Arsène Lupin

A chance to see John and Lionel Barrymore in the same film is never to be passed up. MGM dragged up Arsene Lupin from the Edwardian era. The title character is a French version of Raffles, the titled gent who likes to step out every so often as an amateur thief.

Like Ronald Colman and David Niven in Raffles, Barrymore is as debonair and charming as they playing the titled thief. His Clark Kent persona is the Duke of Charace, but when he's working he's Arsene Lupin. He even sends notes to the police signed Arsene Lupin.

The man assigned to catching the notorious Arsene Lupin is Inspector Lionel Barrymore who has a good reputation. But Lupin proves to be a bedeviller. Never mind say Lionel's superiors, your job is on the line if you don't get him within a week. They make no bones about it, he robs the rich and the rich pay our taxes.

The party of skinflint old nobleman Tully Marshall is the target and it's a game of cat and mouse between the Barrymore brothers.. Lionel brings in reinforcements with the beautiful Karen Morley, but John is up to just about anything Lionel can muster.

Arsene Lupin is old fashioned, but the brothers are incredible to watch even after over 80 years. It's worth a look.

JOHN BARRYMORE actually underplays the role of ARSENE LUPIN in this early talkie that features his brother LIONEL BARRYMORE as a crusty detective seeking to solve a series of jewel robberies. John Barrymore is the elegant man suspected of being the famed jewel thief and he plays it with a surprising amount of charm and skill, rather than the overacting he often displayed in later films.

KAREN MORLEY is the attractive blonde who is supposed to be helping Lionel get the goods on the thief--but, unfortunately, she's no help at all when she falls hopelessly in love with the charming scoundrel.

So much about the film, where much of the action takes place on a country estate with wealthy people in attendance, reminds me of the David Niven/Olivia de Havilland film about the Scotland Yard thief RAFFLES. Barrymore plays the role with the same effortless charm that Niven adapted for his Raffles, the man who kept authorities baffled with a string of jewel robberies.

TCM is showing a good print of the film and while some of the dialog leaves a lot to be desired, it's a good example of an early sound film that still holds up today. Interior sets of the country estate are expensively mounted and it's obvious this was designed as a major film, not a programmer, despite the slight story.

Lionel hams it up considerably throughout, but John is more effective in his underplayed role.

Arsene Lupin may be one of the most infamous jewel thieves on film, but it is difficult to not be charmed or entertained by him at the same time. He does face the danger of being annoying when not executed well, but when done well he is debonair, amusing and a rascally character that is pretty irresistible. Another interest point was seeing the two Barrymore brothers John and Lionel together and there are some very interesting and well done early talkies.

Including 1932's 'Arsene Lupin'. If anybody loves or at least appreciates John and Lionel Barrymore individually they should find much to enjoy, and even more so seeing them together. If anybody loves the character of Lupin, they should find a lot to like about 'Arsene Lupin' (am not saying that for definite and it is not going to be the case for all perhaps). It serves as a very introduction to him if one has little prior knowledge of Lupin and is intrigued by it for appreciating early talkies and the Barrymore brothers. As far as early talkies go, 'Arsene Lupin' is not one of the best but it is not one of the worst either (nowhere near close, personally put it somewhere around high middle).

What really makes 'Arsene Lupin' so worth watching is the Barrymore brothers. Generally have a personal preference for Lionel ever since seeing his unforgettable Potter from 'It's a Wonderful Life' for the first time, and he is clearly having enormous fun here so it was easy to enjoy him. To me though John as Lupin comes off even better, suave, amusing and charming all at once and he is also a lot less theatrical here than he was prone to around this period. Their chemistry is dynamite. Karen Morley more than holds her own and is endearing, love her alluring chemistry with John and she even gets some risque material. Tully Marshall stands out too with great comic timing without being too buffoonish. The whole cast is good.

