Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin is a French TV show which was co-produced with German, Canadian, Belgian, Dutch, Swiss, Italian and Austrian TV stations. It was only loosely based on Maurice Leblancs novels. Georges Descrières' portrayal of Arsène Lupin showed more similarity to Graf Yoster than to Maurice Leblanc's original. He behaved in the first place as a perfect gentleman who never got angry. He was always relaxed, because whatever could possibly had bothered him in daily life was taken care of by his butler. It wasn't questioned how he had come to his financial independence although the series sometimes discreetly implied that he was a professional criminal. Besides rescuing damsels in distress Lupin took on criminals, competing with their wit and intelligence. Either he stole paintings from rich people who had to be considered white-collar criminals or he acted as a detective who derailed criminal schemes. However, when he was attacked, he could defend himself effortlessly by using elegant jujutsu methods. Among the guest stars were German actors such as Günter Strack and Sky du Mont. Jean-Paul Salomé said in his commentary on the DVD version of his film Arsène Lupin he had like this series as a child. German TV, one the investors, would broadcast the show eventually between 18:00-20:00 o'clock because it was only allowed to show commercials within that very timeslot. For them to get a financial return on investment the show had to be appropriate for families and also for children who would watch it alone. Subsequently it was nearby to ask to defuse and flatten some of Leblanc's plots in order to avoid possible complaints that could force the station to broadcast the show beyond the "Vorabendprogramm".
Seasons
1. The Crystal Stopper
Air Date: 1971-03-18
During a break in the member Daubrecq a crime is committed and two accomplices of Arsene Lupin arrested by the police. One is guilty of the crime, the other innocent but both will be sentenced to death. Lupin will seek to deliver the victim of a miscarriage of justice, but must fight against the member Daubrecq unscrupulous blackmailer, who holds a compromising document, hidden in a crystal stopper.
2. Victor de la Brigade Mondaine
Air Date: 1971-03-25
Following yet another daring robbery, the Minister and the Prefect of Police call on a policeman unknown to Lupin, stationed in Africa: Victor offers to play the part of a clever worldly burglar, Mister Lorchester. In this way, he becomes part of Lupin's gang, whose only task is to arrest him. But to make him look the part, Victor needs a well-funded bank account, which the enthusiastic Préfet immediately opens for him. During his evenings of idleness, Victor Lorchester meets a young woman he believes to be Lupin's friend.
3. Arsène Lupin contre Herlock Sholmes
Air Date: 1971-04-01
During a reception at the home of the brilliant young Maxime Bermond, the guests learn that banker Dautrec has just purchased the priceless royal diamond. Back at home, Dautrec checks the locking systems on the doors and windows. A nun is waiting to read to him. Shortly afterwards, an alarm goes off in the house. The servant finds his master murdered.
4. L'Arrestation d'Arsène Lupin
Air Date: 1971-04-08
Lupin, posing as Bernard d'Andrezy, visits Gournay-Martin, the wealthy champagne owner. A reception is held, during which the guests tour the cellars. During the tour, Andrezy makes strange chalk marks on the walls. In the evening, a telegram upsets those present: “Arsène Lupin is among you”. The Prefect of Police takes an immediate interest in the case, and one of the guests accuses Andrezy of being Lupin, having noticed his strange behavior in the cellars. A manhunt begins, and Lupin ends up trapped in a cul-de-sac. His old enemy, Commissaire Guerchard, has the pleasure of handcuffing the notorious burglar for the first time.
5. L'agence Barnett
Air Date: 1971-04-15
Inspector Bechoux suspects Barnett, a private detective in whom he believes he recognizes Arsène Lupin, of stealing “King Dagobert's treasure” and hiding it. Barnett goes to the church in a small village where Inspector Bechoux has begun his investigation. The theft was committed in the middle of the night by a one-armed man. So Bechoux arrests a one-armed man in the village, interrogates him and hands him over to Baron de Gravières, the local Châtelain, for safekeeping. But Barnett isn't happy with this hasty arrest.
6. La Demoiselle aux Yeux Verts
Air Date: 1971-04-22
Arsène Lupin follows a young English woman on a train who has stolen his wallet. They are attacked by two men who flee when they realize they have the wrong victims. Lady Bakefield, wounded, faints, whispering to Lupin “Gabriel... Villa Valdblick”. Two corpses are discovered at the train stop. A young girl with big green eyes is arrested.
7. La Chaîne brisée
Air Date: 1971-04-29
In the port of Amsterdam, a trunk containing a drugged man and top-secret scientific documents from the Ministry of National Defense is discovered. In order to find the source of the leaks and dismantle the spy organization, the authorities call in an unusual personality: Arsène Lupin. The gentleman burglar begins an investigation across the city. He befriends a young woman, Hélène, who belongs to the organization, and manages to get in touch with its leader.
