Arsène Lupine, the millionaire thief
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Arsène Lupine, the millionaire thief |
| Original title | Les aventures d'Arsène Lupine |
| Country of production | France |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1957 |
| length | 105 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Jacques Becker |
| script | Jacques Becker Albert Simonin based on the novel by Maurice Leblanc |
| production |
François Chavane Alain Poiré Jules Borkon Jean Le Duc Mario Gabrielli |
| music | Jean-Jacques Grunenwald |
| camera | Edmond Séchan |
| cut | Geneviève Vaury |
| occupation | |
| |
Arsène Lupine, der Millionendieb is a French feature film by Jacques Becker from 1957 with Robert Lamoureux in the title role and with Liselotte Pulver as the German nobleman in the female lead. OE Hasse shone in it with the "portrayal of a very cheerful, humorous Kaiser Wilhelm II, who challenges the master thief and is robbed by him".
action
France in 1912. Two valuable paintings are stolen during a ceremony held by the President of the Council. Among those present is the Italian diplomat Aldo Parolini, but in reality he is none other than the disguised French master thief Arsène Lupine . And once again he made long fingers: this time he is targeting a work by Leonardo da Vinci and another by Sandro Botticelli . Behind another painting, he leaves his business card with a brief handwritten note that this painting attributed to Michelangelo is a forgery. Then he makes the ladies happy and seduces the German noblewoman Mina von Kraft.
In his next coup, the master thief slips into the masquerade of a wealthy winemaker to steal from a Parisian jeweler. For this purpose, he enters his shop and pretends to want to purchase a suitable piece of jewelry for the upcoming wedding of his only daughter. Lupine feigns a certain indecision and asks several jewelers to visit him with their most beautiful pieces in his luxurious hotel suite so that he can make a choice in the presence of his daughter. With the involuntary help of a hotel manicure, Arsène Lupine can strike again this time. He deposits the jewels in a secretary, the back wall of which is adjacent to the neighboring room. The fake winemaker disappears briefly and removes the jewelry from the neighboring room from the prepared back wall of the piece of furniture, only to disappear immediately afterwards. The manicure is dismissed by the hotel management and also questioned by the police, who initially suspect that the young girl was working with Lupine. They are later released. For the hardships she has suffered, the master thief gives the fired 50 Louis d'or and, on top of that, gets her a new job with a respected hairdresser in the Palais Royal .
His next masquerade mutates Lupine into a certain André Laroche, an allegedly influential Parisian personality with contacts to high-ranking men of the state. At the same time, according to his pretended biography, Laroche is the owner of a large racing stable with pedigree horses. Before he can strike again on the turf under this sign, something goes wrong. Because this time Lupine is recognized and arrested by the police. But again Arsène Lupine manages to escape after the very policeman who had led him away releases him. He believes that he recognizes a highly placed and influential person in Lupine.
In the meantime, Lupin's short-term love affair, Mina von Kraft, a close advisor and confidante of Kaiser Wilhelm II, recognized Lupine in a photo printed in a German newspaper that was printed after a victory for one of Laroche's horses. His Majesty has a sense of humor, he likes this cheeky, brazen guy and noble thief and really wants to get to know him. The meeting is to take place on the mediation of Lupin's Liaison Mina at the imperial summer residence Hohkönigsburg in (then still German) Alsace . Without further ado, Lupine is brought across the border to Germany - not entirely voluntarily. The men, who are so different, first chat about their hobby horses: horses. But then His Majesty gets to the point. While Lupine uses the presence at the imperial palace to flirt with Mina again, the cheerful emperor wants to offer Lupine a bet. In order to check the security of his hidden safe, Wilhelm challenges the French. According to Wilhelm, an Arsène Lupine could never steal from him. Lupine accepts with a smile and has no idea that his Majesty only wants to check the security of his safe through the master thief.
Wilhelm II is supposed to keep confidential documents hidden there, and Lupine should try to find their hiding place and open it. Of course Lupine succeeds in locating the safe, but he decides not to tell the monarch about it. Instead, he takes a million marks from the safe and rides away on horseback. When the emperor discovered the theft, he was less angry that Lupine had stolen from him as well, but that the safe, viewed from the outside, obviously remained untouched and was not damaged in any way. Arsène Lupine has meanwhile returned to Paris. A number of upper-class gentlemen who had already been seen in the opening scene with the President of the Council meet in a restaurant. Among other things, there is Mina von Kraft but also a Maharajah who points out his most beautiful diamond, which is attached to his turban. Lupine appears, this time disguised as a waiter. And after a wink dedicated to Mina, you already know what the master thief is up to.
Production notes
Arsène Lupine, the millionaire was filmed from July 3 to September 1, 1956 in the Hohkönigsburg in Alsace (exterior shots) and in the studios of Saint-Maurice (studio shots) and premiered on March 22, 1957. The German premiere was on September 13, 1957.
The costumes were designed by Anne-Marie Marchand and Jacques Cottin , the film construction by Rino Mondellini . Pierre Guffroy assisted him . Ghislain Cloquet worked as a simple cameraman under the direction of Edmond Séchan .
Another Arsène Lupine film with Lamoureux in the title role was made in 1959 under the title Drawn: Arsène Lupine (Signé Arsène Lupine) .
Reviews
“Comedy about an elegant master thief at the turn of the century who doesn't act out of greed, but sees his crimes as an intellectual challenge. The thieves are staged and acted in a witty way, with joy in the parody; they reveal swipes at the French as well as the German national character. Maurice Leblanc created a complement to that of Fantomas with his fictional character. "
“To test the security of his safes, Kaiser Wilhelm has the French master thief kidnapped. But he not only steals a fortune there, but also a heart. Amusing rogue comedy by Jacques Becker with Robert Lamoureux and Lilo Pulver. "
"... hilariously exuberant crook ..."
"The most stylish Lupine film, although it is not based on the original stories."
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release certificate for Arsène Lupine, the millionaire . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , September 2007 (PDF; test number: 15 231 DVD).
- ↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 3: F - H. Barry Fitzgerald - Ernst Hofbauer. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 565.
- ↑ Jean-Claude Sabria: Cinéma français. Les années 50. Paris 1987, no.79
- ↑ Arsène Lupine, the millionaire thief in the lexicon of international film
Web links
- Arsène Lupine, the Millionendieb in the Internet Movie Database (English)