The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

A very rich and successful playboy amuses himself by stealing artwork, but may have met his match in a seductive detective.

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Alan Trustman (story) (as Alan R. Trustman), Leslie Dixon (screenplay)

Stars:

Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pierce Brosnan	...	Thomas Crown
Rene Russo	...	Catherine Banning
Denis Leary	...	Michael McCann
Ben Gazzara	...	Andrew Wallace
Frankie Faison	...	Detective Paretti
Fritz Weaver	...	John Reynolds
Charles Keating	...	Friedrich Golchan
Mark Margolis	...	Heinrich Knutzhorn
Faye Dunaway	...	The Psychiatrist
Michael Lombard	...	Bobby McKinley
Bill Ambrozy	...	Proctor
Michael Bahr	...	Proctor (as Michael S. Bahr)
Robert D. Novak	...	Proctor (as Robert Novak)
Joe H. Lamb	...	Proctor (as Joe Lamb)
James Saito	...	Paul Cheng

Storyline

Self-made billionaire Thomas Crown is bored of being able to buy everything he desires. Being irresistible to women, he also does not feel any challenge in that area. But there are a few things even he can't get, therefore Thomas Crown has a seldom hobby: He steals priceless masterpieces of Art. After the theft of a famous painting from Claude Monet, the only person suspecting Thomas Crown is Catherine Banning. Her job is to get the picture back, no matter how she accomplishes her mission. Unfortunately, Catherine gets involved too deeply with Thomas to keep a professional distance to the case. Fortunately, Thomas seems to fall for her, too.

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Plot Keywords:

sex in bed | sexual desire | female rear nudity | female frontal nudity | breasts | 

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Taglines:

Crime does pay. Handsomely.

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Genres:

Crime | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Polish French

Release Date:

6 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Thomas Crown Affair

Filming Locations:

Reid Hall, Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,600,719, 8 August 1999

Gross USA:

$69,305,181

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$124,305,181

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Irish DreamTime, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The suit designer, who appears in Thomas Crown's office, is Gino Campagna, who has been featured on CNN's Richard Quest's segment. He is also the designer responsible for the look of the clothes in this film.

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Goofs

On the golf course, Crown bets on his ability to throw the ball by half-burying it into the sand. Yet on he next shot the ball is not buried, but just lying on the ground.

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Quotes

The Psychiatrist: [laughing] Peter Pan grows up, and discovers there's no place to land!

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, the letters in the names of principal cast and crew switch same-letters (i.e., the "R's" in "Pierce Brosnan", the "E's" in "Dennis Leary").

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Connections

Referenced in Greek: Home Coming and Going (2011)

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Soundtracks

The Complicated Man
Written and Performed by Jamshied Sharifi
Courtesy of Shizuka, Ltd.

User Reviews

"Thomas" is the "Crown" Jewel for your collection... SEE IT!

This DVD was an impulse buy, pure and simple. My wife and I like Pierce Brosnan, and I have enjoyed Renee Russo's other works, so what did I have to lose? Only my mind! This film was positively one of the most enjoyable, nail-biting, suspenseful romantic capers ever made.

A remake of the steamy 1968 Steve McQueen flick updated to the sleek and self-referential 90s, "Thomas Crown" features Brosnan as the title character - a bored billionaire businessman in the business of "acquisitions". For a thrill, he heists an extremely valuable Monet from the New York Museum right under the noses of security guards, cops, and about a thousand unsuspecting museum-goers. Renee Russo is the very sexy, very worldly Catherine Banning, whose insurance company underwrites the painting - and she is determined to get it back at any cost... But the cost just may be her soul as she woos, and then falls under the spell of the enigmatic Crown. Will Russo discover the location of the Monet? Will she rat out Thomas Crown? Or is Crown manipulating her affections like Bobby Fisher manipulates the pieces on a chess board?

What we have here is a high-speed chase film whose vehicle is clever dialog, rich and exotic direction, and more than a little sexual tension! Brosnan, as Crown, is ever the cool Brit charmer whose every word and action are as calculated as the movements of a Rolex. Russo smoulders every time she appears on screen. And when the two of them get together, the chemical reaction is pure dynamite.

Dennis Leary has a nice bit as a streetwise NYPD detective on the case, who dispenses advice to Russo's Banning, and watches her begin to spiral out of control. His role here most likely resulted in the deserved attempt at a television series on ABC ("The Job").

The action in the film moves exotically from caper to cover-up and back with dizzying speed... All the while, we are kept guessing about the motivations of the two lead, and find ourselves eagerly anticipating their next move. When the final checkmate comes, we are left totally bewildered, befuddled, and baffled... which is most-likely the director's intention!

On all levels, "The Thomas Crown Affair" will steal the hearts of men and women alike... but for different reasons - Men can enjoy the action and thrill of the chase, and Crown's ability to win over the most beautiful women and his attempt to get away with the ultimate heist... Ladies can marvel at the suave Brosnan and his life of extreme wealth, and all-the-while wonder if he will betray her, or if she will betray him...

I will not betray you... I ain't saying!