With its snazzy visual style and moody urban atmosphere, Mann's first film was a thrilling example of the director's unique approach to portraying tough-guy anxiety. In perhaps the finest lead performance of his career, Caan inhabits the role of the middle-aged gem snatcher with ease and even poignancy, as we watch his white-picket dreams go down the drain. Terrific performances by Weld, Jim Belushi (as Frank's accomplice), and Prosky, perfectly understated as the brutal Leo, help the movie achieve greatness. Plus, Mann's heist sequence is electrifying, and the throbbing Tangerine Dream score adds emotional depth. Steal a glance at "Thief."

this is a great movie, especially visually stunning when I saw it in the movie theatre. .. this transfer to DVD eliminates the lustre, beauty and sheen of this movie...do not buy it

What more can I say BUY THIS MOVIE.This is HEAT one.Like some people say the movie starts off slow. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

This is a great film regardless of the time period it was made in. James Caan gives a chilling performance as "Frank"; in my personal opinion of actors who have participated in Mann films - he's on top of Pacino and De Niro

Though I won't lie to you, there are a few corny scenes, scenes that would probably provoke you to say or think 'only in the 80s,' especially some of the music implemented throughout most of the film (in exception for some parts were you might get the opposite feeling to what I've said) but don't let these momentary transitions throw you off. Other than that, there's no "cheesiness" here, only the portrayal of how real the underground is..

The action and subsequent blood shedding is as violent as it gets in this movie. This component, along with the sheer dialogue is enough to make it a 'slick Mann Flick.'

Excellent drama; Michael Manns dark, brooding photography
along with an outstanding sound track pairs well with the entire cast, who are also excellent.

This is James Caan in his prime at his best. The casting was perfect, and the authenticity high. If you're into this kind of thing, this is a must have.

The pulsing synth-rock of Tangerine Dream really sets the tone for this ultra-stylish and sleek noir heist gone bad film. The film is like a well oiled machine and when you hear the synthesizers roar into action you know that something extremely bad is going down. This synthesizer noir film has a menace that never lets up.

Michael Mann isn't much for giving his criminals and cops bios or personalities or much else; his characters don't even have last names, they are just hunters or the hunted. James Caan plays "Frank". Frank's a car dealer by day and jewel thief by night and as an ex con who has spent 11 of his 35 years in prison Frank knows that he doesn't have a second to lose and that the odds and the fates are against him. Nevertheless he's trying to defy his loner's fate by assembling a family (that includes a recently met waitress played by Tuesday Weld and an adopted child) but he seems to know from the start that plans do not have a way of working out. So far his life has been like a big blank that he's trying to fill in but he just can't seem to beat those odds and those fates that have somehow decided ahead of time that he is predestined to fail are breathing down his neck. Frank doesn't have a real family. He went straight from orphanage to prison house. And everywhere Frank has been he's been mistreated. Still he keeps fighting back. In prison he was beaten within inches of his life by a gang of predators attempting to rape him but Franks the kind of guy who fought back and left his assailants in worse shape than they left him. The recently released from prison Frank is a guy that you don't want to cross. Still each time Frank pulls off a heist someone screws him over. All Frank wants is to make one big score so he can settle down with his make-shift family but there's always someone getting in the way of Franks big payday.

Virtually the entire movie takes place at night and so every scene is lit with Mann's signature neon lights. Frank runs a car dealership as a cover for his real occupation and the car dealership is always eerily lit by little bulbs that make the lot of cars seem unreal. Its as if the entire film were bathed in an unnatural slightly blurred glow. Its an effect that I've seen in Brian DePalma films and it seems to create a kind of surreal or hyper-real aura . The slightly blurred artificial lighting that we see in the car lot and in the various bar scenes is like a motif that works with the music to create a sense of an all-pervasive menace and both of these things also contribute to the feeling that Frank's view of the world may be slightly skewed. The music by the way is reminiscent of the music in William Friedkin's SORCERER, another film known for its unrelenting menace.

