SimonJack This is the first sound picture made about the gentleman thief, A.J. Raffles, created by English author E.W. Hornung. It's also among the first movies made of a caper comedy. It was only natural that this story would be remade so soon (and more versions made later), so it's also natural to compare this film with the 1939 movie. First, I think all the actors did well in both films. But some of the roles are quite different between the films. I don't know to what extent either film stayed close to the novel, or improvised. This 1930 "Raffles" suffers some in its production. It has at least two plot holes. One is left guessing why something happened a certain way. In the 1939 film, the plot spells it out. I suspect that was a difference in the screenplay and the directing or editing. So, the 1939 film is a notch better than this one, for its continuity and fluidity – the smoothness of the story. One thing about Hornung's "amateur cracksman" seems obvious. He really is an amateur. Both of these films show how easily Scotland Yard is able to get onto him. Both actors who play the inspector are quite good. In this film, David Torrence is Inspector McKenzie. In the 1939 film, Dudley Digges plays an inspector whose name is spelled MacKenzie. Torrence is very funny in his role, as the modestly egotistical Scotland Yard man. In the second film, Digges has more of a role that shows his cunning. I think Ronald Colman is the better A.J. Raffles, especially with his spritely movements. He gives one a sense that this guy could easily climb terraces, hang from ropes, or do other acrobatic feats to gain entry for nighttime robberies. David Niven doesn't give the same sense, yet his character is very likable and affable with his butler and people of a lower class. Kay Francis is OK in this film as Gwen, a doting woman in love with Raffles. But her part is not very big, and there's little more to it than that. Olivia de Havilland's Gwen in the 1939 film is much more vibrant. And, she has a meatier role that gives one much more of a sense of love between she and Raffles. The supporting casts are good, but also have quite different roles to perform. E.E. Clive in the 1939 film is far superior as Barraclough, the butler to Raffles. Wilson Benge is almost unnoticed in that role in this 1930 film. But, again, Clive is given a much meatier part, especially with one scene with some substantial dialog. Both Lord Melrose and Lady Kitty Melrose are superior in this 1930 film, as played by Frederick Kerr and Allison Skipworth, respectively. Although Dame May Witty had the Lady Melrose in the 1939 film, I suspect she and Lionel Pape (as Lord Melrose) had their parts tuned down some, for more attention to be given to Gwen, Inspector MacKenzie and Barraclough. If one could mix and match between the two films, I would like to have seen a film with the second screenplay, but some role and character changes. Ronald Colman would play Raffles opposite de Havilland as Gwen. Allison Skipworth and Frederick Kerr from this film would be the Lady and Lord Melrose, with their lines from this film. David Torrence would move Into the inspector role, taking his one scene about his expertise with him to the role in the 1939 film. And Barraclough would stay as he is in the 1939 film, with E.E. Clive in the role. Both actors who played Bunny were very good, but I think Bramwell Fletcher from this 1930 film portrayed more a sense of worry and seriousness of his financial problem E.W. Hornung's stories about AJ. Raffles, a gentleman thief, were set in late 19th century London. This first sound production of Raffles, departs considerably in that it has automobiles and airplanes. Inspector McKenzie hurries back to London by airplane. It is obviously set around 1930. Horning introduced Raffles in his first story in 1898, "The Ides of March," which was printed in the June issue of Cassell's Magazine. The titles of subsequent stories were all tagged with the label, "Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman." Seven were published in Scribner's Magazine during 1901. In 1899, a short story collection, "The Amateur Cracksman" was published. Another short story collection followed in 1906 – "Raffles, The Amateur Cracksman."In 1903, Hornung wrote a play "Raffles, The Amateur Cracksman" that was first performed Oct. 27, 1903, at the Princess Theatre in New York. In 1909 he wrote another play, "A Visit From Raffles," that was first performed at the Brixton Empress Theatre in London. In 1909, Hornung published a novel, "Mr. Justice Raffles."Here are some favorite funny lines from this film. For more humorous dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page for the movie. Lord Melrose, "Well, like a lamb to the slaughter I go." Lady Kitty Melrose, "Did you say lamb, Harry dear?" Lord Melrose, "Well, mutton, if you like, darling." Inspector McKenzie, "Don't misunderstand me, Mr. Raffles. I have a high opinion of myself. You see, uh… I'm a criminologist… and a Scotsman. Heh. The Scots enjoy feelin' they're cleverer than other people, and they are cleverer. My own cleverness often amazes me." Lady Melrose, "Are we all to be murdered in our beds?" Inspector McKenzie, opening a door to another room, "Library, eh?" A.J. Raffles, "Yes… for books."Inspector McKenzie, looking through a door into another room, "This is the bath, eh?" Raffles, "Yes. Uh, go straight in. I'm not bathing now."

Robert J. Maxwell Ronald Coleman -- oh, so suave, so debonair, so -- so FORMIDABLE -- hold together this otherwise routine B movie about a jewel thief who tries to reform but must commit one more burglary for a good friend.It's pretty clumsy because, of course, it's an early sound movie. Footsteps thump, a burglar alarm pounds your tympani with mallets, speakers stutter, the staging is obvious.But, withal, it's kind of fun. I understand Ronald Coleman was a movie icon during the 30s. I know several guys born in that period and named "Ronald." I don't swoon over him the way ladies did but he's a likable enough actor with a voice that's easy to parody.It's a diverting bon-bon, worth seeing but not worth dwelling on.

Leofwine_draca RAFFLES is another version of the E.W. Hornung novel about a famous jewel thief who gets caught up in a scheme to help out an old debt-afflicted friend as well as falling in love and vowing to give up his life of crime. It stars man-of-the-moment Ronald Colman in a likable performance as the titular character, in fact more charismatic than David Niven was in the 1939 remake of this movie.The main problem I have with RAFFLES is how dated it feels to the modern viewer. Made as an early talkie, it lacks a musical soundtrack and suffers from quite poor sound quality too. This slows the production down quite considerably at times and occasionally makes the acting feel stilted; it doesn't help that this was still of an era when the actors would project themselves to deliver larger-than-life performances, in other words 'playing to the back row'. Still, this film isn't all bad, and there are some good twists and turns along the way, but I never quite bought the antagonist/protagonist duality of the main character.

thinker1691 Back when films were in their infancy, this Black and White movie made it to the top without much effort. The reason being it's star was at the height of his popularity. The film is called " Raffles " and stars Ronald Colman as the Gentleman Cat burglar, originally created by E. W. Hornung. In this episode, Raffles, who is a notorious Jewel thief, affectionately called the 'Amateur Cracksman' by the press, has fallen in love with Gwen his girl (Kay Francis). He promises to turn over a new leaf and go straight, when unexpectedly his best friend Bunny (Bramwell Fletcher) tells Raffles he is in serious financial debt and needs 1,000 pounds. He is so distraught he tries to commit suicide. Raffles decides to pull one more robbery to help him and targets 'The Melrose necklace.' What he doesn't know is that Inspector McKenzie (David Torrence) from Scotland Yard is planning to capture him when he goes to try. In addition, a second group of city burglars have targeted the rare necklace as well and plan to rob the mansion before Raffles does. The movie is tame in every respect and fun for the whole family. Recommended to all ages as a gift from a time when no body got hurt in films. ****