Arsène Lupin Returns

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.

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.

It's a good thing that Arsene Lupin is dead, because there are enough attempts to steal John Halliday's fabulous emerald while he's trying to sell it. Fortunately (for the insurance company) there are only a few days left on his policy against theft. So they send recently resigned super-G-Man Warren William to France, to guard the emerald and to pine for Halliday's niece, Virginia Bruce. She's also being pursued by Melvyn Douglas, who's actually Arsene Lupin.

This would become a running gag in Maurice Leblanc's series of stories about the master criminal. He would fall off a cliff or something at the end of a novel. Then the next would open with him being a decorated hero of the French Foreign Legion, or Prefect of Police in Paris, and no one would ever recognize him, because he is such a master of disguise. George Fitmaurice directs it as a comedy of manners. He was one of those directors who never quite fell off the A list in the early sound era, mostly because of working for Sam Goldwyn. He did have a falling-off of quality with the enforcement of the Production Code, but at MGM he was buoyed by a staff of writers who knew how to work together under producer John Considine. He died in 1940 at the age of 55.

Melvyn Douglas, (Arsene Lupin) keeps his real name a secret from everyone and gets himself involved with a stolen necklace and also has a romantic relationship with Lorraine DeGrissac, (Virginia Bruce) who both give an outstanding performance throughout the entire film. There is plenty of laughs and comedy in this film and it captures your attention and then turns quickly away from stolen jewelry and centers around all the characters involved in this mystery. George Zucco, (Perfect of Police) instead of playing the role as a crook which he has done all his acting career, is now a police man who tries to catch his criminal and suspects Arsene Lupin of stealing this necklace. Georges Bouchet, (Monty Wolley) plays low key in this film and has some very dark secrets which he does not want to reveal.

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.