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Thief

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
31K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,057
688
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
James Caan in Thief (1981)
Home Video Trailer from MGM Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:51
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama

An ace safe cracker wants to do one last big heist for the mob before going straight.An ace safe cracker wants to do one last big heist for the mob before going straight.An ace safe cracker wants to do one last big heist for the mob before going straight.

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
31K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,057
688
  • Director
    • Michael Mann
  • Writers
    • Frank Hohimer(novel "The Home Invaders")
    • Michael Mann(screen story)
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Tuesday Weld
    • Willie Nelson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Mann
  • Writers
    • Frank Hohimer(novel "The Home Invaders")
    • Michael Mann(screen story)
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Tuesday Weld
    • Willie Nelson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 165User reviews
    • 134Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos2

    Thief
    Trailer 1:51
    Thief
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 25
    Video 28:14
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 25

    Photos177

    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan and Tuesday Weld in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    Tuesday Weld in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan and Robert Prosky in Thief (1981)
    James Caan and Tom Signorelli in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)
    James Caan in Thief (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Caan
    James Caan
    • Frankas Frank
    Tuesday Weld
    Tuesday Weld
    • Jessieas Jessie
    Willie Nelson
    Willie Nelson
    • Oklaas Okla
    Jim Belushi
    Jim Belushi
    • Barryas Barry
    Robert Prosky
    Robert Prosky
    • Leoas Leo
    Tom Signorelli
    Tom Signorelli
    • Attagliaas Attaglia
    Dennis Farina
    Dennis Farina
    • Carlas Carl
    Nick Nickeas
    • Nickas Nick
    W.R. Brown
    • Mitchas Mitch
    • (as W.R. [Bill] Brown)
    Norm Tobin
    • Guidoas Guido
    John Santucci
    John Santucci
    • Urizzias Urizzi
    Gavin MacFadyen
    Gavin MacFadyen
    • Borekscoas Boreksco
    Chuck Adamson
    • Ancellas Ancell
    Sam Cirone
    • Martelloas Martello
    Spero Anast
    • Bukowskias Bukowski
    Walter Scott
    Walter Scott
    • Detective D. Simpsonas Detective D. Simpson
    Sam T. Louis
    • Large Detective in Suitas Large Detective in Suit
    William LaValley
    • Josephas Joseph
    • Director
      • Michael Mann
    • Writers
      • Frank Hohimer(novel "The Home Invaders")
      • Michael Mann(screen story) (screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Frank is an expert professional safecracker, specializing in high-profile diamond jobs. After having spent many years in prison, he has a very concrete picture of what he wants out of life--including a nice home, a wife, and kids. As soon as he is able to assemble the pieces of this collage, by means of his chosen profession, he intends to retire and become a model citizen. In an effort to accelerate this process, he signs on to take down a huge score for a big-time gangster. Unfortunately, Frank's obsession for his version of the American Dream allows him to overlook his natural wariness and mistrust, when making the deal for his final job. He is thus ensnared and robbed of his freedom, his independence, and, ultimately, his dream. —Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>
    • thief
    • pay phone
    • bus
    • fully clothed sex
    • tragedy
    • 254 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Cheat him...and he'll BLOW YOU AWAY
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A late starter, Robert Prosky was already fifty years old when he appeared in this, his film debut.
    • Goofs
      Frank's mentor at the steel mill said, "Seven-, Eight-thousand degrees. Portable equipment! Sonny, if I can build it, it's going to be a son-of-a-bitch to use." Given that and the small hole cut at the top of the elevator shaft, how did Frank and his crew get into the vault room with all the welding equipment, oxygen and acetylene tanks without using the elevator?
    • Quotes

      Okla: Lie to no one. If there 's somebody close to you, you'll ruin it with a lie. If they're a stranger, who the fuck are they you gotta lie to them?

