Arsene Lupin & Arsene Lupin Returns
                  
Arsene Lupin
Director: Jack Conway
Year:  1932
Rating: 5.0
Mainly worthwhile for an introduction to Arsene Lupin, one of the classic characters in pulp fiction from the pen of the French author Maurice LeBlanc who wrote a series of books on this gentleman thief beginning in 1907. In some ways he was the model for all other gentleman thieves to come after such as The Saint. There have been numerous films, plays, comics and television adaptations. But only this one had the two Barrymore brothers playing a cat and mouse game with one another. It is fun to see them working with one another for the first time apparently though their acting would never bring the word subtle to mind.



By this time John was long into his alcoholic lifestyle and just trying to keep it all together. The actress Karen Morley turned into an interesting political figure as she was far to the left and had to appear in front of the House Committee of Un-American Activities but kept her mouth shut. Later she was to run for the Lt Gov of New York on the American Labor Party ticket. She lost. The film itself is a bit slow and stogy with only the small seduction scenes between John and Karen sparkling with some life.




Arsene Lupin Returns
Director: George Fitzmaurice
Year:  1938
Rating: 7.0




Six years after gentleman thief Arsene Lupin disappears into the water in the 1932 film "Arsene Lupin", it appears he may still be alive and still in the jewel business in this delightful follow-up. In this one Melvyn Douglas and Warren William go up against each other and they were two of the best actors of their time in delivering quick wit and rapier repartee. It is great fun watching them fight not only over the crime but also over the affection of Virginia Bruce. As in so many of these types of films, there is a great cast of character actors - George Zucco playing of all things a Prefecture of Police, Monty Woolley, E. E. Clive and Nat Pendleton as two comedic crooks.



It is a shame that this duo of leading men didn't become a series of films but in a sense I guess they partly did as Warren William after finishing his run as Perry Mason and during a few Philo Vance films was about to embark on his series of The Lone Wolf films - in which he plays a gentleman thief of course. It is too bad that Warren William's is so forgotten these days but he was quite popular in his time. Maybe he died too young at 53 years old in 1948.