Arsène Lupin

Some aspects of Maurice Leblanc's writings are difficult to be brought to screen. Arsène Lupin is far from a mono dimensional character. Fortunately that TV series cashes in on the buoyancy of Arsène Lupin, a gentleman and a professional thief. Georges Descrières hence embodies perfectly a lovable dandy with a sweet tooth for art masterpieces (be they paintings or jewels) and a great sense of honor (especially women's honor). When Lupin disguises himself it's like watching Artemus Gordon in Wild Wild West: you wait for him and you enjoy the performance. Thus you keep a good picture of an hero whose adventures you followed avidly after you had switched from Jules Vernes's transient exoticism.

Only people who have not read Leblanc's absorbing novels can enjoy such rubbish."L'Aiguille Creuse" ,notably ,is a disaster,with appalling music and a screenplay which destroys all the magic and the emotion of the story which made Etretat town a legend.Georges Descrières is not that much a good Lupin.Leblanc's novels displayed a sense of humor ,but here ,we verge on parody.

Lupin's fans avoid these 1971 films and do try to get "l'Ile aux Trente Cercueils" " (where Lupin does not appear but which captured Leblanc's suspenseful atmosphere ) and "Lupin joue et perd" (from "813" ) with the marvelous Jean-Claude Brialy.