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Thief (27-Mar-1981)
Director: Michael Mann Writer: Michael Mann From novel: The Home Invaders by Frank Hohimer Music by: Tangerine Dream Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer; Ronnie Caan Keywords: Crime, Heist Professional safecracker Frank yearns for retirement, and agrees to one last diamond heist for the Chicago mafia. They give him a house, and provide a child adoption (Frank is a convicted felon, making it impossible to adopt legally). But as his services are much too valuable to allow him to retire. Excellent character-driven caper is one of James Caan's best films.
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CAST | James Caan | ... Frank | | Tuesday Weld | ... Jessie | | | Also Starring | | Robert Prosky | ... Leo | | Jim Belushi | ... Barry | | Tom Signorelli | ... Attaglia | | | and | | Willie Nelson | ... Okla | | | Leo's People | | Dennis Farina | ... Carl | | Nick Nickeas | ... Nick | | W. R. (Bill) Brown | ... Mitch | | Norm Tobin | ... Guido | | | The Police | | John Santucci | ... Urizzi | | Gavin MacFadyen | ... Boreksco | | Chuck Adamson | ... Ancell | | Sam Cirone | ... Martello | | Spero Anast | ... Bukowski | | Walter Scott | ... D. Simpson | | Sam T. Louis | ... Large Detective in Suit | | | In order of appearance | | William LaValley | ... Joseph | | Lora Staley | ... Paula | | Hal Frank | ... Joe Gags | | Del Close | ... Mechanic #1 | | Bruce Young | ... Mechanic #2 | | John Kapelos | ... Mechanic #3 | | Mike Genovese | ... Bartender at Green Mill | | Joan Lazzerini | ... Attaglia's Receptionist | | Beverly Somerman | ... Secretary with Cup | | Enrico R. Cannataro | ... Salesman at L&A Plating | | Mary Louise Wade | ... Waitress #1 at Deli | | Donna J. Fenton | ... Waitress #2 at Deli | | Thomas Giblin | ... Mighty Joe Young Band | | Willie Hayes | ... Mighty Joe Young Band | | Conrad Mocarski | ... Mighty Joe Young Band | | Benny Turner | ... Mighty Joe Young Band | | William L. Petersen | ... Katz & Jammer Bartender | | Steve Randolph | ... Bounce at Katz & Jammer | | Nancy Santucci | ... Waitress at Hojo's | | Nathan Davis | ... Grossman | | Thomas O. Erhart, Jr. | ... Judge | | Fredric Stone | ... Garner (Attorney) | | Robert J. Kuper | ... Bailiff | | Joene Hanhardt | ... Court Recorder | | Marge Kotlisky | ... Mrs. Knowles | | J. J. Saunders | ... Doctor | | Susan McCormick | ... Nurse | | Karen Bercovici | ... Ruthie | | Michael Paul Chan | ... Waiter at Chinese Restaurant | | Tom Howard | ... Jewelry Salesman #1 | | Richard Karie | ... Jewelry Salesmen #2 | | Oscar Di Lorenzo | ... Customer at Green Mill | | Patti Ross | ... Marie | | Margot Charlior | ... Rosa |
REVIEWS Review by Striker5 (posted on 14-Aug-2007) Aside from being an excellent director, Michael Mann is unerringly consistent in the themes that propel his films. Mann's protagonists are almost without exception extremely professional, proficient, emotionally confused and prone to violence. No greater example exists than his first feature film Thief. In this movie we see the basic ideas Mann would revisit thematically for over two decades.
Thief centers around a man named Frank (James Caan). Frank is a fiercely independent professional safecracker. From the opening sequence where Frank and his crew cooly pull of a heist and methodically dispose of clothes, vehicles and tools it is obvious that Frank is very good at what he does.
As the plot develops we see that Frank lives a socially empty life peopled only by his teammate (Jim Belushi) and his surrogate father Okla (Willie Nelson). Frank is driven to obtain the things he could not get during a lengthy prison sentence. Wife, house, kids, cars and so forth. These very human desires are his Achilles heel.
Enter local mob kingpin Leo (Robert Prosky). Leo capitalizes on Frank's needs and cajoles him into sacrificing his most precious possession in return for everything he wants: his independence.
Alternately touching, brutal, and technically dazzling, Thief is an outstanding experience. It features Caan's best performance (his favorite according to the commentary) and Mann's trademark attention to detail. Actual safecrackers were pressed into service as technical advisers to ensure the tools and methods of cracking safes were realistically portrayed. Caan and Mann also went to Gunsite, a famous school for defensive pistol shooting, to teach Caan how to fight with a pistol. As is all Mann's films, the realism of the gunhandling and shooting are second to none.
Thief explores the themes of professional (criminal) ethics and vulnerability, as the very things that make Frank human are his most dangerous weaknesses.
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