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Thief Details

1981 DVD Certificate 18.gif
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 835 members

After 11 years in prison, an ageing master safecracker (James Caan) decides to pull one more job before retiring to a quiet, peaceful life. However, the mob finds him much too valuable and refuses to let him retire, keeping him trapped in the life he so desperately wants to leave behind. An introspective look at a man re-.. Read more

Starring James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Willie Nelson, James Belushi
Director Michael Mann
Genres Drama

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Thief

After 11 years in prison, an ageing master safecracker (James Caan) decides to pull one more job before retiring to a quiet, peaceful life. However, the mob finds him much too valuable and refuses to let him retire, keeping him trapped in the life he so desperately wants to leave behind. An introspective look at a man re-evaluating the life he's lived, THIEF is a fascinating, intense film, based on the novel by Frank Hohimer.

Starring James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Willie Nelson, James Belushi, Robert Prosky, Tom Signorelli, Dennis Farina
Director Michael Mann
Studio OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 59 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 18.gif
Genres Drama
Language English
Released DVD: 21 Jul 2003
Production year: 1981
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (4) of Thief

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    This crime drama — the auspicious feature debut of director Michael Mann — pins its story of a professional jewel thief (James Caan) to a near-abstract idea about the criminal's urge to self-destruct, despite the meticulous way he plans his life. The terrific opening sequence, involving a diamond robbery set to the music of Tangerine Dream, establishes the mood and style for a movie that's almost too intellectual for its own genre. Nevertheless, this is one to see from a director who would later make the epic The Last of the Mohicans and the thriller Heat.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • A silently professional night-time jewel robbery, reduced to near-abstract essentials and paced by a Tangerine Dream... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Thief

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  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Neon klepto-thriller

    Set mostly at night or in the rain under the glow of neon this film contrasts the freedom of the lifestyle of our master safe thief with the captivity of the life of crime as he inexplicably gets involved with the Mafia and thinks he can drop them after one job.

    Not a girls film at all but interesting to see Michael Mann develop a style he later explored in Miami Vice and films such as Heat.

      • Fidz from London
      • Posted 13 Oct 2004 22:39

  • Most recent members' review of Thief

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    brilliant

    this is michael manns debut film( he also directed ALI, and the last of the mohicans) and its great . it has all the comman touches of his early work, atmosphere , and a cracking 80`s sound track. its more of a bloke film then anything else.

      • spud101 from Port Talbot
      • Posted 17 Mar 2008 12:07

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Rating breakdown

835 Member ratings
  • 100
56
  • 90
65
  • 80
143
  • 70
139
  • 60
177
  • 50
94
  • 40
74
  • 30
42
  • 20
30
  • 10
15

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      After 11 years in prison, an ageing master safecracker (James Caan) decides to pull one more job before retiring to a quiet, peaceful life. However, the mob finds him much too valuable and refuses to let him retire, keeping him trapped in the life he so desperately wants to leave behind. An ...