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Once a Thief (1965)
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Overview
User Rating:
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Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
8 September 1965 (USA)
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Tagline:
CAUGHT! . . right in the middle between the killers and the cops! See more »
Plot:
Eddie Pedak, a convicted criminal, has a steady job, a wife and daughter and he puts a down payment on a boat...
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Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win
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User Reviews:
often given a bad rap; actually pretty cool
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Cast
(in credits order) (verified as complete) | Alain Delon | ... | Eddie Pedak |
 | Ann-Margret | ... | Kristine Pedak |
 | Van Heflin | ... | Inspector Mike Vido SFPD |
 | Jack Palance | ... | Walter Pedak |
 | John Davis Chandler | ... | James Arthur Sargatanas, Walter's Henchman |
| Jeff Corey | ... | Lt. Kebner SFPD |
| Steve Mitchell | ... | Frank Kane |
 | Tammy Locke | ... | Kathy Pedak |
 | Tony Musante | ... | Cleveland 'Cleve' Shoenstein |
| Zekial Marko | ... | Luke |
| Russell Lee | ... | Drummer |
| Yuki Shimoda | ... | John Ling, Chinese Funeral Director |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Sam Flint | ... | Security Guard (uncredited) |
| Robert Foulk | ... | Officer (uncredited) |
| Joanna Pang | ... | Maria (uncredited) |
| Lili Valenty | ... | Mrs. Vido (uncredited) |
| Robert Williams | ... | Officer (uncredited) |
Directed by | |||
| Ralph Nelson | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Zekial Marko | (novel "Scratch A Thief") | |
| Zekial Marko | (screenplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| Fred Engel | .... | associate producer | |
| Ralph Nelson | .... | associate producer | |
| Jacques Bar | .... | producer (uncredited) | |
Original Music by | |||
| Lalo Schifrin | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Robert Burks | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Fredric Steinkamp | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| George W. Davis | |||
| Paul Groesse | |||
Set Decoration by | |||
| Henry Grace | |||
| Jack Mills | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Sydney Guilaroff | .... | hair stylist | |
| William Tuttle | .... | makeup supervisor | |
Production Management | |||
| J. Paul Popkin | .... | production supervisor | |
| Lindsley Parsons Jr. | .... | assistant production manager: MGM (uncredited) | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Erich von Stroheim Jr. | .... | assistant director (as Erich Von Stroheim Jr.) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Franklin Milton | .... | recording supervisor | |
Music Department | |||
| Lalo Schifrin | .... | conductor | |
Other crew | |||
| Walter Kelly | .... | dialogue coach | |
Production CompaniesDistributors
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
- Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
Additional Details
Also Known As:
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
Israel:102 min | USA:107 min | UK:106 min
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The voice of Zekial Marko is dubbed by Paul Frees.See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Although set in one of the least parking-friendly cities in the country, everyone in movie always manages to find a parking spot directly in front of wherever they are going in San Francisco.See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in No Way to Treat a Lady (1968)See more »
Soundtrack:
Once A ThiefSee more »
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.See more (15 total) »
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An 
company.
The beginning of this picture, from the jazzy opening credits and into the next reel or so, is rather engaging. At its best, it is stylish in that French New Wave Meets American Beatnik kind of way, frequent in popular culture of the time. The dialogue is peppered with hepcat slang and frank references to narcotics
and so-called "deviant" sexuality. This is daring stuff for a 1965 release from MGM. Beautiful widescreen black-and-white photography from Robert Burks,
who had by then done several Hitchcock films. The steady hand of director
Ralph Nelson keeps the picture moving, often punctuated by moments of
unexpected brutality. PC this is not! The story itself is popcorn stuff, perhaps best not explored too deeply, but a great cast helps to enliven the material. By
today's standards, the character played by Ann-Margret would never be
depicted in such a fashion as seen here. (At one point, she apologizes after
being slapped around.) But hey, she's under the seductive spell of Alain Delon, a Frenchman playing an Italian. No, it's not "The Asphalt Jungle". Neither is it a total waste of time, as it's often described as being. It's a good example of a mid- '60s studio potboiler, capably and professionally (and sometimes artfully)
handled by all parties concerned. If your bag lies elsewhere, go on and fetch it, then. I'm rewinding the tape so I'll be ready to watch "Once a Thief" again soon.