THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO (1979), dir. Hayao Miyazaki

“The Castle of Cagliostro” proves you don’t need flesh-and-blood actors or real locales to stage an exceptional action adventure. Cartoons can do the job just nicely, so long as the writing is smart and the animators are talented.

The movie stars Lupin the Third, a thief descended from Arsene Lupin, the main character of French author Maurice Leblanc. Although he’s a master criminal, he possesses gentlemanly qualities and gadgets a la James Bond, and he’s also remarkably agile, as evidenced by the opening sequence in which he and his sidekick steal a fortune from a casino safe.

But as Lupin quickly recognizes, the bills are counterfeit, which leads them to take a trip to Cagliostro, where the secret of all the forged money is reputed to be. There, they encounter a young woman named Clarisse, who is trying to escape an arranged marriage to a nefarious count. During the rescue, Lupin recognizes the crest on the ring she is wearing, and it’s possible they share a deeper connection.

What follows are breakneck chases, daring escapes, puzzles, even a touch of comedy as an Interpol agent tracks the thief to the count’s castle. It’s interesting to watch “The Castle of Cagliostro” nearly 20 years after it was first released, given that it’s in the action adventure genre, which has been dominated since the 80’s by the twin pillars of James Bond and Indiana Jones.

Of course, Miyazaki’s film came out a few years before “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and Lupin is refreshingly free of Dr. Henry Jones’s influence. He’s less of a brawler, more of a lady’s man, and even though the action in “Raiders” is occasionally like a cartoon, Indiana Jones is always flesh and blood. Not so with Lupin, who can scale walls like Spider-man, and at one point drives a car along the side of a mountain.

Ian Fleming’s Bond, however, has been around since the 50’s, and some of his movies’ influence can be found in “Castle;” chiefly, the villain’s hideout equipped with hi-tech traps. Meanwhile, like any serialized adventure, there is a pre-established cast of supporting characters, including a rival female spy, a sidekick who’s good with a sword, and that aforementioned Interpol agent, who is no dummy but unfortunately finds himself always one step behind his prey.

The art is top-notch for pre-CGI days, but it’s Miyazaki who elevates the entire enterprise to masterpiece levels. Known internationally for epics like “Princess Mononoke” and “Nausicaa,” he co-wrote the screenplay with Harauya Yamazaki, and it’s a very clever one, especially in the various subterfuges Lupin uses.

True, “Castle” may be less serious than Miyazaki’s later efforts, but unlike a lot of modern animated films which seem to be marketed towards young children, this one is free of dumb jokes and all the characters act like they have a brain in their heads. It’s as if Miyazaki set out to entertain grown-ups as well as the young, and as such, Lupin’s motivations are unexpectedly complex and the ending is surprisingly touching.

Overall rating: **** (out of ****)