Jewel Robbery

Directed by William Dieterle, Jewel Robbery follows a bored society wife (Kay Francis’ Teri) as she slowly-but-surely finds herself falling for a suave burglar (William Powell). Filmmaker Dieterle delivers an erratically-paced yet mostly watchable comedy that benefits from the affable efforts of its two stars, as both Francis and Powell turn in personable work that goes a long way towards smoothing over the thin narrative’s bumps and lulls. It is, however, certainly not surprising to discover that Jewel Robbery is based on a play by Ladislas Fodor, as the picture suffers from a palpably stagy feel that essentially (and effectively) perpetuates its hit-and-miss atmosphere – which ensures, in turn, that the film is often straining to fill and justify its 70 minute runtime. Still, Jewel Robbery is frequently elevated by its smattering of genuinely funny digressions, including (and especially) a recurring bit involving Powell’s character’s marijuana cigarettes, and a satisfying closing stretch that ensures the whole thing concludes on a positive note – with the final result a watchable (albeit forgettable) endeavor that exploits its endlessly charming stars to agreeable effect.

**1/2 out of ****