Arsene Lupine, the king of thieves

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Movie
German title Arsene Lupine, the king of thieves
Original title Arsene Lupine
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1932
length 84 minutes
Rod
Director Jack Conway
script Lenore J. Coffee
Bayard Veiller
Carey Wilson
production Samuel Goldwyn
music Alfred Newman
camera Oliver T. Marsh
cut Hugh Wynn
occupation

Arsene Lupine, the King of Thieves (original title: Arsene Lupine ) is an American film from 1932. This mystery film was directed by Jack Conway and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . The star of the film is John Barrymore . It was his first MGM film after he left Warner Brothers and the first film for brothers John and Lionel Barrymore together .

The film is based on Maurice Leblanc's fictional character of the same name and on the play written by Leblanc and Francis de Croisset in 1908.

action

The house of a Parisian millionaire is broken into. Detective Guerchard gets the police going after a call. A car is targeted by the police, which is obviously on the run. When they are able to stop the car after a wild chase, they find a handcuffed passenger who claims to have been robbed. Guerchard is absolutely convinced that he is facing the notorious jewel thief Arsène Lupine. When the man claims to be the Duke of Charmerace, he just laughs at him. A little later, however, it turns out that it is actually the Duke. At first Guerchard is at a loss, as further irritations arise from a found footprint, but then he receives a letter from Lupine informing him that he will appear at the Duke's ball the coming night . The Duke, who is actually Lupine, is meanwhile being harassed by a bailiff. When he later went to his room, a beautiful, half-naked woman, who called herself Sonia and posed as Countess Krichnoff, was lying in his bed. A skirmish develops between the two of them.

In order to be able to present a birthday cake accordingly, all lights are switched off at the party at midnight. During this short period of time, many of the guests present are robbed. Guerchard, who is also present, is now certain that the Duke and Arsène Lupine are one and the same man. One of the guests, the wealthy Gaston Gourney-Martin, invited Lupine and Sonia to his country estate for the weekend. Sonia, who is actually a little thief and is called Sophie Krellberg, has been put on Lupine by Guerchard. In return, he made sure that she could leave the prison. To her surprise, Sonia discovers that her fake diamond bracelet has been replaced with a real one. At the same time, Gourney-Martin received a letter signed “Arsène Lupine” and containing the announcement that all of his valuables would be stolen because he was a war profiteer . Lupine pretends that he will spend the night in Sonia's room.

The next morning, Gourney-Martin discovers that he has been robbed, although he believed that his chosen hiding place was absolutely safe. The interrogation of some suspects, who are even coerced by Guerchard, comes to nothing, as none of the men comment on Lupine and Sonia also sticks to her statement that the Duke spent the entire night in her bedroom. Just at the moment when Guerchard is threatening to have Sonia brought back to prison, a stone flies through the window with a note written by Lupine announcing that he will be delivering the " Mona Lisa " the next day steal from the Louvre . While there is general confusion, Lupine and Sonia manage to move away unnoticed and drive to a hiding place outside Paris to prepare for the predicted robbery.

Although Guerchard takes all possible precautions, the painting is stolen the next day. Lupin's careful planning of the robbery, including diversions and impersonation, means that he can escape undetected. Guerchard has to admit his defeat again, which annoys him very much. With a trick he still tries to arrest his archenemy. He hires Laurent, one of his detectives, to let Lupin's horse run free and to follow him. In fact, it runs to Lupin's hiding place, and Guerchard can finally handcuff the master thief. Again, however, he has an ace up his sleeve, because Guerchard's daughter Maria was kidnapped and should only be released after the "Mona Lisa" has been handed over. Lupine is ready to hand over the painting. Although Guerchard refuses to allow Lupine to be released, on the drive to the police building he says that he once had a prisoner who jumped into the Seine and then stops on a bridge over the river.

Some time later, Guerchard tells the police prefect that there had been four shots and that he heard Lupine scream. At the same time, Lupine and Sonia buy gold rings, and Lupine jokes, "Guerchard wouldn't believe it if he saw me buy jewelry."

Production and Background

Filming for the film began in early December 1931. On March 5, 1932, it was premiered in the United States .

According to the Hollywood Reporter , Robert Montgomery and John Gilbert were initially earmarked for the lead roles. For the Barrymore brothers it was their first collaboration in one of four films together in the 1930s, but the brothers and their sister Ethel had a brief appearance in the same film in 1917 and 1919.

Tully Marshall, who played the role of Gourney-Martin in this version, had a small role as pawnbroker Monelle in the 1938 version of Arsène Lupine Returns filmed with Melvyn Douglas .

criticism

Variety Staff concluded , “The joint portrayal of John and Lionel Barrymore lifts the film to a high artistic level. The story resembles the touch of a subtle but sophisticated spice as far as the love story between Lupine and Sonia is concerned. The female lead is played in a balanced way by Karen Morley, restraint and occasional emphasis are pleasantly balanced. "

Mobdaunt Hall of The New York Times thought it was “a lucky idea to use the Barrymore brothers in a film together. In addition to some very nice ideas, the film also has a good dose of humor. Lionel Barrymore is admirable, and it is also a pleasure to see John play easily again. "Karen Morley confirmed Hall" attractiveness and efficiency in the female lead. It is also a pleasure to watch Tully Marshall how he, as Gourney-Martin, thinks he can keep his valuables safe in a safe with an electric motor. "

Further films

There are various other film versions of the material. The following is a non-exhaustive list.

  • 1916: Arsène Lupine , British version of George Loane Tucker, with Gerald Ames in the lead role.
  • 1917: Arsène Lupine , American silent film, with Earle Williams as Lupine.
  • 1919: The Teeth of the Tiger , American silent film with David Powell as Paul Sernine, as Arsene Lupine known
  • 1921: Arsne Luptin utolsó Kalandja , Hungarian version
  • 1923: 813 , Japanese version
  • 1938: Arsène Lupine Returns with Melvyn Douglas as Lupine.
  • 1957: Arsène Lupine, the millionaire thief ( Adventures of Arsène Lupine ) with Robert Lamoureux as Lupine and Liselotte Pulver in the female lead.
  • 1971–1974: Arsène Lupine , TV series with Georges Descrières in the leading role
  • 2004: Arsène Lupine - The king among thieves with Romain Duris as Arsène Lupine

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1931-1940 by The American Film Institute, c.1993
  2. ^ Arsene Lupine , Original Broadway Opening Lyceum & later Hudson Theaters from August 26, 1909 to January 1910, 144 performances; IBDb.com
  3. ↑ Arsène Lupine (1932) at TCM - Screenplay Infos - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  4. ↑ Arsène Lupine (1932) Original Print Information at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  5. ↑ a b c Arsène Lupine (1932) Notes at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  6. ↑ Review: Arsene Lupine In: Variety Staff, December 31, 1931 (English). Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  7. ^ Arsene Lupine (1932) John and Lionel Barrymore Engage in a Battle of Wits in a Film Version of "Arsene Lupine". In: The New York Times, February 27, 1932 (English). Retrieved November 18, 2013.