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Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman

  • 1917
  • 1h 10m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
176
YOUR RATING
John Barrymore in Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)
AdventureCrimeRomance

Gentleman burglar Raffles tries to get his hand on a priceless pearl.Gentleman burglar Raffles tries to get his hand on a priceless pearl.Gentleman burglar Raffles tries to get his hand on a priceless pearl.

  • Director
    • George Irving
  • Writers
    • E.W. Hornung
    • Anthony Paul Kelly
    • Eugene Wiley Presbrey
  • Stars
    • John Barrymore
    • Christine Mayo
    • H. Cooper Cliffe
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    176
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Irving
    • Writers
      • E.W. Hornung
      • Anthony Paul Kelly
      • Eugene Wiley Presbrey
    • Stars
      • John Barrymore
      • Christine Mayo
      • H. Cooper Cliffe
    • 5User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    An Old Man's Love Story (1913)
    John Barrymore, Christine Mayo, and Frank Morgan in Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)
    John Barrymore in Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)
    John Barrymore in Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)
    John Barrymore and Frank Morgan in Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Barrymore
    John Barrymore
    • A.J. Raffles
    Christine Mayo
    Christine Mayo
    • Mrs. Vidal
    H. Cooper Cliffe
    H. Cooper Cliffe
    • Lord Amersteth
    Frank Morgan
    Frank Morgan
    • Bunny Manders
    Dudley Hill
    • Crawley
    • (as Dudley S. Hill)
    Kathryn Adams
    Kathryn Adams
    • Gwendolyn - Lord Amersteth's Ward
    Evelyn Brent
    Evelyn Brent
    • Ethel - Lord Amersteth's Daughter
    Mathilde Brundage
    • Lady Melrose
    • (as Mrs. Mathilde Brundage)
    Mike Donlin
    Mike Donlin
    • Crawshay
    Frederick Perry
    Frederick Perry
    • Capt. Bedford
    Nita Allen
    Nita Allen
    • Marie
    William Black
    • Undetermined Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Irving
    • Writers
      • E.W. Hornung(play "Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman")
      • Anthony Paul Kelly
      • Eugene Wiley Presbrey
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Capt. Bedford: Well, I'm deucedly glad he

      [Raffles]

      Capt. Bedford: escaped. He's splendid!

    • Connections
      Version of Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1905)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Good Morgan, Bad Barrymore!
    There are possibly many other silent films that are packed chock-a-block with even more sub-titles than the 1917 Raffles, but I'm glad to say I've not yet encountered them. This one contains nearly three hundred—an average of nearly five titles a minute. True, some of them consist of only a sentence or two, but most of them fill the whole screen. And such titles they are too! They're not the least bit funny, witty or comic. Just dull, wordy, prosaic—and often unnecessary. What's more, the editor makes little attempt to integrate the titles smoothly. Due to George Irving's shockingly bad direction, they jar, jar, jar! Irving also has not a clue in the world how to shoot close-ups so that they relate to the long and medium shots.

    As usual, Barrymore overdoes the histrionics. A few of the other players, notably Mrs Brundage (and to a lesser extent, Miss Mayo) follow his lead, but the movie is saved by two outstandingly effective performances. Frank Morgan makes an excellent Bunny, and Frederick Perry (who was actually Hornung's choice to play the lead—a choice supported by Scribner, his American publisher) manages to overcome the creaky script to give a sympathetic yet quietly charismatic impression of an astute detective who is nobody's fool. Perry has the requisite presence and assurance. He quietly out-acts Barrymore at every turn.

    Most of the other players are competent enough. It was good to see Kathryn Adams as Gwendolyn, but Evelyn Brent, who plays her friend, Ethel, virtually disappears from the movie as soon as she's introduced.

    Aside from the opening ship-board Prologue, production values are minor. The script's settings are otherwise pretty much confined to the stage play.
    helpful•7
    6
    • JohnHowardReid
    • Jan 30, 2007

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 15, 1917 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Amatørtyven
    • Production companies
      • Hyclass Producing Company
      • L. Lawrence Weber Photo Dramas Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 10 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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