What Is The Solitaire Man About?
The premise of The Solitaire Man in 270 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the glittering aftermath of a daring Monte Carlo job, a tight‑knit jewel‑thieving crew slips back into the shadowed streets of Paris, a city where elegance and danger walk hand‑in‑hand. The atmosphere hums with post‑war intrigue, the scent of expensive perfume mingling with the metallic chill of high‑society heists. Newsprint still whispers about the “Solitaire Man,” a phantom cat burglar whose legend has kept Scotland Yard on his trail for years, and the film’s tone balances crisp, almost romantic, suspense with a wry, world‑weary humor.
At the heart of the group is Oliver Lane, the seasoned thief who has finally imagined a life beyond the chase. He shares a deep, practiced partnership with Helen Hemming, whose sharp wit and steady composure have made her the perfect confidante and accomplice. Their quiet dream of a country house in Devonshire and a simple marriage feels within reach—until an unsettling presence returns to the fold. Bascom, a volatile veteran of the Great War whose nerves are frayed by addiction, bursts onto the scene bearing a stolen necklace, a glittering token that instantly threatens to unravel the fragile peace the pair have built.
The arrival of that necklace stirs a palpable sense of mistrust, as the crew’s carefully constructed scheme begins to wobble under the weight of suspicion. With every glint of jewel and hushed conversation, the once‑steady rhythm of their criminal camaraderie is replaced by a tense, almost claustrophobic unease. The film captures the delicate dance between loyalty and self‑preservation, hinting at looming dangers that could upend not only their plans but the very future they have been so meticulously trying to secure.
What Happens in The Solitaire Man?
The complete story of The Solitaire Man, from the first scene to the last, in 879 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
After a job in Monte Carlo, an English jewel theft ring returns to Paris. Oliver Lane, the suave cat burglar the “Solitaire Man” in the newspapers after seven years on the run from Scotland Yard, proposes to his lovely accomplice Helen Hemming and reveals they’ve bought a country house in Devonshire to retire. However, unstable Bascom, drug-addicted after his experiences in the Great War, also loves Helen and wants to keep going on his own. He presents the “Brewster necklace” that he burgled from the British Embassy while dining there with his former colonel. Realizing Bascom would be the sole suspect and his arrest would trace back to all of them, Oliver returns the Brewster necklace to the safe just as an inspector from Scotland Yard tracking the Solitaire Man arrives at the embassy. Before Oliver can slip away, a second man sneaks in and steals the necklace but is interrupted by the inspector, who recognizes the thief yet is shot and killed by him. Oliver struggles in the dark with the killer during his getaway and grabs the necklace and part of the killer’s watch chain.
With [Bascom], Helen and the elderly Mrs. Vail — the fourth member of the ring who poses as an impoverished British aristocrat to sell the stolen jewels to gullible American tourists — Oliver hastily decides to fly to England. They are joined on the airplane by a garrulous, wealthy American socialite, Mrs. Hopkins, and a last‑moment arrival in the form of an unknown Englishman. As the airplane is taking off, Mrs. Hopkins demands that the pilot stop to pick up her late-arriving husband Elmer Hopkins. Although Oliver’s group is willing to oblige, the other man insists they continue, and the pilots refuse because of a heavy fog. The stranger identifies himself as Inspector Wallace of Scotland Yard and attempts to arrest Oliver for being the Solitaire Man. When he demands at gunpoint to search Oliver’s luggage for the Brewster necklace, the group disarms Wallace, revealing their complicity, and Oliver tells Bascom to lock Wallace in his own handcuffs. The passengers become aware that another plane is following them, which Wallace claims is a French Army plane he arranged as an escort in case they tried to land in France. Convinced that Wallace is what he claims to be, Oliver offers to give himself up and turn over the necklace in exchange for the freedom of the others. When Wallace is distracted by the offer, Oliver turns off the plane’s cabin lights to throw off the pursuing French plane in the fog.
Noticing that Wallace is not really handcuffed, Oliver asks him about how he knew Oliver would be on the flight and accuses Bascom of tipping off the police. Bascom admits that he intended to betray Oliver in his anger over Helen but denies carrying out the scheme. Oliver, however, realizes that Bascom and Wallace, who now claims to be a fast-thinking burglar himself, were in league to turn in Oliver to collect a £10,000 reward for the Solitaire Man. He searches Wallace and finds the letter Bascom wrote telling the police about Oliver’s travel plans. Overwhelmed by guilt, Bascom jumps from the plane to his death. From the Scotland Yard–issue pistol Wallace was carrying, Oliver deduces that not only is Wallace a crook, but he covers up his own crimes by being a police informant. Helen notices that Wallace’s pocket watch has a broken chain, and Oliver accuses Wallace of being the murderer of the dead inspector. Oliver again turns out the cabin lights and appears to have also jumped from the plane with the necklace, but when the lights are turned back on, he emerges from the cockpit. He agrees to give Wallace the Brewster necklace and confess falsely to the murder, returning the gun unloaded as part of the charade, if Wallace tells Scotland Yard that the others had no part in any of the crimes.
