“The Great Diamond Robbery” (1954) starring Red Skelton / Z-View

The Great Diamond Robbery (1954)

Director:  Robert Z. Leonard

Screenplay: László Vadnay, Martin Rackin, George Oppenheimer

Stars: Red Skelton, Cara Williams, James Whitmore, Kurt Kasznar, George Mathews, Harry Bellaver, Steven Geray and Larry J. Blake 

Tagline: A NEW Uproarious Role in the Career of the World’s Funniest Man

The Plot…

Ambrose C. Park (Skelton) as found on a park bench when he was a tiny baby.  No one ever came to claim him. Now Ambrose is a diamond cutter who dreams of having a family.  He’s searched for his family for years with no luck.

A shyster lawyer named Mr. Remlick (Whitmore) plans to swindle Ambrose out of a few thousand dollars. Remlock pulls together scam artists to play Ambrose’s mother, father and sister.  Their plan goes sideways when hard core thugs learn of a diamond worth two million dollars sitting in a safe where Ambrose works.  The thugs take over the scam and plan to kill anyone that gets in their way!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Great Diamond Robbery is the type of light-hearted, sweet film that isn’t made any more. Red Skeleton is perfect as the naive diamond-cutter who wants a family.  Cara Williams plays his love interest and this is the first film I’ve seen with her.  I want to see more.  The actors playing the scammers and gangsters are well cast.

The Great Diamond Robbery was Red Skeleton’s last film while under contract to MGM.  It contains one of Red’s more subdued performances and I enjoyed it.

The Great Diamond Robbery earns 4 of 5 stars.