    • Alternate versions
      There are three official versions of the film - the Theatrical Cut (1981), the Director's Special Edition (1995), and the Director's Cut (2014). The Director's Special Edition was released on LaserDisc in 1995, and subsequently on DVD in 1998. This was the only version of the film available until 2014, when Criterion released the newly edited Director's Cut on DVD and Blu-ray. The following year Arrow Video released a two-disc Blu-ray set featuring both the Theatrical Cut and the Director's Cut. There is only one difference between the Theatrical Cut and the Director's Cut - right after the opening heist, there is a new scene where Frank (James Caan) meets his friend Cap (Willie Dixon) on the pier and the two admire the stillness of the water (1:22). The rest of the Director's Cut is identical to the Theatrical Cut. The Director's Special Edition also features the scene with Cap, but there are also some other minor changes, which were not been carried over to the Director's Cut. For the Special Director's Edition,
      • After the second heist, the scene of Frank lighting up a cigarette and nodding to himself has been shortened (-00:02).
      • The cut from Frank nodding to the shot of the beach is no longer in sync with the music, instead it cuts to the beach before the music cue.
      • A slow motion shot of Jessie (Tuesday Weld) holding the baby on the beach is absent (-00:07).
      • The initial shot of the waves in the above scene has been slowed down (00:09).
      • The shot of Frank taking a box from a shelf before telling Jessie to leave has been shortened (-00:03).
      • During the scene where Frank is telling Jessie to leave, her line "We just disassemble it and put it back in a box like an erector set you just send back to a store?" has been changed to "We just disassemble it and put it back in a box?"
      • The last shot of Frank's collage has been shortened (-00:02).
      • The speed of some of the shots during the shootout has been altered; the shot of Attaglia (Tom Signorelli) falling to the ground and the shot of Frank falling after Carl (Dennis Farina) shoots him have been sped up (-00:04), whilst the shot of Carl falling back into the bushes has been slowed down and edited slightly differently (00:02)
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Rockshow, The Final Conflict, Thief, The Trials of Alger Hiss (1981)
    • Soundtracks
      Turning Point
      (uncredited)

      Written by Leo Graham

      Performed by Tyrone Davis

    User reviews165

    Review
    Top review
    Michael Mann's best movie, with James Caan' best performance. 'Thief' is a hardboiled crime classic not to be missed!
    'Thief' is one of the most underrated movies of the 1980s, if not of all time. Made in the early 80s by TV veteran Michael Mann, and co-produced by the future "king" of action blockbusters Jerry Bruckheimer, this movie can almost be seen as the transition from 1970s character based crime DRAMA to 1980s flashy but brainless 1980s crime ACTION. In that sense 'Thief' is the last great 1970s movie of the 1980s. Mann made at least two great movies after this ('Manhunter' and 'Heat'), but I still think it is is his best and most satisfying work. James Caan believes that the movie contains his finest performance and I'm inclined to agree with him. Caan is dynamite throughout. He oozes charisma and is impossible to take your eyes off, but also gives a subtle and complex performance. The film works both as an exciting caper movie, and as a human drama. In many ways it is the best crime film to pull that off since Dassin's 'Rififi' in the mid 1950s. Cann is helped by a superb supporting cast, who on the surface may seem a motley bunch, but all are very good - Tuesday Weld ('Who'll Stop The Rain'), Jim Belushi (his movie debut), a memorable cameo from country legend Willie Nelson, and especially a fantastic turn from Robert Prosky. Prosky is probably best known to most viewers as the kindly father-figure he played in 'Hill Street Blues'. His turn here as a ruthless gangster is a complete eye opener! Prosky delivers one of the most vicious lines ever heard in a movie, which is a bit too extreme for me to quote here, but believe me, you will never forget it when you hear it! Many people seem to find Tangerine Dream's dated synth score to be extremely irritating but I actually enjoyed it and thought it helped build the mood. 'Thief' is a hardboiled crime classic and is highly recommended to any fan of the genre, especially those made in the 1970s. It is wildly underrated and deserves to be rediscovered by a larger audience. 'Thief' is simply one of THE great "lost" classics of the last thirty years.
    helpful•125
    23
    • Infofreak
    • Mar 11, 2003

    FAQ1

    • What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and the Director's Cut?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 27, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Criterion (United States)
      • HBOMAX (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der Einzelgänger
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production company
      • Mann/Caan Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,492,915
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,492,915
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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