*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This film begs comparison with the original 1959 version. It turns out that both are outstanding! While I must give the slight nod to the earlier version, I nonetheless admired the more intricate plotting and exemplary performances in the newer film.

The 1959 film included a rich black-and-white cinematography and beautiful scoring. There was a haunting quality to the film and greater simplicity than the updated version. Above all, the earlier film had the incomparable Alec Guinness.

Still, Matthew Rhys was solid in the dual roles of John and Johnny, and the English settings were spectacular. In the updated version, there was the clever device of setting the story in the post World War II years at the precise moment of the coronation of Elizabeth II. Additionally, every role seemed perfectly cast. The acting ensemble and details in the scripting made "The Scapegoat" an engaging and memorable film experience.