8. La Femme aux Deux Sourires
Air Date: 1971-05-06
Arsène Lupin has settled in Rome as a painter named Arthur Lodin. Always on the lookout for new adventures, he occupies the apartment next door to the wealthy Marquis Belmonte. One day, he is mistakenly visited by a beautiful blonde woman who has come to see the marquis. A few moments later, Commissaire Gorgone bursts into Lupin's apartment. He searches for the young woman and declares her to be “Clara la blonde”, the accomplice of the notorious Italian thief Peppino. Lupin, who has just enough time to hide his visitor, leads the superintendent on a false trail.
9. La chimère du Calife
Air Date: 1971-05-13
In Ungoldingen, at the small railway station, two unusual characters, the famous London detective Fox and his assistant Robertson, entrust their luggage to a porter who immediately disappears after leaving them a calling card bearing the message: “Arsène Lupin welcomes you”. Despite this incident, Fox and Robertson make their way to Augstadt Castle, where the owner, Baron von Augstadt, awaits them.
10. Une femme contre Arsène Lupin
Air Date: 1971-05-20
A gang is scouring St. Moritz, replacing real jewels with perfect copies. At the request of the insurance companies, Lupin arrives on the scene disguised as Raoul d'Andrézy, with a stolen piece of jewelry that will enable him to infiltrate the gang. Seeing that all guests at the palace where he is staying are being searched, Lupin slips the jewel into the pocket of Marie Bonatti, a young journalist, who leaves the hotel unchecked.
11. Les anneaux de Cagliostro
Air Date: 1971-05-27
Arsène Lupin, disguised as Raoul d'Andrézy, travels to Vienna to attend a conference on treasures. At the home of wealthy Baron Ordosczy, the conference begins. Corcoran explains that the mysterious inscriptions engraved on 7 rings conceal the secret of Cagliostro's treasure. The light goes out. When it returns, the rings have disappeared.
12. Les Tableaux De Tornbüll
Air Date: 1971-06-03
Tornbüll Castle seems to be the center of a feverish tourist activity, which greatly displeases its owner, the young Count Stephan. Among the visitors is a gangster-like man who has the Count worried about his magnificent collection of paintings. Another character, as picturesque as he is disturbing: Lupin, disguised as the crippled English novelist Lord Lewcastle. Lord Lewcastle-Lupin urges Count Stephan to make copies of his paintings and lock the originals in his safe. He even recommends a young French artist for the job.
13. Le Sept de Coeur
Air Date: 1971-06-01
Maurice Leblanc, the author of Arsène Lupin, is in Brussels for a report and meets the handsome Jean d'Aspry, Arsène Lupin's temporary identity. One evening, Leblanc receives a mysterious message: “Whatever happens, don't move, or you're a dead man”. Terrified, Leblanc spends a very bad night in a house full of extravagant commotion. The next day, he is shocked to read about his night in the newspaper.
1. Herlock Sholmes lance un défi
Air Date: 1973-12-18
With the help of his friend Nathalie, Arsène Lupin steals the “Queen's Necklace”, owned by the Dreux-Soubise family. The theft becomes an affair of state, a matter of concern for the Minister and the Prefect of Police. Herlock Sholmes, the English detective, provokes Arsène Lupin. They agree to give each other four days to find the necklace hidden by Lupin in his Normandy château.
2. Arsène Lupin prend des vacances
Air Date: 1973-12-20
In Cannes, Arsène Lupin, posing as a policeman, finds himself entrusted by Guerchard with overseeing an exhibition of solid gold statues. Kesselbach, one of the exhibitors, boasts of possessing an absolutely inviolable safe. But Lupin knows that the man murdered Professor Ramirez in order to retain sole possession of the Inca treasure. In his normal guise, Lupin pays Kesselbach a visit.
3. Le Mystère de Gesvres
Air Date: 1973-12-22
Shortly after Arsène Lupin visits a Normandy château, a corpse is discovered. Astonishment... because, as Isidore Beautrellet, a young reporter sent to the scene of the crime, points out, Arsène Lupin steals, but never kills. A clever reporter, so clever in fact that he discovers the murderer: the Comte de Gesvres. Lupin, seduced by Beautrellet's perspicacity, invites him to witness his next exploit: to seize the medieval statues of the Château de Gesvres and replace them with casts.
