There's something fishy in France, and it ain't Karen Morley's father's choice of breakfast. It's suave jewel thief John Barrymore at the height of his talkie success, between Svengali and Oscar Jaffe, where he was more debonair than Nick Charles. As a pre-code crime caper comedy, it's an absolute gem, teaming with sex and sure to have had Will Hays furious that he hadn't been able to stop its release.
The similarities to "Raffles" are obvious, as well as the same year's "Jewel Robbery" starring William Powell and Kay Francis, and "Trouble in Paradise", one of the top sophisticated caper comedies ever made, also with Francis who had been Ronald Colman's willing victim in "Raffles". But this is equally tops, one of the best films of 1932, and so classy that you expect the King and Queen of England to pop up any minute.
John's joined by brother Lionel who is hysterically funny as the befuddled detective trying to trap Lupin, and trapped himself when he's accused of being a jewel thief without half of the real one's elegance. A visual treat, showing MGM when the lion roared with commanding ferocity. An absolute joy that may be dated frau frau, but what a delightfully wonderful way to get lost in cinematic ecstasy.
The similarities to "Raffles" are obvious, as well as the same year's "Jewel Robbery" starring William Powell and Kay Francis, and "Trouble in Paradise", one of the top sophisticated caper comedies ever made, also with Francis who had been Ronald Colman's willing victim in "Raffles". But this is equally tops, one of the best films of 1932, and so classy that you expect the King and Queen of England to pop up any minute.
John's joined by brother Lionel who is hysterically funny as the befuddled detective trying to trap Lupin, and trapped himself when he's accused of being a jewel thief without half of the real one's elegance. A visual treat, showing MGM when the lion roared with commanding ferocity. An absolute joy that may be dated frau frau, but what a delightfully wonderful way to get lost in cinematic ecstasy.