Thief (film)
| Thief | |
|---|---|
| File:Theif 1981.jpg | |
| Directed by | Michael Mann |
| Written by | Frank Hohimer, novel Michael Mann |
| Produced by | Jerry Bruckheimer Ronnie Caan |
| Starring | James Caan Tuesday Weld Willie Nelson |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates | March 27, 1981 |
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Language | English |
Thief is a 1981 noir crime drama written and directed by Michael Mann, based on the novel The Home Invaders by "Frank Hohimer" (the pen name of real-life jewel thief John Seybold). The film's cast includes James Caan, Tuesday Weld, James Belushi, Robert Prosky, and Willie Nelson.
James Caan plays Frank, an expert jewel thief with a set structure to his life. With a pair of successful Chicago businesses (a sports bar and a car dealership) as fronts for his very lucrative criminal enterprise, Frank sets out to fulfill the missing part of his dream: a family to go along with his loving wife, Jessie (Weld). After taking down a major score, Frank's fence is murdered, and he is forced to negotiate with Leo (Prosky), a major underworld player, to retrieve his end. Leo takes a liking to Frank and offers to put him on to jobs that will provide him with "boxcar" profits.
Frank is reluctant at first, but wanting to make his dream come to fruition faster, he accepts. Soon Frank is taking part in a large-scale West Coast diamond heist, and, with a little help from the paternal Leo, is able to purchase a baby on the black market. It all seems to be too good to be true. Soon enough Frank learns, with tragic results, that there is a large price to be paid for this good fortune.
Caan also served as the film's co-producer. He has long considered this film to be the favorite of all his projects, and his emotional several-minute monologue with Weld in a coffee shop is often cited as the film's high point. Being Michael Mann's major directorial debut, Thief showcases many of the cinematic techniques that would be his trademarks in the years to come. Chief among these is the cinematography, utilizing light and shadow to give the proceedings, especially those taking place in the darkness of night, a sense of danger. Mann has gained a reputation as a director on the cutting-edge when it comes to the music for his films. Thief's moody soundscapes were composed and performed by Tangerine Dream, providing the first of many notable film compositions they had in the 1980s. The film also earns plaudits for its meticulous attention to detail: the tools and techniques of the trade, right down to the oxy lance used to penetrate a safe, are authentic, the result of Mann's decision to hire real-life thieves to serve as technical advisors.
While not a financial success in its initial release, the film has become a reference point in Mann's career, especially with the release of his crime epic, Heat, of which this movie has many similarities.
Of note: Dennis Farina, at the time a Chicago police officer, made his acting debut here, as a henchman. Ironically, John Santucci, who plays the role of corrupt cop Urizzi, was a recently-paroled thief.
William L. Petersen appears in an brief early role as a bartender.