The plane lands in Croydon and is boarded unexpectedly by police constables to detain the passengers for Scotland Yard. The “French Army escort” lands immediately behind them and turns out to be only a plane hired by Elmer Hopkins to bring him to England after he missed the flight. When Wallace identifies himself as “Inspector Wallace” to the officers and tries to leave to “file his report,” Oliver insists that it is he who is the inspector and Wallace the Solitaire Man to prevent it. The passengers are interrogated by Inspector Harris, who knows Wallace (acidly reminding the informant that he is not a detective) and is the former partner of the murdered inspector. Oliver tricks Wallace into exposing himself as the jewel thief and the murderer. Wallace tries to escape out a window using the gun but is shot by Harris, who does not realize the gun is empty. Oliver then reveals that when he went to the cockpit, he used the plane’s radio to summon Scotland Yard to detain the arrivals. Harris accepts Mrs. Hopkins’ corroboration of Oliver’s explanation that he is only a legitimate jewelry dealer who offered to appraise the necklace when Wallace had tried to sell it to her on the plane. Oliver and Helen head off to start new lives as a quiet, happily married Devonshire couple.
The Solitaire Man Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Monte Carlo job and return to Paris” to “Final exposure and Devonshire life”. 12 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Monte Carlo job and return to Paris
After a job in Monte Carlo, the English jewel-thief ring returns to Paris. Oliver Lane, the suave 'Solitaire Man,' proposes marriage to his partner Helen and reveals the plan to retire to a Devonshire country house. Bascom, unstable and drug-addicted, also loves Helen and resists retiring from crime.
Where:Monte Carlo / Paris
- 2
Brewster necklace returns to safe; Bascom's threat surfaces
Bascom presents the Brewster necklace he burgled from the British Embassy, signaling that he might be the sole suspect. Oliver realises that arresting Bascom would unravel the whole ring. He returns the Brewster necklace to the safe just as a Scotland Yard inspector arrives at the embassy.
Where:British Embassy, Paris
- 3
Second thief steals the necklace; inspector killed
A second man slips into the embassy and steals the Brewster necklace, signaling that the plan is unraveling. The inspector recognises the thief but is shot and killed as the killer escapes. Oliver wrestles with the killer in the dark and grabs the necklace and part of the watch chain.
Where:British Embassy
- 4
Flight to England with the gang
Oliver hastily decides to flee to England with Bascom, Helen, and Mrs. Vail. They are joined on the airplane by Mrs. Hopkins and a last-minute arrival in the form of an unknown Englishman.
Where:On the airplane
- 5
Foggy takeoff; Wallace reveals himself
As the plane takes off, Mrs. Hopkins demands that her late-arriving husband be picked up, but fog blocks the plan. The unknown Englishman identifies himself as Inspector Wallace and attempts to arrest Oliver; the group disarms him and Bascom locks Wallace in his own handcuffs.
When:During takeoff Where:On airplane
- 6
Pursuer and deception in flight
The passengers learn a supposed French Army escort is following them. Convinced Wallace is a real inspector, Oliver offers to surrender and turn over the necklace in exchange for the others' freedom. He then switches off the cabin lights to throw off the pursuing plane in the fog.
Where:On airplane
- 7
Betrayal revealed; Bascom's letter
Oliver suspects Bascom tipped off the police; Bascom admits some betrayal but denies carrying out the scheme. Oliver finds Bascom's letter to the police detailing their travel plans, exposing the betrayal.
When:Mid-flight Where:On airplane
- 8
Bascom leaps to his death
Overcome by guilt, Bascom leaps from the plane to his death, shocking everyone aboard. The loss confirms Oliver's suspicion that Wallace is deeply involved with the crimes as more than a mere informant.
When:Mid-flight Where:Over the Atlantic
- 9
Oliver spots Wallace as the real thief
Oliver, now convinced Wallace is a thief and informer, studies Wallace's pocket watch with a broken chain to confirm his guilt. He uses the clue to threaten exposure and to calibrate the plan with the others.
When:Mid-flight Where:On airplane
- 10
In-air ruse to control the necklace
Oliver stages a dramatic ruse, suggesting he might be involved in a murder while he maneuvers to control the situation. He agrees to hand over the Brewster necklace and confess to the murder only if Wallace tells Scotland Yard the others had no part.
Where:Plane cockpit / in air
- 11
Croydon landing and a false escort revealed
The plane lands at Croydon and is briefly boarded by police, while a second escort plane lands behind them — Elmer Hopkins's plane, sent to retrieve his wife. Wallace tries to depart by pretense, but Oliver insists that he is the true inspector, preventing his escape.
When:Upon landing Where:Croydon Airport
- 12
Final exposure and Devonshire life
Inspector Harris interrogates the passengers and exposes Wallace as the jewel thief and murderer. Wallace is shot by Harris with an unloaded gun, unaware Oliver has tricked him. Oliver then summons Scotland Yard using the plane's radio, and Harris accepts that Oliver is a legitimate jewelry dealer. Oliver and Helen head to start a quiet life in Devonshire.
When:After landing Where:Croydon / local airfield
Who Are the Main Characters in The Solitaire Man?
