prison cell, the twelfth child of a mother who steals bread to shelter him. He grows up in and out of jail, forming an early pattern of crime and evasion. This birth sets the tone for a life lived on the margins.

As a young man, Vidocq continuously finds himself imprisoned and released, learning the ropes of crime and survival. His associates and fate intertwine with criminal networks, shaping his cunning. The pattern of confinement fuels his resourcefulness.

Vidocq and his cellmate Emile Vernet escape using a file hidden in a birthday cake provided by Vernet's aunt Ernestine. They slip away from custody and begin a new chase toward Paris. The escape marks a turning point that propels Vidocq into a life of bold heists.

On the road to Paris, they are hired to pose for a painter, Vidocq as Saint George and Vernet as the dragon. The staged scene blends art with crime, foreshadowing Vidocq's hunger for grander schemes. The painting nears completion, anchoring their notoriety.

In Paris, Uncle Hugo, head of Vernet's family, arranges a safer path by placing Vidocq in the army with a forged lie of a lieutenant's commission—'Rousseau.' Vidocq thus enters the world of official duty while still chasing crime. The deception deepens his duplicity.

Waiting to ship out to Egypt, Vidocq meets Loretta, a singer who fascinates him with more than her voice. He is drawn to her ruby garter, and when she is accompanied to meet a dull admirer, he seizes the opportunity to steal the garter. The encounter plants the seeds for a complicated romance and rivalry.

Two years later, Vidocq and Vernet leave the army and return to Paris. They detour to the church adorned by their likenesses and encounter the jewel-loving Marquise De Pierremont. Vidocq retrieves the Marquise’s pet monkey from a cemetery, claiming a family tie to a Vidocq buried there, which earns him an invitation to her château.

At the Marquise's estate, Vidocq learns the minister's son-in-law is the Minister of Police, but Therese—the minister's daughter—falls for the image of Saint George. The plan to steal her jewels lures Vidocq deeper into a dangerous web of love and crime.

Vidocq and Vernet steal and hide the jewel-laden jewels from the Marquise, intending to return later. Exploiting a newfound 'deduction,' Vidocq leads the minister to the hiding place and secures Richet's former position as chief of police, enabling him to place Vernet's criminal relatives at the Bank of Paris.

Loretta reappears, now married to Richet, and uses their history to blackmail Vidocq back into their entangled relationship. Vidocq pretends to comply, setting the stage for the top-level robbery plan.

Vidocq tells Vernet to proceed with the planned bank robbery that very night, while he strolls with Therese and Mimi. Therese reveals she has deduced Vidocq’s past thefts but is willing to join him in his life of crime. The plan escalates into a dangerous caper.

Richet intercepts Loretta at a hat store, furious and desperate, and fatally shoots her after a tense confrontation. The tragedy removes Loretta from Vidocq's life, but not before forcing him to confront his choices.

With Loretta out of the way, Vidocq tells Vernet's family that he has changed and will hunt them down if they proceed with the robbery. Vernet ambushes Vidocq, forcing Vidocq to kill his former friend in self-defense.

Vidocq confesses his past crimes to the minister and the Marquise. Because he has repented, he is forgiven by the De Pierremonts and welcomed into the family as he marries Therese.