I Am a Thief

Mary Astor never gave a bad performance. From ingénues to the understanding romantic friend in the great "Dodsworth" to her supreme triumph in "The Great Lie" ... To -- Well, "The Matese Falcon" is not far from this movie's story. Then she became Judy Garland's mother in "Meet Me In St. Louis" and went on to play older-woman roles through the 1950s.

She is elegant and a little shady here. Ricardo Cortez was never a major star but he was always good to watch, as well. Together, they make this movie.

Now, if you want a truly sublime movie about jewel thieves, I direct you to "Desire." Marlene is her usual bawdy self and Cary Cooper shows a surprising and delightful gift for comedy.

This one will do, though. The supporting cast is a little lackluster. The stars have to keep it going on their own. But it's a romantic mystery. And the mystery keeps us wondering till the end.

Ricardo Cortez is a suave jeweler. He buys at auction some famous and expensive diamonds, then takes the Orient Express to Istanbul, so he can romance Mary Astor -- who eventually steals the jewels -- and keep things humming along, with a bunch of people who obviously want the gems and are willing to murder to get them. Apparently.

Robert Florey directs this at the high-speed Warner Brothers pace, even though the plot complexities, which seem to involve everyone actually being someone other than they seem to be, sometimes overwhelm the movie. Like a detective in a pulp novel, I began to suspect everyone, from Parisian chauffeurs -- a shady lot at the best of times -- to children selling gimcrack souvenirs by the side of the train. Why were they traveling on the Orient Express anyway? Don't they know it's a hotbed of espionage, murder, and Kenneth Branagh in a face-eating mustache?

Florey was always fond of Dutch angles, but he can't do much on board the railroad, even with Sidney Hickock as his cinematographer. It was fun while it lasted, but occasionally confusing, as players switched who they were playing.

After several spectacular jewel thefts an international group of insurance underwriters plan to trap the culprits by following the buyer of the Karenina diamonds.Enter man of mystery,jewel dealer Ricardo Cortez who makes the purchase,leaves Paris on the Orient Express,and is followed by numerous people hoping to get their hands on the gems.The viewer must figure out just who is an actual thief/murderer or those who are on the side of the law in this delightfully fast-paced thriller.A trainload of wonderful Warner Brothers contract players(Mary Astor,Robert H.Barrat,John Wray,Irving Pichel,Dudley Digges,Ferdinand Gottschalk,etc.) and the always terrific direction of Robert Florey keep the suspense right on track.

A string of sensational jewel robberies has rocked Paris. Unnerved insurance executives hatch a plan. They will lure the thieves into the open by auctioning off the famous Karenina diamonds....

Mary Astor and Ricardo Cortez are outstanding in this wild tale of jewel robbers chasing each other across Europe. Cortez outbids Astor and purchases the famous diamonds ("Impertinent fellow but very handsome," she comments), but Astor remains intensely interested in the jewels. Indeed, she sneaks into his hotel room in the middle of the night--only to find his bodyguard knocked unconscious and a would-be thief just leaving. Not surprisingly, Cortez has hidden the diamonds in a safer place than his hotel room, and laughs off the whole attack.

Very soon Cortez is en route to Istanbul to sell the diamonds. Astor hops on the same train carrying a duplicate set of the same jewels. A pushy baron (Robert Barrat), a sly count (Irving Pichel), and a rich American (Dudley Digges) also make the trip in pursuit of the Kareninas. The various characters appear to form rivalries and alliances....But who is really who?

Part of the fun is guessing--and the exciting climax features a couple of gasp-inducing moments. A fast-paced and stylish adventure.

Well-done, fast-paced, slick, and fun mystery story about a pack of jewel thieves and assorted other characters aboard the Orient Express, all in hot pursuit of the famous "Karenina Diamonds". In Paris, the insurance companies are upset about the glut of jewel robberies happening in the city lately, so put up for auction the exquisite Karenina diamond necklace in hopes of luring out the thieves from hiding. Dealer Ricardo Cortez bids and wins the diamonds and is soon traveling by train to Istanbul with many others chasing him and, more importantly, chasing the prized jewels including smartly-dressed Mary Astor, a lady of mystery.

Most of this film takes place aboard the train, in state rooms and dining car, with plot twists and turns that remind me of an early Hitchcock film. It also reminds me of an Agatha Christie style mystery story including gathering of all characters in the dining car for interrogation by smart police detective. This movie does not disappoint - with top-notch acting all-around and an interesting, suspenseful plot, this is really an excellent film.