Search - Raffles: The First Step, Pt. 1 & 2 on DVD

"The risk? Ah, the risk is half the fun."

CodeMaster Talon | Orlando, FL United States | 12/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Actually, for Raffles, the risk is pretty much all the fun. Meet A.J. Raffles; Gentleman, renowned cricket player, adored ladies man, completely audacious jewel thief. Along with his shy best friend Bunny Manders, Raffles steals from the rich and gives to the poor (the poor being him and Bunny), always keeping just one step ahead of his nemesis, Inspector MacKenzie.



Played to perfection by Anthony Valentine (who has what Tallulah Bankhead used to call "ugly beauty"), this collection has Raffles pulling off a daring bank heist ("The Silver Chest"), thwarting an evil Ambassador ("The Last Laugh"), showing up a vulgar American boxer ("A Trap to Catch a Cracksman") and in my favorite episode, matching wits with a club of criminologists ("The Gold Cup").



Well worth checking out for mystery fans and Anglophiles alike, both the first and second DVD collections are first-rate. Witty, frothy, and surprising, "Raffles" is a treat and should not be missed.



GRADE: A"

A rogue to root for

Robert Torres | 04/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anthony Valentine brings Raffles to life - a roguish aristocratic thief who you can't help liking. Christopher Strauli, Raffles' well-named friend Bunny, constantly has to have things explained to him. With the convoluted twists and turns of the plot, we are often grateful for Bunny's questions. Bunny is also the conscience of the piece most times. The viewer is intrigued with how Raffles is going to get away with it without being caught - not a necessarily moral stance. Excellent fun for those who like English period mystery at its best. It comes in two double disc sets: The First Step and To Catch a Thief."