THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY
US, 1954, 70 minutes, Black and white.
Red Skelton, Cara Williams, James Whitmore, Kurt Kasznar, Dorothy Stickney, George Mathews, Reginald Owen, Harry Bellaver, Connie Gilchrist, Steven Geray, Sig Arno.
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard.
The Great Diamond Robbery was Red Skelton’s last feature film. He then moved into television. He had a successful career in films for fifteen years at MGM and for twenty years on television. This is one of his more restrained roles.
The film is directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who began acting in 1911, directing in 1913, directing The Great Ziegfeld, the Oscar winner for 1936. He continued to film many of MGM’s productions over the coming decades, some routine, others stood out like Pride and Prejudice.
The film shows Red Skelton as an expert diamond cutter, an orphan left on a park bench who is desperate to find his parents. He encounters a conman who not only drums up parents for him, but also leads to a gang of crooks who are interested a two million dollar diamond.
Red Skelton plays the genial little man, the eternal optimist. Cara Williams is the hardboiled daughter of Dorothy Stickney who pretends to be his mother. George Mathews is good as the would-be father. James Whitmore is the crooked lawyer, Kurt Kasznar and Harry Bellaver are the conmen criminals.
The film has some pleasant comedy, some romantic touches, a focus on the committing of a crime – with some slapstick as well. A pleasing last film for Red Skelton.
1. Red Skelton as a comedian, his film career? This film as his last?
2. The New York settings, the apartments and homes, the diamond company? Central Park? Musical score?
3. The focus on Ambrose, his skill as a diamond cutter, his relationship with Bainbridge Gibbons? Gibbons and his financial needs, his wanting the diamond cut, his employing Mr Sahutsky and giving him sedatives? His employing Mr Van Goosen? Ambrose and his comments that they did not know how to cut the diamond? Gibbons pushing Ambrose out of the way?
4. Ambrose and his status as an orphan, going to Central Park, sitting on the bench, his birthday, putting in an advertisement? His discussions with the genial and friendly man at the park? His background history? His drinking, unwittingly, with the woman in the bar? Her handing him over to the police? Mr Remlick and his ambulance-chasing? Imposing himself on Ambrose? Listening to his story, promising to find the parents, taking his deposit, thinking he was an easy touch? Going to his friend Duke, Duke and Emily and their clashes? Agreeing to be the parents? Maggie unwilling to be the sister but fulfilling the role?
5. Ambrose and his introduction to the family, believing everything? Their being nice to him? Making a few mistakes? Emily becoming more motherly? Duke and his friendliness? Uncle Herb and Uncle Tony turning up? Tony suave and considerate? Herb the standover tough?
6. The plan to rob the diamond? The participation in preparing Ambrose? Getting the information from him, bringing the cutting material to the house? Ambrose backing out because it was stealing?
7. Ambrose going to the club, seeing Maggie dance, defending her against the drunken man? Her losing her job? Her being touched? Going for the walk, his gift of the diamond? Making it for her? Her low opinion of herself?
8. The plan, tying up Emily and Maggie? Going to the office, the police, the security guard letting them in? Ambrose and his preparations, concentration, about to cut the diamond? Emily and Maggie getting free, the phone call, getting through Remlick? Stopping him?
9. The slapstick comedy of Ambrose and Maggie escaping, the crooks pursuing them? The police rounding them up?
10. Mr Bainbridge, Maggie and Ambrose swallowing the diamonds – and going to the delivery? The recovery of the diamonds, the proposal, the happy ending? A film with a nice feeling?
