Movielogr

Thief (1981)

Directed by Michael Mann

Action | Crime | Drama

Most recently watched by VicnaLobster, sleestakk, Javitron, zombiefreak, PeterMartin, krazykat

Overview

Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specialized in high-profile diamond heists. He plans to use his ill-gotten income to retire from crime and build a nice life for himself complete with a home, wife and kids. To accelerate the process, he signs on with a top gangster for a big score.

Rated R | Length 123 minutes

Actors

James Caan | Tuesday Weld | Robert Prosky | Willie Nelson | Jim Belushi | Tom Signorelli | Dennis Farina | Nick Nickeas | W.R. Brown | Norm Tobin | John Santucci | Gavin MacFadyen | Chuck Adamson | Sam Cirone | Spero Anast | Walter Scott | Sam T. Louis | William LaValley | Lora Staley | Hal Frank | Del Close | Bruce A. Young | John Kapelos | Mike Genovese | Joan Lazzerini | Beverly Somerman | Enrico R. Cannataro | Mary Louise Wade | Donna J. Fenton | Thomas Giblin | Willie Hayes | Conrad Mocarski | Benny Turner | William Petersen | Steve Randolph | Nancy Santucci | Nathan Davis | Thomas O. Erhart Jr. | Fredric Stone | Robert J. Kuper | Joene Hanhardt | Marge Kotlisky | J. Jay Saunders | Susan McCormick | Karen Berger | Michael Paul Chan | Tom Howard | Richard Karie | Oscar DiLorenzo | Patty Ross | Margot Charlior

Viewing History (seen 3 times)

Date ViewedDeviceFormatSourceRating
12/05/2023Movie ScreenDigitalTheater10 stars
01/25/2022Home TheaterBlu-rayOwned10 stars
05/20/2012TVStreamingVideo on Demand7.5 stars
 

Viewing Notes

It’s hard to believe I’d never seen Thief, considering how big a fan I am of Mann’s Heat, but there it is: never seen it until tonight. Which is too bad, because it definitely has all the Mann style and mannerisms that would be perfected later, especially in Heat.

It’s also obvious that Refn’s Drive owes more than a casual nod to Thief (as well as The Driver).

Caan’s acting is, at times, a bit over the top; and then at other times, perfectly understated. It’s fun to see a lot of Chicago locations in this film as well. Mann is a Chicagoan and a lot of his films, or the stories they’re based on, have Chicago roots.

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