Yet as the popularity of Hornung’s creation grew, Conan Doyle expressed misgivings regarding the impact of such a warm and generous portrayal of one essentially trolling about in the underworld. Certainly the central relationship of a mastermind supported by a willing admiring assistant is replicated here. Interestingly, Hornung was the brother-in-law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and wrote these short stories of an anti-hero as almost an homage and this first book is indeed dedicated to the Sherlock Holmes creator. By some measures, he has an enviable life indeed. The victims of his crimes are usually more than due their misfortune, yet there is one primary difference: While the latter brings justice and spoils to those suffering oppression, the former luxuriates in the gains that provide him with the outwardly decent, respectable lifestyle of a true gentleman. Raffles shares a bit of Robin Hoods’ spirit. Consisting of a series of short stories, tied together by its engaging central character embarking upon underhanded capers, this book was so popular that the author continued to write tales featuring the cunning bandit, with even further excursions into burglaries, mistaken identities, forgeries and other rarefied crimes. The first story to feature Raffles was published in a magazine in 1898 and introduces the present compilation. Both versions appear to be based upon a 1903 stage play crafted by Hornung after he had achieved considerable success with his books featuring the devious scoundrel. A later version in 1939 suffers some from the long arm of the Production Code, sanitizing the interplay between the two principals, yet it has its considerable charms, the elegance of David Niven and Olivia de Havilland being primary. Between her slinking and his lurking the screen was awash in luxurious charm. Breathtakingly, Ronald Colman played him in a 1930 early talking version opposite the luminous and striking Kay Francis. There were two silent versions, one starring John Barrymore and two other better known representations in the thirties.
Raffles has seen numerous incarnations in film and several on television. (Ernest William) Hornung’s The Amateur Cracksman, we have such a gentleman swindler in A. We admire their cunning and ability to swindle those we don’t particularly like anyway, the idle rich. Generally dashing, good looking, sly, stealthy and charming with the ladies, such figures are sympathetic despite their capers or perhaps even because of them. The figure of the gentleman thief has become so much a part of our psyche in the western world that it’s easy to take such a character for granted.
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