Enter Arsène Lupin *** (1944, Charles Korvin, Ella Raines, J Carrol Naish, Gale Sondergaard, George Dolenz, Miles Mander, Leyland Hodgson) – Classic Movie Review 8,678

Universal Pictures’ likeable and entertaining 1944 black and white film noir mystery thriller Enter Arsène Lupin stars Charles Korvin as writer Maurice Leblanc’s French gentleman jewel thief Arsène Lupin.

Director Ford Beebe’s likeable and entertaining 1944 Universal Pictures black and white crime drama/ film noir thriller Enter Arsène Lupin stars Charles Korvin as writer Maurice Leblanc’s sophisticated Gallic gentleman jewel thief Arsène Lupin.

Ella Raines is his leading lady, playing Stacie Kanares, a socialite heiress with an emerald, which he promptly steals aboard the European transcontinental train to Turkey, and J Carrol Naish plays Inspector Ganimard, the police detective who wants to catch him. Later, though, Lupin follows Stacie to England and saves her life.

There is quite a little bit of charm in the performances, but a lot of coincidence in the plot, though overall this well-produced little B-movie is quite diverting. Korvin is a bit cool, chilly and aloof as an actor, but his persona suits the role, Raines is particularly charming and Naish plays it up amusingly hammily.

The estimable Gale Sondergaard adds further allure as Bessie Seagrave, a femme fatale type of lady up to no good, with other notable turns by Miles Mander as Charles Seagrave, George Dolenz as Dubose and Leyland Hodgson as Constable Ryder.

Despite the title and open ending, both promising a series, no further episodes followed.

However, other films followed, none of them American: Arsène Lupin (1947 Mexican with Ramón Pereda as Arsenio Lupin); The Adventures of Arsène Lupin (1957 French with Robert Lamoureux as Arsène Lupin); Signé Arsène Lupin (1959 French-Italian with Robert Lamoureux as Arsène Lupin); and Arsène Lupin (2004 French with Romain Duris as Arsène Lupin).

The box office failure of the Romain Duris film, which cost $20.4 million and earned only $9.7 million, has led Arsène Lupin into quiet retirement.

Also in the cast are Tom Pilkington, Lillian Bronson, Holmes Herbert, Charles La Torre, Gerald Hamer, Ted Cooper, Art Foster, Clyde Kenney and Alphonse Martell.

Enter Arsène Lupin is directed by Ford Beebe, runs 72 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Bertram Millhauser, based on the character by Maurice Leblanc, is shot in black and white by Hal Mohr, is scored by Milton Rosen, and is designed by John B Goodman.

John Barrymore played the role in Arsène Lupin in 1932 and Melvyn Douglas played him in Arsène Lupin Returns (1938), both MGM movies, and later Robert Lamoureux played him in the French films The Adventures of Arsène Lupin (1957) and Signé Arsène Lupin (1959); and Romain Duris played him in the French film Arsène Lupin (2004).

The cast

The cast are Charles Korvin as Arsene Lupin, Ella Raines as Stacie Kanares, J Carrol Naish as Ganimard, George Dolenz as Dubose, Gale Sondergaard as Bessie Seagrave, Miles Mander as Charles Seagrave, Leyland Hodgson as Constable Ryder, Tom Pilkington as Pollett, Lillian Bronson as Wheeler, Holmes Herbert as Jobson, Charles La Torre as Inspector Cogswell, Gerald Hamer as Doc Marling, Ted Cooper as Cartwright, Art Foster as Superintendent, Clyde Kenney as Beckwith, and Alphonse Martell as Conductor.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8,678

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