Caan is impeccable as always and even though he's really only given a barely there character to play he has a way of making us feel this anonymous state raised guy's pain and desperation. The first time we see Frank he is using a drill to open a safe and Frank seems to be one with the tools of his trade. Frank also seems to want life to operate as purely as the machines he uses but life is never as predictable or reliable as a machine. When things don't go as planned its like an indication that things will never go as planned and so you can understand why the highly organized Frank flies off the handle at the slightest hint of more failure. We understand Frank's rage each time a plan falls apart and we also know that Frank knows that this is quite possibly his last chance to make a life. So when a deceptively kind mob boss who poses as a father figure betrays Frank we know things will not end well. Usually Frank works alone or with a team that he assembles but he allows himself to be lured in by the boss's fatherly charms. We somehow know this will be a fatal mistake for one of them. The original deal was that Frank would do one big score for the mob boss and then retire but once the score is complete the mob boss not only refuses to pay Frank his fair share depriving Frank yet again of that elusive payday but he also insists that Frank now works for him thus threatening to steal from Frank the thing he values most, his independence. In order to assure this new deal the mob boss threatens to prostitute his new wife if he doesn't comply. Frank knows he cannot accept these terms which tear at his dream of a family and his independence and we know the mob boss who has destroyed Franks dream is going to get the worst that Frank has ever given when we hear those synthesizers begin to pulse and we see that neon glow burn once again. The ultraviolent finale is one of the most intense and nasty noir codas on film.

Excellent supporting cast including Tuesday Weld as Franks wife and James Belushi as his trusted heist accomplice but this is primarily a James Caan tour de force.

Other Caan roles:
*Coppola's GODFATHER I(72)
*Karel Reisz's GAMBLER (74)
*Norman Jewison's ROLLERBALL (75)
*Sam Peckinpah's KILLER ELITE (75)

James Caan claims that his favorite film is THIEF.

If Caan made this movie to breakout from his Sonny Corleone persona, then he chose an excellent vehicle. Director Michael Mann takes the viewer by the scruff of their neck from the opening scene to the haunting finale. Tangerine Dream provides the auditory stimulation that makes the listener feel as if they're part of Caan's latest heist and the director of photography gives the viewer just a touch of claustraphobia as we get inside Canns mind and fractured soul.

Caan plays the title character Frank, an ex-con and jewel thief who knows his star is about to burn out and will stop at nothing to complete his version of the good life. James Belushi plays his partner in crime and Tuesday Weld plays Frank's love interest. Caan later makes the mistake of getting involved with Robert Prosky's (of Hill Street Blues fame) character and soon Caan's life goes into a predicatble freefall.

The story is fairly straightforward, but the combo of Caan, Mann, and Tangerine Dream makes for a mesmerizing experience. Although the frantic and chaotic trip through Frank's life makes for terrific movie making, the Willie Nelson character acts as an anchor, on an otherwise thrilling rollercoaster ride. In truth, I may simply have not liked Willie Nelson himself in this role, though.
This is without a doubt, a well crafted and well acted movie, that is more experience then entertainment.

+++++

This movie is based on the book "The Home Invaders" by Frank Hohimer, himself a professional thief. (Hohimer was serving time in prison at the time this movie was being made.)

Meet Frank (James Caan), the lone wolf "worker" of this movie. He says the following to his eventual wife Jessie (Tuesday Weld):

"I wear $150 slacks, I wear silk shirts, I wear $800 suits, I wear a gold watch, I wear a perfect, flawless...three-carat ring, I change cars like other guys change their...shoes. I'm a [jewel] thief."

The quotation that titles this review is what Frank says when he's mad.

This movie follows the life of an aging jewel thief whose only dream now is to retire from his "trade" and have a family. A Chicago syndicate boss Leo (Robert Prosky) offers him to do a heist that will make his dreams come true. The lone wolf is not used to working with others and things don't go according to plan.

This is a gritty, very realistic crime drama. In fact, the thief's "tools of the trade" used by James Caan are authentic and not props. Real-life thieves were used to play bit parts in this movie. The dialogue is want you would expect among thieves (and thus is foul).

James Caan as Frank steals (no pun intended) the show. His acting is magnificent. Robert Prosky as the mob boss Leo also does a decent job. Willie Nelson has a small part in this movie as the old thief who taught Frank everything he knows.

Some people find the background music associated with this movie bad. I, however, disagree. I found it exhilarating. As well, this is a very colorful movie in parts.

The DVD (special director's edition) itself is perfect in picture and sound clarity. It has a few extras, all of them interesting.

Finally, I did have a few problems with this movie. First, there is James Belushi as Barry, Frank's trusted aid. Belushi is a comic (he was even when this movie was made) even though he does not play a comic in this movie. I felt he undermined the realism of the movie due simply to his comic reputation. Second, this movie is somewhat slow moving in its first half but picks up considerably in its second half. Lastly, the movie is predictable but, as I stated above, Caan's excellent performance, the dialogue, the music, and the color of the movie keep you interested.

