Arsène Lupin (1932)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Lenore J. Coffee (dialogue)
Francis de Croisset (play)

Release Date:

5 March 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Romance

Plot:

A charming and very daring thief known as Arsene Lupin is terrorizing the wealthy of Paris, he even goes so far as to threaten the Mona Lisa...

Plot Keywords:

Dancing | Source Music | Deception | Mistaken Identity | Jump From Bridge

Cast

John Barrymore	...	Duke of Chamerace / Arsène Lupin
Lionel Barrymore	...	Det. Guerchard
Karen Morley	...	Sonia, aka Sophie Krellberg
John Miljan	...	Prefect of Police
Tully Marshall	...	Gaston Gourney-Martin
Henry Armetta	...	Sheriff's man
George Davis	...	Sheriff's man
John Davidson	...	Gourney-Martin's Butler
James T. Mack	...	Laurent (as James Mack)
Mary Jane Irving	...	Marie

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Colorado Street Bridge, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Lupin steals the Mona Lisa by wrapping the canvas around his umbrella. The Mona Lisa is painted on a wood panel.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: The Barrymores" (2004)

It's got style and decent acting, but still seems a bit lethargic

John Barrymore plays a gentleman who is also the thief, Arsene Lupin. While no one knows for sure this is the case, the inspector (Lionel Barrymore) is sure of it but cannot prove it. So, Lionel spends much of the movie following John--hoping to catch this brilliant and slippery thief.

Although I liked the film, I really think I had higher expectations for it and thought it might be better than just a very good time-passer. That's because it paired John AND Lionel Barrymore in the film and since these brothers were such dynamic actors, I think I expected sparks and magic but instead only caught glimpses of it here and there. Now this is not to say this is a bad film--it certainly isn't. It just didn't rise to the level of being unforgettable or a film I strongly recommend you see. Thanks an adequate script, the film is pretty good but I was surprised to hear no French accents at all in the film even though it was supposedly about French people! Also, there just wasn't much life in the film until it was nearly complete. The ending was indeed excellent and entertaining--so good that it elevated the film from a 6 to a 7. It's nice to see it ended on a high note.