Europe in 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. Particularly if a beautiful woman is involved.
« Voler oui! Et encore, à condition de ne voler que des nantis, que des injustes ou des exploiteurs. Et d'ailleurs Lupin ne vole pas. Il rétablit l'équilibre. »
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. Theatre 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. This international funding ensured classy production values and allowed Lupin to travel in Europe with his chauffeur Grognard (French Canadian actor Yvon Bouchard) (2).
« Monsieur, dans la police on sait mourir.- Dans la banque aussi, monsieur. Mais on est pas impatients. »
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). The writers loosely based their scripts on Leblanc's stories to favour a lighter Arsène, like in Victor de la brigade mondaine. While Paris only has eyes for Josephine Baker, a man pretending to be Arsène Lupin robs a bank. Commissaire Guerchard, archenemy of the gentleman thief, is called on the scene but the new Préfet de police (« J'ai réfléchi, j'ai examiné, j'ai computé et j'ai la solution. ») thinks someone could get better results: Victor of the Brigade mondaine, an inspector working in Africa and whose face is unknown to everyone in Metropolitan France... even the préfet.
Except it's Arsène Lupin who arrives in Paris as Victor to expose a plan to the Préfet de police at the Eiffel Tower. He will impersonate Lupin disguised as a British burglar named Andrew Lorchester in order to catch himself! Not without making exorbitant demands to the gullible official. Later, Lorchester/Lupin meets Countess Natacha, the accomplice of a someone she believes to be Arsène Lupin. This is actually Bressacq, the man who robbed the bank. Helmed by Jean-Pierre Decourt, Victor de la brigade mondaine was penned by journalist, scriptwriter and playwright Claude Brulé (Angélique, marquise des anges, Les liaisons dangereuses).
Georges Descrières shines in a splendid tribute to les Années folles full of fabulous dialogues and numerous references (including a nod to Louis Feuillade). This second episode introduces Commissaire Guerchard (3), Arsène Lupin's nemesis, portrayed with brilliance by Roger Carel (1927-2020). His career spanned more than 60 years during which he became a reliable comedy actor for the stage, television and cinema. Most of all, Roger Carel earned a status of French national treasure in the art of dubbing. He lent his voice to Jack Lemmon, Peter Sellers, Astérix, Kermit the Frog, Benny Hill, David Suchet in Poirot, Jerry Lewis and so many others.
« Vous êtes vraiment sûr que vous êtes vous? C'est tellement incroyable. »
Guerchard was for Carel an opportunity to display onscreen the full extent of his talent in one of those serious roles he could get more easily with dubbing. Countess Natacha (« Je vous hais. ») is played by Swiss actress Marthe Keller before La demoiselle d'Avignon (1972) made her an instant TV superstar. Then she did several Hollywood films like Marathon Man or Bobby Deerfield and pursued a long career. Bernard Lavalette, a familiar face from the théâtre de boulevard and television, is the unfortunate "Préfet of the week". Also with Pierre Massimi (Les secrets de la Mer rouge) as Bressacq, Jean Berger (4) (Ministre de l'intérieur), etc.
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. Last June, Nouveau Monde Éditions published in France the first 20 stories of Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc in their original form (as published in the magazine Je sais tout) and with their original illustrations. A second volume with 16 more episodes followed this month. The first season of Arsène Lupin will be available in the United states and in Canada on October 5, thanks to SVOD service MHz Choice .
http://www.ina.fr/video/CPF86626021/les-coproductions-a-l-ortf-une-interview-d-yves-jaigu.fr.html
