Raffles (1930)

After falling in love with a member of the aristocracy (Kay Francis), an upper class thief (Ronald Colman) decides to retire. But when a friend (Bramwell Fletcher) finds himself in debt for a thousand pounds, the gentleman thief decides to pull one more job to help his pal out. In spite of some genuine charm, this is a static film. Based on the novel by E.W. Hornung by way of Eugene Wiley Presbrey's stage adaptation, the film does little to disguise its stage bound roots. I'm not a particular admirer of Mr. Colman who often seems to confuse acting with enunciation but he's appropriately cast here and bring his particular brand of gravitas to the part. Since this is a pre-code film, there's little proselytizing or recrimination about Colman's criminal offenses. Even the film's Scotland Yard detective (David Torrence) can't help but like the thieving rogue. The film seems like a rough draft of the Blake Edwards' far superior gentleman thief caper THE PINK PANTHER. Remade in 1939. Directed by George Fitzmaurice. With Frederick Kerr and Alison Skipworth in the film's best performance as an aging deaf dowager with eyes for Colman.