Tanya entertains her guests at the Vernay mansion by performing a dance from the ballet Swan Lake. Paul and Tanya come back and discover that the jewels have been returned. Meanwhile, Desormeaux is boarding a ship to America. While they are away, Polo returns to their house in a sudden change of heart, and gives back the jewels. On the way, Paul learns about Tanya's background and forgives her. The theft is soon discovered, and Paul and Tanya go after the thieves in their car. Before they leave, Desormeaux blackmails Tanya, threatening to tell Paul about her past if he does not get 200,000 francs. They manage to steal the guests' jewels and escape. However, her plan is thwarted, and her two accomplices come to her home during a party and pretend to be guests. In order to get rid of them for good, she pretends to go along with their plans, but instead sets them up to make them think she has been arrested. They meet again months later in Paris, and Desormeaux makes another attempt at persuading the countess to work with them again. Desormeaux tries to convince her to change her mind, but in vain. After the heist, Tanya announces that she is retiring and goes on to marry Paul. Still, the gang manages to victimize Paul. Everything goes according to plan until Tanya falls in love with their next target, Paul Vernay. Plot Ĭountess Tanya Vronsky acts as bait for notorious jewel thief Andre Desormeaux and his assistant, Polo, on their tour through Europe.

Actress/ballerina Countess Tanya Vronsky ( Vera Zorina) works as decoy for two international con artists Andre Desormeaux ( Erich von Stroheim) and Polo ( Peter Lorre). I Was an Adventuress is a 1940 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Vera Zorina, Richard Greene, Erich von Stroheim, and Peter Lorre.

Personal Adventures by William Edwards