In conclusion, this is a slick crime drama where James Caan gives one of his best performances!!

(1981; 2 hr; widescreen; rated `R;' 32 scenes)

+++++

THIEF is a one-last-hoist-then-I-retire caper film, starring James Caan as the master thief, Tuesday Weld as his love interest and James Belushi as his partner in crime. A slow-moving character study, THIEF plods along and then ends very abruptly and rather unsatisfyingly, as if Michael Mann, the director, decided it was time to end the film. To me, THIEF doesn't seem to know where it is going, which is okay for a character study and better than the slick but mindless action of a MR AND MRS SMITH, which has no character. James Caan should have received his acting certification from this role, if not from some earlier films, for a job well done as Frank, the ex-con, independent-minded professional safe cracker wanting to retire. Tuesday Weld is nice to look at as his girlfriend and James Belushi turns in a quiet, subdued performance. This is a 1981 film with no cell phones and almost funny-looking cars. The bad guys in THIEF are creditable and scary enough but, overall, there just doesn't seem to be enough tension or conflict to sustain the suspense, which gets us back to THIEF being a character study of Frank, the thief. While there is one heck of a safe-cracking scene in THIEF to the film's credit, I can't really say I liked this movie very much. However, I did watch it all the way through. That says something, I guess.

Of course the movie deserves 4 stars, however I wish I could say the same for the DVD. What does it take for DVD company to release each DVD enhanced for 16x9 TVs? Nothing!

Recently I bought a SONY BRAVIA 32 INCH display and I have a collection of over 600 Dvds. I learned now about "Enhanced for 16x9 TVs" and how important it is, I did not care about it or even know about it since I own a standard TV, however all my Dvds are Region 1 and in widescreen, I never buy fullscreen Dvds. So I did an inventory on my collection and realized the following:

Out of 600+ Dvds, 42 are NOT enhanced for 16x9 TVs and they really look horrible when I played them on my PC. Anyway, according to my inventory.
THE FOLLOWING MOVIES / COMPANY HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANAMORPHIC OR 16X9 WIDESCREEN and I hope that these company will release them in the near future so that we can enjoy them on our TVs.

MGM:

Runaway Train
Graduate
No Way Out
Prizzi's Honor
FX
Shallow Grave
Thief
House Of Games
Dead Man Walking
Misery
The Eye Of The Needle
Overboard

PARAMOUNT:

Private Parts
48 Hrs
Coming To America
Primal Fear
The Ghost And The Darkness
Breakdown

UNIVERSAL:

Day Of The Jackal
Psycho (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)
Vertigo (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)
The Game

FOX:

Abyss (I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT MY 2-DISC IS NOT ANAMORPHIC, NOR IS THE LATEST DIGIPACK EDITION)
Raising Arizona
The Edge
Great Expectations
Rising Sun
The Ref
Romancing The Stone
The Jewel Of The Nile

ARTISAN:

House Of The Spirits
The Last Seduction
The Last Emperor
The Eagle Has Landed
Bound

PS: PLEASE ARTISAN, INSTEAD OF RELEASING 'BASIC INSTINCT' FOR THE 4TH TIME, WHICH MOST HAVE ALMOST THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS, CONSIDER RELEASING SOME MORE INTERESTING MOVIES WITH PROPER ATTENTION SUCH AS THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE.

TOUCHSTONE / WALT DISNEY:

Ransom
What About Bob?

PS: IT IS A GREAT NEWS THAT TOUCHSTONE ARE RELEASING 'ENEMY OF THE STATE', CRIMSON TIDE' AND 'CON AIR' IN EXTENDED UNRATED EDITIONS ON MAY 16. I WISH THOUGH THEY DID THE SAME WITH 'RANSOM'

WARNER:

91/2 Weeks
Presumed Innocent

NOTE THAT WARNER STUDIO IS RELEASING ONE OF THE BEST 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION SUCH AS 'SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION', 'HEAT', 'MALCOLM X', 'DOG DAY AFTERNOON', 'ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN' AND MANY MANY MORE.


The reason why they don't release every DVD in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 is beyond me since soon Widescreen Tvs will replace standard ones.

IT IS A RELIEF THAT AMAZON IS NOW STATING WHETHER THE DVD IS ANAMORPHIC OR LETTERBOXED.

