The Scapegoat

Set in post-war Britain during the 1950s, the narrative aligns with a period of rising consumer culture and shifting class codes. Televisions and new conveniences illuminate the era's changing social landscape, providing backdrop to the family’s ambitions and anxieties. The Coronation reference anchors the action to an early- to mid-1950s moment in time.

The story revolves around a sprawling English estate that houses a traditional glass-making business. The mansion and its grounds function as the center of power, secrets, and social performances, while the adjacent foundry underscores the family’s wealth and industrial legacy. The setting contrasts ornate drawing rooms with industrial workshops, highlighting the tension between appearance and reality.

🪞 Dual Identity

The plot hinges on a man assuming another’s life, triggering a cascade of lies that test loyalty and morality. The doppelgänger device exposes how easily appearances can mask true motives in a status-conscious world. Identity becomes both weapon and shield as characters navigate shifting loyalties. The tension between who someone is and who they pretend to be drives the drama.

💰 Power & Wealth

Money and social status are the real stakes, not just personal gain. The glass business and a hidden trust fund drive the actions of nearly every character. The possibility of saving the family fortune creates moral compromises and manipulative schemes. Wealth here is both protection and weapon, shaping choices and betrayals.

💔 Sacrifice

Frances’s tragic willingness to sacrifice herself reveals the costs of family survival. The trust fund and the threat of extinction force painful choices that place others at risk. The film suggests that acts of self-denial can preserve a family, even if it costs personal happiness. Sacrifice becomes a currency as powerful as money itself.