6 characters, among them Oliver Lane (Herbert Marshall), Helen Hemming (Elizabeth Allan) and Robert Bascom (Ralph Forbes): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- OL
Oliver Lane (Herbert Marshall)
Played by Herbert Marshall
A suave, confident jewel thief known as the Solitaire Man, Oliver thrives on risk and flawless improvisation. He aims to retire with Helen in Devonshire, while orchestrating elaborate plans to keep the law at bay. His quick wits and charm mask a ruthless pragmatism that surfaces under pressure.
- 🗝️ Jewel thief
- 🕴️ Gentleman thief
- 🧠 Mastermind
- HH
Helen Hemming (Elizabeth Allan)
Played by Elizabeth Allan
Oliver’s accomplice and love interest, Helen is drawn into the web of crime by loyalty and affection. She seeks a quiet life with Oliver at the Devonshire retreat, but is pulled into schemes that test her trust. Her steadiness provides emotional balance to Oliver’s risk-taking.
- 💍 Love interest
- 🕯️ Loyal partner
- 🧭 Confidant
- RB
Robert Bascom (Ralph Forbes)
Played by Ralph Forbes
A drug-addicted veteran of the Great War, Bascom is driven by jealousy and desperation. He tries to betray Oliver but is ultimately undone by guilt, leading to a fatal decision aboard the plane. His instability and self-interest complicate the ring’s plans.
- 🩺 War veteran
- 💔 Betrayer
- 🔒 Risk-taker
- MZ
Mrs. Zelma Hopkins (Mary Boland)
Played by Mary Boland
A wealthy American socialite who enjoys the high life and gullible tourists. She becomes involved with the group through her husband Elmer’s transport arrangements and later provides corroborating testimony to help Oliver. Her seemingly carefree demeanor masks a shrewd eye for opportunity.
- 💎 Socialite
- 🧭 Negotiator
- 🧭 Patron
-
Inspector Wallace (Lionel Atwill)
Played by Lionel Atwill
Disguised as a Scotland Yard inspector, Wallace is a calculating informant who colludes with Bascom to capture Oliver. His double act unravels when he underestimates Harris and blunders expose his crime. He meets a violent end during the confrontation aboard the plane.
- 🕵️♂️ Informant
- 🗡️ Counterfeit cop
- 🧭 Fraud
- IH
Inspector Harris (Murray Kinnell)
Played by Murray Kinnell
A blunt Scotland Yard inspector who recognizes the deception and tries to restore order. He ultimately uncovers Wallace’s guilt, guiding the sting that exposes the conspirators. His cautious, methodical approach contrasts with Oliver’s improvisational skill.
- 🕵️♂️ Inspector
- 🤝 Skeptic
- 🧭 Law
Where and When Is The Solitaire Man Set?
The Solitaire Man is set in Monte Carlo, Paris, Devonshire and Croydon (1920s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1920s
Set in the interwar 1920s, the story follows the aftermath of World War I and the rise of fast-paced, cosmopolitan crime. The seven-year gap since the jewel-heists shows a world still haunted by war, with luxury and risk intersecting in Monte Carlo, Paris, and on a transatlantic flight. Modern mobility—planes and long-distance travel—drives the plot as the criminals try to outpace law enforcement.
Where
Monte Carlo, Paris, Devonshire, Croydon
The film spans glamorous Monte Carlo and the streets of Paris, where jewel thefts and embassy intrigue set the tone for the Solitaire Man’s world. It then moves to a quiet Devonshire country house where the group plans retirement, before hurtling toward an English airfield-and-plane chase that lands in Croydon. These locales combine high-society glamour with international pursuit, culminating in a transatlantic-fueled escape.
- 🎲 Casino culture
- 🗺️ European settings
- 🏰 English countryside
- ✈️ Air travel
What Are the Themes of The Solitaire Man?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Deception, High Society and Flight.
-
01
Deception
The Solitaire Man relies on manipulation and misdirection to outwit investigators and companions alike. Characters constantly conceal motives, switching identities to keep others in the dark. The plot hinges on who can bluff, accuse, or expose others without tipping off the truth.
-
02
High Society
The crime unfolds within a glittering social circle of wealth, elegance, and performative propriety. Aristocrats, socialites, and jetset travelers all play roles that mask greed and jealousy. The veneer of refinement sharpens the tension between want and ethics.
-
03
Flight
Air travel is a catalyst that compresses space and accelerates the chase. The plane sequence turns from a luxurious trip into a strategic battlefield, with fog, lights, and rushed decisions shaping the outcome. Escape, pursuit, and the revelation of loyalties hinge on the aircraft’s confined, high-stakes environment.
What Kind of Film Is The Solitaire Man?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A tense and suspenseful crime thriller set largely aboard a foggy flight, where a jewel thief's retirement plan unravels into a claustrophobic game of deception, betrayal, and murder among a crew of criminals.
- tense
- suspenseful
- anxious
- claustrophobic
- deceptive
- romantic rivalry
- jewel theft
- betrayal
- crime ring
- addiction
Content notes: suicide, murder, gun violence, drug addiction.
Quiz
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