I was looking forward to seeing the Ronald Colman version of Raffles, and while it was entertaining, the David Niven version was still my favorite. I know, big surprise. The two versions are almost word for word identical, so that was fun to see. But this version didn't have the all-star cast as the 1939 one, and it was very much an early talkie, so there were long pauses in the dialogue.
As the playboy cat burglar, Colman was just as charming as you'd imagine him to be. And he had great chemistry with his fiancé, Kay Francis - even though they acted like they couldn't stand each other two years later in Cynara. The funny scenes Ronald shared with his manservant were my favorite, as he joked about giving the thievery up, then going back on his word. "I want you to have my watch. A watch," he corrects. If you really like this plot, you'll want to check out all the versions. This is the third one I've seen. The Niv is still the best, but Colman fans will want to see him in this lighthearted role.
As the playboy cat burglar, Colman was just as charming as you'd imagine him to be. And he had great chemistry with his fiancé, Kay Francis - even though they acted like they couldn't stand each other two years later in Cynara. The funny scenes Ronald shared with his manservant were my favorite, as he joked about giving the thievery up, then going back on his word. "I want you to have my watch. A watch," he corrects. If you really like this plot, you'll want to check out all the versions. This is the third one I've seen. The Niv is still the best, but Colman fans will want to see him in this lighthearted role.