While Michael Mann's first theatrical film, Thief, has style to spare and is as high-tech as they come for heist thrillers, it is severely lacking in character depth and sympathy.

I enjoyed this movie, but not for the reasons that I thought I would. I have seen and loved Michael Mann's "The Insider", "Manhunter", and especially his crime opus "Heat". These were highly-stylish, technically-intriguing, but also heavily character driven stories. The characters in "Thief" seemed very static, and very cold. The ones we are meant to sympathize with are not developed enough, and the rest are so desolate they seem almost sociopathic.

Caan's performance is great to watch, as is usually the case. He handles the tough guy stuff great, and the limited amount of positive emotions he's given to convey are well displayed, but hard to justify, and the script often has him flipping switches at an unintentionally amsuing rate.

The score by Tangerine Dream works well (although it severely dates the film, and the closing scene's sound like a bad attempt at "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd with the chords rearranged--the same thing that happens during the score for "Manhunter" oddly enough), and it is kind of fun to see future Mann alumni William Peterson and Dennis Farina in bit roles as a bartender and a bodyguard respectively.

Not bad for his first time out at bat, but he really didn't find his stride until "Manhunter".

Thief is Mann's first film and a kind of precursor to Heat, his 1995 crime 'epic'.

Extremely stylish and well-made, Thief is the story of Frank (James Caan), a lone-wolf, highline cat burglar working Chicago. Making up for time lost in the joint, Frank takes down 'scores' and one day comes across the mob as he's trying to collect on some 'downed merch'.

The film is gritty, violent, and credible. Mann goes for realism all the way, and styles it heavily with great camera work, a pulsing Tangerine Dream score, and great performances all around, especially Caan, and Robert Prosky as Leo, the big shot who handles the fence for half of Chicago. Leo comes across as a gentle bear early on, but he goes on to deliver some classic lines, making him a totally sinister and underrated bad guy.

Apparently, real thieves and cops (who appear in the cast) 'consulted' on this film, and all of the safes and tools that Caan handles are real--he's really breaking into vaults in those scenes.

Nice DVD. A trailer, but importantly, a commentary from Mann and Caan, who especially loves this film as it gave him a chance to do some of his best acting. The commentary appears to have been taken from an early 1990s laser disc.

Highly recommended. Many plot points and a couple of scenes are redone in Heat (which itself was a remake of a TV movie called LA Takedown, another Mann outing).

I Thought that at times things seemed a bit dated in parts, Great Direction from Micheal Mann Awesome display by Jimmy but the soundtrack though it might have sounded fine in 1980!! almost ruins the film for mine. sounded as though i was watching a Sci-Fi Flick or Alien Nation!.
Tangerine Dream Surely must have sounded like a passing faze in electronica even in 1980-81 But now, Boy!!! Just Plain Ruins it in my book.
Sure would like to View the film WITHOUT The Soundtrack Though!.

James Caan in the role of his life as an ex-con jewel thief trying to break from his past and start a new life, but only after one or 2 more "scores".

A rather semi-obscure flick, but see this film! The dialogue, acting and screenplay are all top-notch. Musical score by Tangerine Dream adds to an already fabulous movie. Robert Proskie almost steals the show from Caan (well, not quite) as the Godfather-figure who tries (unsuccessfully) to lure Caan into his fold.

For those who say this movie isn't violent, sure it is. Perhaps not by "21st century standards", and that is to the good. In fact, even the last 20 minutes of the movie could have been "toned down" with the same, if not better, effect. I always get the feeling that graphic violence is put in these types of movies as a stop-gap measure for those who don't appreciate the fine acting and directing - "Thief" is no exception here.

Tuesday Weld, Jim Belushi and Willie Nelson as Caan's father figure/role model.

Yes, the transfer is poor, but considering the DVD can be had new for cheap, it is a "steal". One of the best crime/drama flicks of the modern era.

Unfortunately for Michael Mann, Thief is his first and easily his best movie. How do you top yourself when the results are this close to perfection? The story may be familiar, but when the cast and the location are this good, everything old and familiar is recast as something special. James Caan's performance is also the best of his long career. There is not a single note out of place. The characters lives are etched on their faces, the grittiness does not come across as Hollywood manufactured. Modern film noir at its absolute finest.

This is one of the best action/heist films many have not heard of. Anyone who follows Michael Mann, and finds his style and substance appealing, will dig this. This is also James Caan at his best. Great soundtrack, atmosphere and writing. The seeds of DeNiro in Heat and Cruise in Collateral are here in Caan's Frank. The scene at the diner, in particular Caan's speech about his prison time are highlights.

For a major theatrical motion picture, director Michael Mann could not have asked for a better one in a movie debut. The year was 1981 when he brought us the spellbinding film, 'Thief', starring James Cann. And, it has always been a favorite of Mann afficionados (include me in that group), and a foretelling of things to come. Not only did this signal the arrival of a talented director-writer-producer, it changed the look, feel, and texture of the crime drama genre from that point forward. This film incorporated a solid cast, with more than one actor making their own screen debuts, a gritty authentic story, and a mesmerizing atmosphere and soundtrack in tune with this director's now trademark visual style.

Though it is now considered the talent pool to draw from for motion pictures, Mann (like another great director, Ridley Scott) did his prerequisite work in TV commercials. Both were the vanguard for today's directors. However, though Michael's gift for stunning, even artistic, visuals developed there, it really blossomed once he started directing and producing movies. I include the great TV movie 'The Jericho Mile' here (another film that truly demands a good DVD release). But, Michael Mann has always been underrated in his ability to tell a story and develop characters. Many of his films were also written for the screen and executive-produced by him. He is in that rarified air of directors who are also great screenwriters and film producers in their own right.

Veteran actor James Caan was in his 'street' element when he took on the role of Frank, the movie title's high-line, independent thief. And, he's as hard as the diamonds he steals. The character of Frank is somewhat a throwback to the 70's film anti-heroes. A flawed, dangerous man who draws the audience to him as he attempts to play catch-up from a prison-shortened life. Caan wonderfully portrays him as a man, though expert and skilled in his illegal trade, self-taught about (family) life on the outside. His directness (with his collage postcard as a roadmap) is one of not wanting to waste any more of time--to construct a normalcy he's never experienced. He's a nihilist seeking to fulfill his dreams of a life wished upon him by his prison mentor/father-figure. Unfortunately, Frank's dreams become his downfall.

Being 'state' raised and with little parenting, Frank is naturally pulled toward father-figures. Easily, the other stirring character performances are from them: the too-little seen Willie Nelson as Okla, and especially, Robert Prosky as Leo. In a remarkable screen debut, Prosky is startling as the syndicate boss seeking to tempt Frank with a Faustian deal. Plus, he gives one of the most chilling and vile culminating speeches spoken on film (by a sweet looking old man), ever. The other very touching performance is by Tuesday Weld as Frank's love interest, Jessie. Hers is one that makes Frank's decisions late in the film that much more heartbreaking. The supporting cast members are more than solid, with Jim Belushi (in his first prominent role) and John Santucci (in another debut) standing out.

If there's another earmark of a Mann film, it is in its authenticity of story and trade craft. Based upon the novel 'The Home Invaders' by Frank Hohimer, 'Thief' also makes use of real-life thieves as technical advisors (and as cast members). In fact, real-life Chicago cops also dot the cast and lend their experience in the proceedings. The terms and dialog, tools and techniques used in the film ring true because they are. The safes are real--no props here. All of the tools and guns are genuine (and have real histories). Another point is the combat pistol craft displayed, especially by Caan's Frank. Nothing here is Hollywood fake or flash. All of this adds to the undisputed credibility in the film and only enhances the direction and actor's performances.

Michael Mann created a memorable major film director debut brimming with visuals and technique that would be copied throughout the 80's by others. But, besides its style and atmosphere, it's a more character-driven movie than many give it credit for. And, as Amazon's Jim Gay writes, beautifully photographed by Donald Thorin and enhanced by the Tangerine Dream soundtrack. This DVD is the director's cut, with some minor scene additions to the theatrical release. I'm also in complete agreement with reviewer G.E. Goodwin that this was the precursor to Mann's more realized film, 1995's 'Heat'. In fact, if you listen to the very fun commentary track by Mann and Caan (which was probably done for the earlier laser disc release of the film), you'll learn it was recorded while the director was filming that later, great work. They are both worthy and remarkable films for their decades, and their fans.

The thief is a modern film noir. James Caan gives his most powerful performance to date. Cool, analytical with a hard debt that it must be paid.
There is a film that I still remind very close related, titled Point Blank and directed by John Boorman. The starring in that film was the hard Lee Marvin. I have the inner conviction that Thief was inspired by that one. Please acquire both of two. I have them in my personal collection.
This is the opera prima of Michael Mann as director. Well effort and amazing script.
One of the top ten cult movies from the eighties.
A must in your collection!.

James Caan does a great job at playing a master thief approaching middle age. Contrary to a superficial viewing he does not glorify the criminal life. His best scene is where he is describing the sense of waste he feels about his life and time in jail. James Caan really carries this scene over better than many actors of today would.

Oldsters will also remember that this is the first peice where James Belushi stepped out of his brother's shadow. He surprised a lot of people with a good dramatic role as James Caan's partner instead of a comedy.

Great Tangerine Dream score. Bit of trivia, the film has a song over the closing credits that was not by Tangerine Dream that is very good but not by Tangerine Dream. This song DOES NOT appear on the CD version of the Thief soundtrack, although it was included on the older cassette and LP releases. You can hear it on this movie release though. Update: the re--re-release of the soundtrack that came after this review has this song.

James Caan in black Armani leather looking better than he did in THE GODFATHER; Tuesday Weld looking angelic; Chicago lit up in neon with non-cliched corrupt cops, desperate crooks and the underbelly of the Midwest. Michael Mann imprinted his signature style on this fierce tale of a career criminal caught in the nightmare of a dream gone bad and a life that could never exist. THIEF is distingushed by its incredible visuals and hard dialogue... the most frightening of both is an exchange between a silent, face up Caan and Robert Prosky (a powerhouse as Leo) in a back alley shop with an acid bath at arms length. THIEF is the prototype for the new era film noir and Mann a skilled and worthy architect of the genre. William L. Petersen appears for a second as a bartender and Dennis Farina makes his acting debut as a shotgun toting mobster.

I seen this movie when it was 1st released in the theatre,
and i like it, and also the style of filing, and storey line.
filmed in chicago, this movie gives ya a world wind tour of
the area with land marks....the elevated train tracks,
the bridges, chocago police interview techniques, pay off's, the mob, double cross's, the love connection.
jame caan was around 42 at the time of the movie and probably
at the zenith of his looks and ability's.
tuesday weld, was around 38 and looked....hot..!!!!
james belushi, was in his late 20's and starting his film career
based on his own talents.
dennis farina, the ex chicago cop, i believe this may have been his 1st film as well, we see him prior to his tv show
crime storey when his hair was still dark.
the bad guy mob boss- robert prosky, although older than james caan, later played the 2nd lead sgt on hill street blues.
unlike the new york mob, chicago's " outfit" always had a different flair to it.
willie nelson, shows up in the film as a aging- death bed convict also., this film , with a lot of footage filmed at night, y takes us in the world of the professional thief, on the prowl, one of the better crime movies to come out of the 80s'

I first saw this film soon after it was released, having no idea what to expect, except that it was filmed in my home town (Chicago) and that it starred James Caan whose work I had admired so much in The Godfather. I neither knew nor cared who directed it (Michael Mann) and had no idea which group provided the musical soundtrack (Tangerine Dream). Wow! I enjoyed Thief so much I returned to see it again the next evening, dragging along some friends who knew even less about it than I did only 24 hours before. In my opinion, this is Caan's finest performance as Frank, a middle-aged jewel thief who is obviously determined to make a long-cherished dream come true: Retire from his criminal life, marry, start a family, and live happily ever after. He carries a photo collage in his wallet as a daily reminder of the "life" he one day hopes to have. He shares it only with Jessie (Tuesday Weld) because she is the only person with whom he wants to share that life. Meanwhile, Frank has met with Leo (Robert Prosky) who seems to take a paternal interest in Frank but only to gain his trust so that Frank will agree to an assignment for the mob. Of course, Leo has no intention of allowing him to retire. Once involved with the mob, Frank will have no way out except death. After he and Jessie marry and move into a lovely home, they are frustrated in their attempts to adopt a child so Leo provides one ("Boy or girl? Whatever you want.") and much of Frank's dream has come true. One last lucrative theft and....

Under Mann's direction, all of the performances are outstanding. I was especially interested in the care with which the major theft is planned and then executed. When Frank then realizes that he cannot free himself from the mob, he reacts with prudence (to protect his wife and child) and then with rage and vengeance. The soundtrack and cinematography are brilliantly integrated within the narrative. The editing by Mann and Dov Hoenig is lean and sharply-focused. When I saw Thief again recently, it had lost none of its dramatic impact; moreover, I recognized this time around certain nuances of character and plot development which I had missed before. I include it on my list of great films which have never been fully appreciated, probably because -- until the VHS and CD versions -- so few people had been able to see it. No excuses now.

The DVD version includes a commentary by Mann and Caan, deleted scenes, and footage not shown in theaters. I also strongly recommend the CD of the Tangerine Dream soundtrack which evokes so many memorable images from the film but, for those who have not as yet seen it, offers great listening in its own right.

James Caan does a spectacular job of portraying a thief caught between the mob and starting a new life. Jim Belushi is introduced in this film and does a wonderful job in his role as the theif's partner. I saw this movie when it first came out and it has never left my memory. A welcome addition to my collection.

THIS FILM WAS LARGELY IGNORED WHEN RELEASED IN 1981. IT WAS ALSO CRITIZED FOR EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE. BUT THE VIOLENCE ONLY COMES IN THE FINAL CONFRONTATION AND IS CERTINELY JUSTIFIED GIVEN THE ELEMENTS THAT PRECEDE IT.
'TANGERINE DREAM' SCORES THE MODERN DAY FILM NOIR WITH ELECTRIC EFFECTIVENESS.
JAMES CAAN IS 'FRANK' IN THIS CHARACTER STUDY OF A PROFESSIONAL SAFE CRACKER TRYING TO MAKE ONE LAST SCORE AND RETIRE TO HIS IDEALIC PERCIEVED SELF CONSTRUCTED LIFE.
NORMALLY AN INDEPENDANT OPERATOR, HE GRUDINGLY THROWS IN WITH THE MOB TO EXPEDITE HIS DREAM.
BUT WHEN THE BIG JOB IS DONE AND PAYDAY COMES FRANK FINDS HIMSELF ANCHORED INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BAD GUYS THAT HE WANTS NO PART OF.
THIS DARK SULLEN FILM IS WELL DONE THANKS TO MICHAEL MANN OF 'MIAMI VICE' FAME, WHO DIRECTS IT WITH A REALISTIC EDGY FEEL THAT HASNT BEEN SUCESSFULLY COPIED YET EXCEPT BY HIMSELF IN ANOTHER CRIME FILM CALLED 'HEAT.'
THE MOST MEMORABLE SCENE IS PLAYED OUT WHEN FRANK SHOWS UP TO COLLECT HIS 'END.' THE MOB BOSS FINALLY REALIZES THAT FRANK IS NOT GOING TO CONFORM EASILY AND WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE HE TELLS FRANK TO "JOIN A LABOR UNION." TO WHICH CAAN'S 'FRANK PUTS HIS HAND ON HIS .45 TUCKED INTO HIS WAISTBAND AND RESPONDS WITH "IM WEARIN IT."
THE CRIME BOSS KILLS FRANKS PARTNER AND HAS FRANK HIMSELF BEATEN.
FRANKS ENVISIONED HAPPINESS IS SHATTERED AND HE SETS OUT ON ONE LAST MISSION TO DESTROY ALL HE HAS WORKED FOR AND THE MOBSTERS IN THE PROCESS.
THE FINALLY IS INTENSE AND REALISTIC WITHOUT BEING OVERDONE.

JAMES CAAN'S AGGRESSIVE 'FRANK' IS EXTREMELY WELL DONE. SUPPORTING ROLES ARE ALSO NOTABLE WITH JAMES BELUSHI AND TUESDAY WELD.
'THIEF' IS A MOVIE THAT MOVES AND IS THE BEST EFFORT AT CONTEMPORARY FILM NOIR TO DATE.

The movie is just terrific combining Michael Mann's characteristic visuals and subject matter detail, James Caan's mad dog persona, and a truly creepy Robert Prosky performance. If you pay attention, you will also see an extremely brief appearance by William Peterson (CSI) who would star in Mann's next film Manhunter. I can't recommend this movie enough for people who like gritty crime dramas or just good film making. Superb.

Seen this movie last nite and it blew me away,a super ultra cool thriller from Michael Mann and starring one of Hollywood great the one and only James Caan.His performance alone is the reason for every movie fan to see this gem.Thief also score great in cinematography ,music,editing etc.This film now rank in my top ten greatest film ever made.

