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Thief

  • 1981
  • R
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
44K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,348
449
James Caan in Thief (1981)
Home Video Trailer from MGM Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:51
1 Video
99+ Photos
HeistTragedyActionCrimeDramaThriller

After years in prison, ace safe-cracker Frank owns a car dealership and a cocktail lounge, which are fronts for high-stakes jewelry heists. He wants to complete one last big heist for the Mo... Read allAfter years in prison, ace safe-cracker Frank owns a car dealership and a cocktail lounge, which are fronts for high-stakes jewelry heists. He wants to complete one last big heist for the Mob before he goes straight.After years in prison, ace safe-cracker Frank owns a car dealership and a cocktail lounge, which are fronts for high-stakes jewelry heists. He wants to complete one last big heist for the Mob before he goes straight.

  • Director
    • Michael Mann
  • Writers
    • Michael Mann
    • Frank Hohimer
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Tuesday Weld
    • Willie Nelson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    44K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,348
    449
    • Director
      • Michael Mann
    • Writers
      • Michael Mann
      • Frank Hohimer
    • Stars
      • James Caan
      • Tuesday Weld
      • Willie Nelson
    • 201User reviews
    • 117Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Thief
    Trailer 1:51
    Thief

    Photos226

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    + 220
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    Top cast52

    Edit
    James Caan
    James Caan
    • Frank
    Tuesday Weld
    Tuesday Weld
    • Jessie
    Willie Nelson
    Willie Nelson
    • Okla
    Jim Belushi
    Jim Belushi
    • Barry
    • (as James Belushi)
    Robert Prosky
    Robert Prosky
    • Leo
    Tom Signorelli
    Tom Signorelli
    • Attaglia
    Dennis Farina
    Dennis Farina
    • Carl
    Nick Nickeas
    • Nick
    W.R. Brown
    • Mitch
    • (as W.R. [Bill] Brown)
    Norm Tobin
    • Guido
    John Santucci
    John Santucci
    • Urizzi
    Gavin MacFadyen
    Gavin MacFadyen
    • Boreksco
    Chuck Adamson
    • Ancell
    Sam Cirone
    • Martello
    Spero Anast
    • Bukowski
    Walter Scott
    Walter Scott
    • D. Simpson
    Sam T. Louis
    • Large Detective in Suit
    William LaValley
    • Joseph
    • Director
      • Michael Mann
    • Writers
      • Michael Mann
      • Frank Hohimer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After The Godfather (1972), this was James Caan's favorite film of his own. He had stated that his monologue in the diner was the scene of which he was most proud in his career.
    • 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, getting into the vault room with all the welding equipment, oxygen and acetylene tanks would not have been easy but they could have winched it down. When planning the heist, it is mentioned they would be spending 16 to 18 hours inside the building.
    • 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 Mighty Joe Young

    User reviews201

    Featured review
    9/10

    When James Caan was allowed to be real!

    This is one of the few Michael Mann films I can stand to watch. Caan is at his absolute peak here, with his intensity just blazing off the screen. The supporting cast is excellent, the edits are perfect, everything just clicks.

    As has been noted by other reviewers, the technical aspects of this film are right on the money. All the locations are really there (or were at one time) and the settings didn't have to be faked up. Yes, Chicago and surrounding Chicagoland is really like this, folks.

    I try to watch this thing every few years. Should buy a DVD, I guess, and insert it into my permanent circular film buffer.

    Highly, highly recommended.
    • SomeUselessGeek
    • May 3, 2010
    • Permalink

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Thief?Powered by Alexa
    • 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 site
      • -Trailer
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Mi profesión: ladrón
    • 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
      • $11,495,509
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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

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