But Robinson has other plans. The store shares a wall with a bank, and he plans on tunnelling through the cellar into the vault. Prison escapee Anthony Quinn gets wind of Robinson's scheme, and takes over the operation. Will Robinson ever go straight?
How others will see it. This film is a boon for classic movie lovers, especially men. The cast is stocked with well-known supporting actors from the glory years of the studio system. Harry Davenport has a small supporting role, and Jackie Gleason has an early-career cameo.
Larceny, Inc. is a comedy. Is it entertaining? Without question. The film has several running gags that work well. Robinson gets exasperated when his thorough plans are temporarily frustrated. He is also easily flattered. Dumb oaf Brophy has to do the dirty work, despite his protests. Wyman schemes to make Robinson a success "on the level," despite his cagey criminal nature.
How I felt about it. Still, there's only one laugh-out-loud moment. The store has a promotion involving a ten dollar bill promised in one of the suitcases. Brophy poses as a customer, and surprise, surprise, he opens the suitcase with the ten, to the astonishment of the other shoppers.
The only noticeable weakness in the movie is the plot complication involving Anthony Quinn. Quinn's forboding late-film appearance is a consequence of the Production Code, which states that criminal behavior (such as an attempted bank robbery) must be punished. Robinson's scheme must be caught by the police, yet he must remain sympathetic, so Quinn is the potentially violent hoodlum, or McGuffin, to "force" Robinson into the bank robbery. Yet Robinson proves heroic, confirming our faith in his likable character, which straddles the line between entrepreneur and con man.
Although the cast and story are designed to appeal to men, low-key romances are included to inspire female interest. Pretty Wyman is ensnared by gregarious Jack Carson, or is it the other way around? Meanwhile, Robinson has to fend off the advances of forward widow Barbara Jo Allen. The most preposterous romance of them all involves bald and obese Broderick Crawford, who somehow finds time to spend with local manicurist Jean Ames, despite his duties of digging in the cellar and minding the store.
The theme of Larceny, Inc. is unoriginal: hard-working merchants prosper, but crime doesn't pay. Fortunately for us, the importance of the theme is secondary to its execution, and generally speaking, it is a well-made movie.