ThiefIf you want to get what you want in life, you have to take it, and not accept "no" for an answer. That's Frank's (James Caan) philosophy, a fiercely independent jewel thief and safe cracker par excellence, and an ex-con who has a clear vision of what his future holds. In his eyes, command over his life and the liberty to do so is his defining characteristic, a sensibility fostered in the wake of spending eleven years behind bars. So when Frank crosses paths with a high-ranking criminal fence and mobster named Leo (Robert Prosky), who lures him with an offer he cannot refuse, Frank is forced to choose between his values and operating within this criminal system determined to bind him.
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Thief begins with Frank and his crew on a job; Barry (James Belushi) disables the security alarms, Attaglia (Tom Signorelli) monitors police chatter and traffic, while Frank operates the specialized equipment to burrow into the massive metal door impeding him from the object of his desire. Fundamentally, the heist represents something inherent in Frank, that he refuses to allow anything to get in his way, determined not to be shackled down to something he doesn't want. He operates a front business as a car dealer by day, and is connected enough to score jobs with some degree of frequency. It is a secret he indicates to his mentor and confidant still in jail, Okla (Willie Nelson), one he never told his wife, but is counseled to entrust to the woman he is pursuing, a hostess at a restaurant named Jessie (Tuesday Weld). After a deal goes sour, and Frank is held up--leaving Jessie to believe herself stood up--he drags her off for coffee...not a good impression for a first date, not at all. But Frank has been surveying Jessie for months, frequenting the cafe she works at; he has been casing her. Although removed from the tense action and suspense of the majority of Thief, the scene between Frank and Jessie in the coffee house makes it clear that they are cut from the same cloth. She recalls her own dark past, running with a drug dealer, left stranded in Colombia, and Frank shows her his collage of how he wants his world to be; there's already a spot for her, whether she wants it or not. Frank gets what he wants, and effectively, so does Jessie, with the exception of a child, since Jessie informs Frank she cannot have children. It is when they attempt to adopt that his efforts to fabricate his perfect view of a family are derailed, when his past and aggressive indignation puts him at odds with the legal adoption process--he can't just steal a baby. When Leo smooth talks Frank under his wing by offering to procure a baby for him, it is clear that this is the turning point by which Frank has allowed the deceptively friendly crime lord to worm his way into Frank's life forever.
From their first meeting, Leo insinuated that he would be a "father" to Frank, and offers to arrange a series of contracts to keep him a faithful employee in his circuit. Although never implicitly said, the contacts between Frank and Okla give the impression that there is a paternal bond between these two thieves already, and one which respects Frank's independence. It is by aligning with Leo that Frank compromises that bond and his own principles. But for Frank, who is ever hungry to craft his uniform vision of a stable home in the suburbs for him, Jessie, and their new baby, David, it is a necessary evil. The theatrical debut of Michael Mann, Thief is set in a world which always seems to be dirty; even the water which rains down onto the neon-drenched streets never seems to wash away the grime of this world. There is a scene when Frank visits his industrial equipment contact to produce a tool to get into the safe at the Bank of California, and there is a supervisor clad in a white coat, which stands out to such an extent that Frank and his contact both comment on the absurdity of his presence. The man represents someone who is overseeing that the industrial fabricators are doing everything in compliance with legal standards and he is spotless in appearance. Compare this with the overall look of shadowy grime which permeates everything else, and you know he doesn't belong in the world of Thief, and the movie points it out. Everyone in Thief is a crook to some extent; even the cops are dirty, as they try to cut in on Frank's business following his partnership with Leo. The real sin which makes Frank the protagonist in this neo-noir crime story is that he is still possessed with the kind of American entrepreneurialism and individuality that rankles against any organization--legal or otherwise--which attempts to profit from the sweat of his brow. Frank takes pride in his work, and he and his crew operate with a degree of ingenuity and determination which is hypnotic to watch. Frank would never qualify as a "nice guy" in any world, but in the world of Thief, we can rally behind his spirit and empathize with how others always seem to be lurking like jackals to compartmentalize you and leech away at your livelihood...even if it was ill-gotten to begin with.
Recommended for: Fans of a hallmark entry into the vanguard of Eighties-era, stylish action films, pulsing with a synth score by Tangerine Dream, and one with a tense, thrilling crime story somewhat based on the exploits of real-life jewel thief, John Seybold, who penned the book which was the basis for Thief, "The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar".
From their first meeting, Leo insinuated that he would be a "father" to Frank, and offers to arrange a series of contracts to keep him a faithful employee in his circuit. Although never implicitly said, the contacts between Frank and Okla give the impression that there is a paternal bond between these two thieves already, and one which respects Frank's independence. It is by aligning with Leo that Frank compromises that bond and his own principles. But for Frank, who is ever hungry to craft his uniform vision of a stable home in the suburbs for him, Jessie, and their new baby, David, it is a necessary evil. The theatrical debut of Michael Mann, Thief is set in a world which always seems to be dirty; even the water which rains down onto the neon-drenched streets never seems to wash away the grime of this world. There is a scene when Frank visits his industrial equipment contact to produce a tool to get into the safe at the Bank of California, and there is a supervisor clad in a white coat, which stands out to such an extent that Frank and his contact both comment on the absurdity of his presence. The man represents someone who is overseeing that the industrial fabricators are doing everything in compliance with legal standards and he is spotless in appearance. Compare this with the overall look of shadowy grime which permeates everything else, and you know he doesn't belong in the world of Thief, and the movie points it out. Everyone in Thief is a crook to some extent; even the cops are dirty, as they try to cut in on Frank's business following his partnership with Leo. The real sin which makes Frank the protagonist in this neo-noir crime story is that he is still possessed with the kind of American entrepreneurialism and individuality that rankles against any organization--legal or otherwise--which attempts to profit from the sweat of his brow. Frank takes pride in his work, and he and his crew operate with a degree of ingenuity and determination which is hypnotic to watch. Frank would never qualify as a "nice guy" in any world, but in the world of Thief, we can rally behind his spirit and empathize with how others always seem to be lurking like jackals to compartmentalize you and leech away at your livelihood...even if it was ill-gotten to begin with.
Recommended for: Fans of a hallmark entry into the vanguard of Eighties-era, stylish action films, pulsing with a synth score by Tangerine Dream, and one with a tense, thrilling crime story somewhat based on the exploits of real-life jewel thief, John Seybold, who penned the book which was the basis for Thief, "The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar".