Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin (1962)
Directed by Edouard Molinaro

Film Review

Director Edouard Molinaro began his promising career with several shorts between 1950 and 1952.  His first feature-length film was the slick thriller Le Dos au mur (1957), which was well-received by the public and critics alike.  Over the next four decades, Molinaro would become one of France's most commercially successful filmmakers, his oeuvre embracing such popular genres as detective thrillers, psychological dramas and lavish period pieces, although his preference was for comedy, in which he excelled.  Molinaro may have been a mainstream film director but he plied his trade with considerable skill and intelligence, and therein lies the secret of his success.

One of Molinaro's early comedy hits was Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin (1962), a Franco-Italian crime-comedy which was first released in France on 29th August 1962.  Sandwiched between the thriller Les Ennemis (1962) and the lightweight spy parody Une ravissante idiote (1964), this film extrapolates the fictional exploits of Maurice Leblanc's famous gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin, into the next generation, through his two rival offspring who contend for the right to inherit their father's notorious reputation.  For a film that is just over half  a century old, Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin feels remarkably sprightly and could easily outshine and outclass many of today's so-called comedies.

After a promising start, the film does admittedly struggle to maintain its pace and shows some sign of a lack of ambition, but some modern filmic touches bring out the best in Pierre Petit's lush monochrome photography, whilst at the same time managing to evoke the comedy triumphs of the silent era.  The hectic adventures of the squabbling Lupin brothers are sustained by Georges Neveux's crackling dialogue and Georges Van Parys's lively score.  In keeping with much of Molinaro's comedy work, the film benefits from a colourful ensemble of spontaneous performers, who wring as much humour as is humanly possible from the gag-packed script.

Jean-Claude Brialy and Jean-Pierre Cassel form a supremely dashing duo as Lupin's warring illegitimate children, both actors clearly in his element as they each try to out-charm and out-smart the other.  The supporting cast offers a host of familiar faces, ranging from Catherine Deneuve's lovely sister Françoise Dorléac to the pretty Geneviève Grad (best known for playing Louis de Funès' daughter in the Gendarme films).  Michel Vitold and Jean le Poulain both give great value as the villain of the piece and an irritated chief of police respectively.  Mary Marquet, Jean-Marie Proslier, Daniel Cauchy, Henri Virlojeux, Henri Garcin and Yvonne Clech complete a glittering cast.

Whilst some Maurice Leblanc purists may loathe it for the liberties it takes with one of France's most famous literary characters, Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin is an enjoyable romp that can hardly fail to please, and it is easy to see why it was such a hit, attracting an audience of 1.7 million on its first release.  Will the Lupin family be reconciled?  Watch the DVD and find out!

Film Synopsis

The funeral of the successful businessman André Laroche is attended by scores of important public figures, all keen to pay homage to a great man of industry.  François de Vierne is surprised to learn from his mother that not only was Laroche his biological father, but that he was also the famous gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin!  In his will, Lupin left François an unusual legacy - the crown jewels of a small country named Poldavie.  Unbeknownst to François, Lupin had another son, Gérard Dagmar, a dancer and part-time burglar.  As Lupin's two sons go after the missing treasure, their efforts are thwarted by a sinister individual named Von Krantz, who has kidnapped the prince of Poldavie...