I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Disturbing yet enthralling

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Scotland Yard inspector Dudley Digges opens up a wooden cabinet next to his desk...and turns on the television set. The cricket match is on and the star player is fan favorite A.J. Raffles. The inspector and his colleagues have just been discussing the baffling case of "the Amateur Cracksman," a clever thief who leaves a signed note at the scene of each crime. Little do the Scotland Yard men realize that Raffles and the Amateur Cracksman are one and the same--celebrity by day, burglar by night. David Niven is excellent as Raffles, that adventurous character who decides to hang up his secret life, finds it necessary to do one last job, and feels the pressure build as his cover is slowly chipped away. Pensive, charming, sly, quick-thinking....it's a great role for Niven. Olivia de Havilland is fine as the socialite who loves the dashing Raffles but begins to wonder about his puzzling behavior. (However, her top billing just under Niven does not reflect her actual role in the picture; the two main roles belong to Niven and Digges.) Dudley Digges is lots of fun as the steadfast inspector who doesn't miss much. He follows his suspects down to one of those large country houses where Dame May Whitty's jewels are a temptation to more than one would-be crook. The plot is really nothing much but it's certainly entertaining watching these characters watch each other. Bonus: Laurel and Hardy fans will enjoy seeing the great James Finlayson as a cab driver. And a note: Apparently the first televised cricket match was in 1938. Not sure if Scotland Yard offices really had TV yet.

With the amount of epic classics that were released in 1939, it's no wonder why lighter films from that year have been forgotten about. Raffles, while not worthy of any Academy Award nominations, is a very cute and entertaining movie. David Niven stars as the title character, a wealthy and famous cricket player who moonlights as a burglar. There are several stealth scenes, and even though we know we shouldn't be rooting for the criminal, the fact that he's a compulsive thief rather than a desperate one makes us root for him instead of the police. Those scenes are quite suspenseful, so don't be surprised if you find yourself holding your breath until The Niv is home safe and sound.There are lots of twists and turns in this movie, so I'll skimp on the plot overview so nothing will be ruined for you. It's much better if you experience it during the moment. This is a quick-paced, clever, romantic, classy, overlooked old movie that, had it been released in 1938 or 1940, might have become a classic. Check it out if you like heist movies, or if you like leading men with double lives and lots of secrets. You might get a new celebrity boyfriend from this movie!

"Raffles" has one thing going for it: Olivia De Havilland is beautiful and appealing. This was in the early phase of her career.. She made many movies in which she was saucy and as pretty as anyone else in Hollywood. Then she turned to serious roles. She did well at those also but in certain ways, these early trifles are fun.Dame May Witty, a versatile character actress, is totally wasted. She plays a standard dithering dowager. Any of at least ten actresses at the time could have done as well.What "Raffles" needed was the right director. Sam Wood was at the helm of many fine movies. But this is not his genre. Alfred Hitchock could have had fun with it. Imagine this movie with Cary Grant in the title role, directed by Hitchcock. (It might have been like "To Catch a Thief." The full axiom from which that tile is taken is quoted in "Raffles.") But Lubitsch would have been the best for it. He could have turned it into a soufflé' about class, criminals vs heroes. It's not a soufflé, though: It's a blintz.

RAFFLES ('40) contains a charming performance by David Niven as the jewel thief who constantly eludes detection by Scotland Yard. Niven has an equally charming co-star in Olivia de Havilland as his sweetheart--a thankless role which gives the actress a strictly cardboard leading lady role. It's Niven and the large supporting cast that consume most of the footage as the plot thickens and a Scotland Yard detective is hot on his heels.Slow paced, only mildly entertaining, this one offers nothing in the way of wit or excitement to stir up anything more than moderate interest. Fans of David Niven and Olivia de Havilland get a chance to see the photogenic pair at their physical peak--but that's not enough to sustain interest in this bland remake of the earlier Ronald Colman version.A standout in the largely British supporting cast is Dame May Witty as Lady Melrose whose necklace has fascination for the amateur thief.Trivia note: Interesting to see a film from 1939 that shows a sports program being televised clearly on a rather medium-sized TV screen...long before TV became a household staple in the late '40s and early '50s.