Arsène Lupin (2004 film)

Arsène Lupin is a 2004 French crime-adventure film, based on the iconic series of novels created by Maurice Leblanc, directed by Jean-Paul Salomé and stars Romain Duris, Eva Green and Kristin Scott Thomas. It was a co-production of France, Spain, Italy and The United Kingdom.

Plot

The film follows gentleman thief Arsène Lupin from a small boy, through the death of his father, and his later years when he meets the strange woman, Joséphine, who appears to be immortal and uses a hypnotic drug to enslave people to her will. Arsène's ethos is to steal from the rich and deserving crooks. In this film he comes up against two parties, a secret society and Joséphine, who are intent on gathering three crucifixes which will reveal the secret of a lost treasure.

The film refers to many of the Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin stories, including "The Arrest of Arsène Lupin", "The Queen's Necklace", "Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late", 813, and The Countess Of Cagliostro. Some of these references are more direct and complete than others.