The Great Diamond Robbery (1954)

• Director
  • Robert Z. Leonard
• Writers
  • László Vadnay(screenplay)
  • Martin Rackin(screenplay)
  • George Oppenheimer(uncredited)
• Stars
  • Red Skelton
  • Cara Williams
  • James Whitmore

  MGM was never quite sure what to do with their resident funster Red Skelton, and The Great Diamond Robbery betrays this uncertainty. Skelton plays Ambrose C. Park, a diamond cutter who is led to believe that he's the long-lost heir to a fortune. Actually, Ambrose has been duped by shyster lawyer Remlick (James Whitmore), who is in cahoots with criminal mastermind Louie (Kurt Kaznar). Convinced that he's being a dutiful nephew, Ambrose helps the crooks steal a valuable diamond, then agrees to cut the jewel himself. There's way too much plot and not enough Skelton in this 69-minute programmer, but Red manages to collect a few loose chuckles along the way. Great Diamond Robbery leading lady Cara Williams was later more memorably teamed with Skelton in the 1962 TV special "Freddie and the Yuletide Doll."