4. Le Secret de l'Aiguille
Air Date: 1973-12-25
Avenging Joan of Arc and Trafalgar, Arsène Lupin robs the Tower of London. Fabulous booty: the Crown's treasure and, above all, a priceless parchment, a thousand-year-old relic shrouded in mystery, the secret of William the Conqueror. Herlock Sholmes is assisted in his investigation by the Intelligence Service, the French 2nd Bureau, Commissaire Guerchard and journalist Isidore Beautrellet. A scholar tells them that a copy of the famous parchment, of which he has transcribed indecipherable passages, was stolen from a monastery in Normandy five years ago...
5. L'Homme au chapeau noir
Air Date: 1973-12-27
After witnessing his fake death and funeral, Arsène Lupin prepares to go on vacation. A vacation they forgo to accompany a beautiful stranger, Catherine, to a Norman manor house where a mysterious “man in a black hat” is making menacing appearances.
6. L'Écharpe de soie rouge
Air Date: 1973-12-29
The millionaire businessman Prévailles has just married the young dancer Jenny Saphir, whose career he has pushed. A few years earlier, Jenny had fallen madly in love with Lupin. Lupin, aware of Prévailles' activities, disguises himself to warn Jenny of the danger she's in, and to protect her. For she possesses the sapphire of Genghis Khan, a priceless jewel with a legendary curse, a gift from General Ignatieff, one of the dancer's previous admirers.
7. La Demeure mystérieuse
Air Date: 1974-01-05
Arsène Lupin swaps his burglar's tools for those of a jeweler to steal ten million francs worth of diamonds. Dressed for the opera gala on behalf of diamond merchant Van Houven, model Régine, star of a major fashion house, is kidnapped.
8. Les Huit Coups de l'horloge
Air Date: 1974-01-12
Arsène Lupin assumes the identity of Prince Paul Sernine, invited to take part in Baron d'Aigleroche's hunts. Baron d'Aigleroche lives with his niece Hortense and cousin Gaëtan. Lupin covets a richly illuminated Book of Hours that the Baron keeps in a safe.
9. La Dame au chapeau à plumes
Air Date: 1974-01-19
Following a car accident, Arsène Lupin finds himself in a Vienna hospital. Now completely amnesic, he is cared for by a beautiful nurse. And Inspector Pittora reveals that when he was found wandering alone in the countryside, he was carrying four passports, all valid, and a large sum of counterfeit money. Grognard, Lupin's loyal valet-driver, was found wounded near the car, taken to another hospital and unaware of his boss's whereabouts.
10. La Danseuse de Rottenburg
Air Date: 1974-01-26
A timely shotgun blast from the Comte de Rougerac (alias Lupin) stops a train under which the beautiful Amélie is about to throw herself. Her only possession, a painting by Van Beuken, “La danseuse aux sabots”, has been stolen. The expert, Denger, having certified to the insurer, Blatt, that the painting was a copy, Amélie received only a ridiculous sum to compensate her for the theft. Lupin loves pretty women too much not to intervene in this dubious affair.
11. Le Film révélateur
Air Date: 1974-02-02
The famous American film writer Douglas Dutchman arrives in Germany aboard the Zeppelin. The press is there, as is the producer of his film, Siegfried Heidkamp, and the German star Brigitte Barett, who is to be his partner. After a triumphant welcome, Douglas Dutchman is invited to open an exhibition of jewelry belonging to Heidkamp's wife, Romy. During the rehearsal of the ceremony, Dutchman claims that the showpiece, the famous Ka-Hi-Dor diamond, is a fake. Everyone is stunned.
12. Double Jeu
Air Date: 1974-02-09
A beautiful woman at the wheel of a luxurious sports car... that's all it takes for Lupin to embark on a new adventure. Under the name Lutz Pindor, Count Pryberg-Artikoffen, of the Berlin Jockey Club, he travels to the splendid estate in the Bavarian Alps where Hélène (the pretty woman with the car) and her husband, Baron von Wiesenberg, have organized a horse-riding club. Lupin's arrival coincides with a macabre discovery: ride manager Hornung has just been murdered.
13. Le Coffre-fort de madame Imbert
Air Date: 1974-02-16
Irène Imbert's life in 1926 is no more edifying than her wartime escapades with American pilots showered in dollars. Her cynicism gives Arsène a brilliant idea. Posing as a notary, he comes to tell the young woman that one of his former “war godchildren”, Henry Bradford, has made her his universal legatee. As a result, Irène finds herself at the head of a considerable inheritance. In the meantime, crooks and shady financiers are jostling for position at her door.
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Rating
7.9/10
Release Date
1971-03-18
Episodes
26 (2 seasons)
Status
Ended