Likewise with the adroit direction from dependable Jack Conway, have not liked every film of his but he did do some very good ones and 'Arsene Lupin' is one of them. He never seemed ill at ease with the material or at odds with it. The film looks attractive and full of class, especially the photography, and the score has a sense of adventure and tension orchestrated beautifully. There is some nice witty dialogue throughout, it never gets vulgar and the sophistication shines. The story is always involving and has an authentic atmosphere, the ending is thrilling.

Really not much here to criticise, though there are times where the relative infancy of early talkies is betrayed in some staid pacing every now and again, bogged down by not always necessary caption cards, and padding.

Overall, very entertaining. 8/10

As a kid, I used to watch the Japanese anime series updating the exploits of the titular jewel thief (where he was depicted as an over- sexed buffoon, flanked by a shapely girl and two taciturn but deadly accomplices!) – though I have yet to check out the renowned Hayao Miyazaki's 1979 feature-length THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO inspired from it, which I acquired some time ago. I also own and am already familiar with two well-regarded French efforts (retaining the turn-of-the-century setting), namely THE ADVENTURES OF ARSENE LUPIN (1957; stylishly helmed by Jacques Becker) and SIGNED, ARSENE LUPIN (1959); for the record, others which intrigue me are the 1962 ARSENE LUPIN VS. ARSENE LUPIN and the 1971 TV series, both also emanating from the character's 'native' country.

However, the film under review – which I had first acquired via a TV-to- VHS-to-DVD conversion of poor quality, but which I eventually upgraded (albeit still culled from a TCM screening) – remains perhaps the most popular rendition of this debonair figure; by the way, I also have in my collection its direct but-as-yet unwatched 1938 sequel ARSENE LUPIN RETURNS. Incidentally, such gentlemen crooks were a regular feature of pulp fiction (notably the similarly much-filmed "Raffles": I own versions of it dating from 1917 – starring, as here, John Barrymore – 1925, 1930 – alas, only a TV-to-VHS copy – and 1939!) until they made way for more ruthless and ambitious criminal masterminds such as Fantomas and Dr. Mabuse.

Anyway, this classy production – best-known for first teaming John with his elder brother Lionel (they would appear together 5 times in 2 years, on one of which they were even joined by sister Ethel!) – is most enjoyable, with a plot which has since become a cliché: the protagonist's duality (hiding under an air of respectability and, at one point, the guise of an aged flower-seller to pull off a daring 'job' at the Louvre); the analogous deception by the woman in his life (or, more precisely, the one he finds in his bed – a delightfully racy scene for an MGM picture but, then, this was a "Pre-Code" release – during a reception!); Lupin's tenacious, but ultimately sympathetic, antagonist (whose physical attributes – including a prominent limp – actually fit the description of the 'villain' as given by an eye-witness!); the ultra-modern gadgets (a safe without the proverbial combination but 'armed' with an electrical charge), etc.

John Barrymore's famed good looks ("The Great Profile" was 50 at the time) and up-till-then infrequently-tapped comic timing (though he would increasingly come to rely upon it for the rest of his career!) make him, respectively, ideal casting and a pleasure to watch; for what it is worth, I have as many as 23 titles of his still to go through…even if only 4 fall into my current exercise of movie viewing based on all-time best polls and the higher ratings bestowed by Leslie Halliwell and Leonard Maltin!

A cranky police detective suspects a French duke of being the infamous thief ARSÈNE LUPIN.

John & Lionel Barrymore costarred together for the first time in a motion picture in this intriguing crime drama. Alike and yet so different, they are the perfect counterpoint to each other. John plays his role with suave sophistication (when not in disguise) and Lionel is earthy & common in his portrayal, each obviously having a wonderful time trying to out act the other. Helped by a generous script, the outcome is pretty much a draw, with the viewer the clear winner.

Although upstaged by the two male stars, Karen Morley is intriguing as the mystery woman John finds naked in his bed. Tully Marshall gives a colorful performance as a silly nobleman with much to lose to the master criminal. Henry Armetta & George Davis are very enjoyable as two seriously inept security guards. John Miljan provides a sturdy presence in his small role as the police prefect.

Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Mischa Auer as a guide in the Louvre during the climactic scene dealing with an attempted heist of the Mona Lisa.