In the Netflix series Lupin, Omar Sy follows the steps of Arsène Lupin, the literary gentleman thief created by Maurice Leblanc (1864-1941). Amongst the previous adaptations of the author's work, the best known is Arsène Lupin (1971-1974). Starring Georges Descrières in the title role, this version is one the most popular series in the History of French television.
Europe at the end of the 1920s. Charming and elegant, Arsène Lupin
steals without violence. He's a
master of disguise who ridicules the authorities and the best sleuths, though himself enjoys to play the detective.
Especially if a beautiful woman is involved.
Maurice Leblanc's iconic character first appeared in 39 short stories and 17 novels between 1905 and 1939. Several actors portrayed Arsène Lupin for the cinema, including Robert Lamoureux in 1957 and 1959. In 1960, Jean Gascon played Lupin in a 13 x 25-minute adaptation of the novel L'Aiguille creuse for Canadian TV (1). During the decade, writer and director Jacques Nahum tried to convince French state television about an Arsène Lupin series. Nahum, who adapted The Saint with the film Le Saint mène la danse (1960), actually had Simon Templar in mind but couldn't get the rights.
At the end of 1968, L'Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (ORTF) commissioned Jacques Nahum's Mars International Productions and Pathé to produce 13 one-hour episodes of Arsène Lupin with them. Stage and movie actor Georges Descrières (of the Comédie-Française) was chosen for the role in 1969. Germany's WDR, Radio-Canada, Austria's ORF, Belgian TV, Dutch pubcaster NCRV, Italy's RAI
and Swiss TV joined as co-producers. International funding ensured
classy production values and allowed Lupin to travel occasionally in Europe with his
chauffeur Grognard (French Canadian actor Yvon Bouchard) (2).
The writers loosely based
their scripts on Leblanc's books to favour a lighter Arsène. The ORTF 2nd channel aired Arsène Lupin from March to June 1971 and its reception prompted the commission of a second 13-episode season (1973-1974). Le bouchon de cristal, the impeccable series premiere, was adapted by Jacques Nahum with René Wheeler (L'inspecteur Leclerc enquête, Rififi) and helmed by Jean-Pierre Decourt (Rocambole). Arsène Lupin, his protégé Gilbert and their accomplice Sébastiani break in the villa of the wealthy banker Daubrecq to steal a Flemish triptych painting.
The burglary goes bad when Sébastiani shoots Daubrecq's butler before being wounded and Gilbert is caught by the police right after giving Lupin a crystal stopper. Now Arsène must save Gilbert from the guillotine and discover what makes the stopper so precious for the young man. Posing as Michel de man Beaumont, he meets the unpleasant Daubrecq. This hated individual collects crystal carafe stoppers and he's feared by a deputy, the Marquis d'Albuflex. A distinguished woman searches the appartment of de Beaumont/Lupin and the préfet is embarassed by what happened at the villa.
Daniel Gélin (Les saintes chéries) delivers a stunning performance as Daubrecq. Stage, movie, TV and dubbing actress Nadine Alari, who frequently worked with director Jean-Pierre Decourt, plays Clarisse de Mergy. Gélin, Alari and Descrières also played in Double assassinat dans la rue Morgue, an ORTF adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe directed by Jacques Nahum and aired in 1973. With Yves Brainville (Préfet Prasville), François Chantenay (Gilbert), Jean-Paul Cisife (Albuflex), Nathalie Piel (Aimée) and François Jaubert (Sébastiani - Uncredited).
Repeats helped to establish Georges Descrières as the definitive Lupin
for generations of viewers, although Leblanc's fans may disagree. His nonchalant charisma and his disguises make the series a special treat. Arsène Lupin's popularity also owes to the music composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre. The theme, arranged by José Bartel, is on a Bondian title sequence designed by Jean Fouchet for Eurocitel.
L'Arsène, the sublime end title song, was composed by Bourtayre and Jacques Lanzmann for French hit singer Jacques Dutronc.
Cinematography by Pierre Petit. Production designed by Lucien Aguettant with Charles Finelli. Editing by Francine Grubert, Claude Pérol and Anne-France Marboeuf. André Deroual is the production manager. Costumes of Georges Descrières designed by Création Georges Bril. Cars provided by the Autorama museum. After Arsène Lupin, Jacques Nahum produced Les grands détectives. This 6 x 60-minute anthology about great literary sleuths (Inspector Wens, Slim Callaghan, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lecoq, Nick Carter and Auguste Dupin) was shown on Antenne 2 in 1975.
Nahum brought back the gentleman thief to television with Arsène Lupin joue et perd (1980, starring Jean-Claude Brialy), Le retour d'Arsène Lupin (1989) and its follow-up Les Nouveaux Exploits d'Arsène Lupin (1995), both with François Dunoyer. Descrières played Sam Kramer alongside Corinne Le Poulain and later Nicole Calfan in Sam et Sally (1978-1980), based on the books of M.G. Braun and produced by Nahum.
(1) From 1960 to 1961, stage, movie, TV and dubbing actor Michel Roux lent his distinctive voice to Arsène Lupin for the French state radio.
(2) Yvon Bouchard is dubbed by Francis Lax in some episodes.
http://arsenelupingc.free.fr/index.php
http://www.ina.fr/video/CPF86626021/les-coproductions-a-l-ortf-une-interview-d-yves-jaigu.fr.html
http://www.ina.fr/video/CPF86626021/les-coproductions-a-l-ortf-une-interview-d-yves-jaigu.fr.html
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