Arsène Lupin Returns

The Barrymore brothers scored well as Arsene Lupin and the dogged detective trailing him back in the early days of sound, so MGM decided the old thief could use a second go around.

It turns out he didn't die as per the original film, but is now living in quiet retirement, at least until some enterprising thief decided to do a job and pin it on him. Now it's up to Lupin to clear himself.

The plot of Arsene Lupin Returns is remarkably similar to Alfred Hitchcock's classic To Catch A Thief, right down to the French locale for most of the story. Of course this B film was shot on the MGM back lot.

For a B film, Arsene Lupin Returns boasts a remarkable cast of classic players. Melvyn Douglas, Warren William, John Halliday, Monty Woolley, George Zucco and Tully Marshall all had years of stage training before going into film. In fact when about five of these guys were in the same scene, I have to say I haven't so much perfect diction this side of a Ronald Colman film.

Given however it is a B film with a limited cast too much talk will give away the culprit. Looking over the list I can say any one of these guys by past roles could have been the thief. I'll say this though, leading lady Virginia Bruce didn't do it.

No color cinematography, no good French Riviera locations, but Arsene Lupin Returns has a nice story done by a group of the classiest players ever to be assembled on one movie.

And for a B film besides.

The first MGM Arsene Lupin sound movie featured John and Lionel Barrymore as mighty antagonists, master thief and super cop. The RETURNS movie builds up the contest of similar seeming antagonists, a successful G-Man, forced to resign because of his self-promoting publicity, and a legendary thief who seems to have come back from the dead. The beginning of the film builds up the character of Warren William as a sleuth on the trail of a thief calling himself "Arsene Lupin." In short order, William is in France where he meets an aristocratic lady (the beautiful Virginia Bruce) with four young Boston terriers, which we never see again, and Melvyn Douglas as her friend. Douglas apparently has a country estate with various farm animals running around. Then begins the apparent duel -- William versus Douglas, one man suspecting that the other is the real thief who escaped death and the other thinking that he has to evade suspicion for committing a crime and maintaining his life style. The two dance around each other with their witty exchanges, while paying attention to the lovely Bruce. Douglas has to contend with the unexpected appearance of two buddies from his past (Clive and Pendleton) who think that their old life style has returned. Meanwhile, a formidable French police officer (George Zucco) is on the trail. Then begins a succession of events, all centering around a $250,000 emerald necklace, amid a flurry of misdirections, red herrings, shadowy figures, safe cracking, and a deadly shooting, until the satisfying conclusion is reached. A nice touch: the "confetti" thrown at the end. William is as suave as he is in his role as Perry Mason, Douglas is as debonair as he is in his films with Garbo, Bruce is more gorgeous than she is in BORN TO DANCE, even Zucco is more believable than he is in his horror films of the 40's. Also, watch for noted screen chewer Vladimir Sokoloff in his much younger years. One of the better crime films of the '30's with witty repartee, handsome actors, and a clever plot.

Melvyn Douglas (Ninotchka, 1939) plays Rene Ferrand in this 1938 film, one of the many follow up films to the "first" talkie Arsene Lupin movie from 1932. Warren William is insurance agent Steve Emerson, who accompanies the Grissac family Lorraine (Virginia Bruce) and the Count (John Halliday). Monty Woolley, with his Santa Claus beard, best known for "The Man Who Came to Dinner" is Georges Bouchet; Familiar face Nat Pendleton (always played the henchman or tough guy) is Joe Doyle, Ferrand's sidekick, and Vladimir Sokoloff is Ivan Pavloff, the mysterious prowler. When a thief tries to steal a valuable necklace, everyone is a suspect. Then things get complicated. Fun scene near the end where the necklace turns up, and it goes from one pocket to another in slight of hand -- then more shooting, more accusations, and a clever way to catch the thief. We aren't really given any early clues in "Murder She Wrote" style - in this one, we can only watch as it all takes place, and try to guess which are the red herrings. Good story, but much more buttoned down and proper than the 1932 Lupin story, starring the Barrymore brothers. TCM showing the collection in November 2007.

Warren William is an FBI agent who is tasked with protecting a precious gem when the elusive Arsene Lupin returns, this time played by Melvyn Douglas.

Nominally a sequel to the 1932 movie starring the Barrymore brothers, this movie would probably work better as a standalone entry. There is a jarring change in tone and style between the two that watching them back-to-back like I did probably hurt my enjoyment of the second movie, if only slightly. Gone is the pre-Code raciness, replaced with a more standard late 30s chasteness, and the distinctly European setting of the first is now very Americanized, even when set in Europe.

However, once I was able to get past the differences I started to appreciate the sequel on its own merit. The movie managed to preserve a sense of mystery despite knowing the identity of the master thief the entire time. The only real complaint I had was that Douglas and William should have swapped roles. There is nothing about Melvyn Douglas that will make you believe he is ever a master French thief, whereas Warren William at least has an air of international sophistication.

'Arsene Lupin Returns' has been inevitably compared to its 1932 predeccessor 'Arsene Lupin', which very memorably starred John and Lionel Barrymore. Being somebody that immensely enjoyed that film for many reasons (especially the performances of the Barrymore brothers), expectations were high for 'Arsene Lupin Returns'. Especially with such a talented cast that sounded a dream on paper, a great idea for a story that is my kind of film and with the legendary Franz Waxman as composer.

On the most part, 'Arsene Lupin Returns' delivers and is a worthy follow up. Maybe not quite as good, the atmosphere is not as authentic (not as much of the French flavour here) and it is hard to shake off those great feelings had watching the Barrymore brothers previously. 'Arsene Lupin Returns' is every bit as well made, performed and witty though, with much charm too, and others will like that it goes at a faster pace and is more refined than 'Arsene Lupin'. Both are enjoyable films and go well together.

There really is not much to dislike. Did think that John Halliday was on the dull side as a rather thanklessly written character that doesn't really add very much.

Maybe the romantic rivalry could have been developed a little more than it was.

However the cast do really well and the actors are fine in their own way, clearly looking as if they were having fun while not being too broad and having the intensity when needed. The always never less than reliable and often great Melvyn Douglas is charming and debonair in the lead role, while Virginia Bruce is alluring glamour personified. Warren William provides a lot of entertaining moments and is suave and witty. The verbal sparring sparkles. EE Clive, returning Tully Marshall and especially Nat Pendleton also looked as though they were enjoying themselves and George Zucco is suitably formidable. 'Arsene Lupin Returns' is slickly directed and goes at a lively pace, not being bogged down by un-neccessities like the 1932 film sometimes was.

Production values are handsome and Franz Waxman's music score also makes an impact, interesting for it being an early work of his and being not as distinctively swelling in emotion as one usually hears with Waxman. Yet the lush orchestration and mix of playfulness and suspense in the scoring makes for a very enjoyable listen. The script sparkles like bubbles on top of a glass of champagne, especially in the verbal sparring, and the story is diverting and clever with some neat clues (even if full attention is needed all the time as some of the plot does get complicated). The ending is surprising and satisfies if not as thrilling as in 'Arsene Lupin'.

In conclusion, worthy and very enjoyable. 8/10