Thief (1981) Part 1

This is, bar-none, one of the greatest crime dramas ever made! When I was going to college, a friend of mine used to quote lines from "Scarface" all the time...mixed in with lines from this film as well. It took about 5 more years after college, but when I finally saw this film, I was blown away by it. Even after it had been out on video for over a decade (yes, I said video, not DVD, I'm showing my age).

"Thief" is a film, one of the first made by Michael Mann, about an ex-con named Frank that has slowly built 2 lives after getting out of the joint: the 1st life you get to see is in this clip, where he basically doing a safe/vault heist for a lot of dough. The 2nd life he leads (shown in the next clip) is his "legit" or cover-life, where he runs a couple of legitimate businesses to help front his illegal activities. But all of this dual life has a very specific purpose, which you'll find out later in the film. And when Frank gets a generous, high-stakes bank job later on, the film becomes a non-stop rollercoaster ride!

Although "Thief" came out in 1981, but the feel of the film is really more of a late 70s action caper, much in the vein of "The Taking of Pehlam 123"...the original one with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, not that piece of shit remake that came out a few years ago. Or more like another Matthau film from the 70s, called "Charley Varrick." It's very stripped-down, no bells-and-whistles sets and acting, and doesn't spend a whole lot of time trying to explain things to you. The viewer basically has to enjoy the ride as it is, and it assumes you know a thing or two about burglary.

Anyways, enjoy this first clip, there will be many more to come!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Thief
• James
• Caan
• Michael
• Mann
• Jim
• Belushi
• Willie
• Nelson
• bank
• robbers
• crime
• drama
• heist
• tangerine
• dream
• part
• 1981
• Tuesday
• Weld
• Robert
• Prosky
• Dennis
• Farina
• cops
• Chicago

[JupiterReturnz]

Sadly Hollywood can't make classic films like this anymore, they make shit for 15 year olds and morons. Get the TD Thief soundtrack cd - its their best album and check out Caan in The Gambler another good film before the crap films started. Thanks for posting.

[20thcenturyfilmdocs]

@JupiterReturnz Tnx, glad you liked it!

[MovieMaster0001]

Heat is Mann's best movie...not this.

[20thcenturyfilmdocs]

@MovieMaster0001 Nope, not buyin' it...thought it was weak and overly long, basically the same film, with cop perspective added...

[myVideoPerscription]

drive is better

[20thcenturyfilmdocs]

@myVideoPerscription As i said before..... Drive is extremely good, but in a completely separate way...in fact, it borrows heavily from crime capers like "Thief," so for that alone, it can NEVER be better than "Thief." NEVER, my friend.

[stoneinboots]

This is a great and overlooked film Thanks for posting it.

[JupiterReturnz]

@ButherLi55ett Hi Buther, I have 4 clips from the Gambler up - check my channel, there was little of it on YT, great film but Thief is Caan's best work.

[ButherLi55ett]

@JupiterReturnz I was just thinking/looking for The Gambler, I remember that as being great too! Good shout.

[moviefreak2011]

@20thcenturyfilmdocs That was the whole about point about Drive is that its a movie that belongs with films like this, The Driver, To Live and Die in L.A. and so on. I'll give you that Thief is better but thats because of the James Caan character. Ryan Gosling's character is more like a myth like Eastwood where Cann's is about a normal man that wants to have a life with a family but pays a price that leads to his downfall. And I think Heat is about as good as Thief lol

[orbazel]

Gotta love Tangerine Dream.

[proni1]

in true mann fashion

[sybyly]

@verve92 really? cos after 8 minutes of this lame music-video i had to drop this film...music was irritating me, and for me does not hide the lack of excitement in the visuals.

[GeraldRisch]

@verve92 Your absolutely right!



[GeraldRisch]

@verve92 Your absolutely right!



[GeraldRisch]

@verve92 Your absolutely right!