The movie is a work of art, but this DVD makes it look like it was shot on digital toilet paper! The image is soft, and when something moves fast it is blurry. The end contains some sped up shots, where the sound is out of sync! Add all this to the fact that the DVD says Michael Mann supervised the transfer and you have one big "huh???" The commentary is also pretty bad. James Caan does most of the talking, and they hardly ever discuss the film specifically. It's more stories about the different thieves they had in the movie than the actual film itself, which is a shame. If you can, track down the VHS put out by MGM 10 years ago. The print is dark, grainy, and electric! It makes the movie seem real and immediate, and there is NO DIGITIZATION and NO POINTLESS ADDED SCENES!

James Caan is at his best as a thief who hooks up with the wrong people. Caan plays Frank a thief who always works alone and with minimal help from trusted aids (Jim Belushi in an early role) and never takes a job to high risk. Agianst his better judgment he hooks up with Leo (Robert Prosky) a mobster who enlists Frank to do a high profile job. Frank has problems of his own like his new wife Jessie (Tuesday Weld) and trying to adopt a child, not to mention the police know he is in town...Well of course things go wrong and Leo informs Frank that he is not a man to be messed with. By the end Leo finds out Frank isn't either. Willie Nelson has a small but pivital role as an inmate friend of Franks.
Not sense the Godfather has James Caan had a better role. This movie is the kind of Great drama we can expect from Michael Mann who brought us Heat, The Insider, Manhunter and Ali. Caan is both menacing and vulnerable at the same time. He seems like nothing bothers him on the outside but lets you in just enough to understand.

In his finest role to date, veteran actor James Caan plays Frank, an ultra-cool, independent jewel thief with some very definite plans. Frank reluctantly gets involved with a mobster who changes all those plans. Frank is "Joe the boss of my own Universe" as he tells Leo (Robert Prosky)upon their first meeting. Unfortunately for Frank, he'll soon find that Leo has become the boss of his universe once he agrees to "freelance" for him. To get free, Frank has to dismantle the picture perfect life he tried to assemble, and start over again. ................ This film has a wonderful noir mood with all the atmospheric rain soaked Chicago streets, earthy dialogue and colorful characters. These come in the form of crooked DTs and mobster henchmen to name a few, peppering the screen with non-stop action. These characters feel very real, and keep you riveted throughout. ............ Director Michael Mann, who also created "Heat" and "Man Hunter" as well as the "Miami Vice" TV classic of the 80s, did some of his best work in this film. The soundtrack from "Tangerine Dream" is no less than outstanding. The entire score really enhances every scene. I especially love the wonderfully sensual sounding lead guitars during the exciting culmination of the story when Frank faces Leo solo to take back his independence. .......... Willie Nelson as David Okla, master thief that taught Frank his craft, and Dennis Farina in his big screen debut (with BLACK hair!) as one of Leos henchmen are two of many interesting faces and characters along the way. .............. Since this is one of my favorite films, I can truly say, if you have never seen "Thief"... you've been robbed of a truly great film viewing experience.

The heist-plot of 'Thief' is old hat - a master-criminal who wants to settle down with his family does one last job to ensure their future security; the police butt in and there is the usual spiralling of violence involving comrades and betrayal, as well as the meticulous focus on the mechanics of the heist. Even the film's poltical insight - the crooks are blue-collar workers, whose thieving is 'honest' labour involving sweat and technical skill; the bribable police are brutal parasites; the new crime cartels are monopolies swallowing up 'the little man' - is taken from that pioneering heist movie 'Rififi', although it is given a particularly 80s inflection here, with the ugly urban spaces already, in 1981, bearing the scars of Reaganite depletion.

What is unique in 'Thief' is debut director Michael Mann's style. 'Thief' opens with a virtually wordless sequence as James Caan, a thoroughly professional craftsman, does his job with the tools of his trade, which happens to be the dismantling of a safe. Unlike many heist movies, which use the set-up of collaborative, against-the-clock crime, financed by shady businessmen as a metaphor for the film-making process, 'Thief' as a film can be more profitably compared to the object of Caan's criminality. 'Thief' gleams with a hard, gem-like brilliance, as Mann uses neon light, reflecting and liquid surfaces, geometric shapes, stylised movements and lean visual rhythms to transform the raw materials of crime, violence and city spaces into something shiny and beautiful.

'Thief' tries to contrast the 'formalism' of crime, its methodology and style, where Caan channels his aggression into professional control, with the messiness of the human-interest story, where he is emotionally vulnerable; but Mann seems much more interested in the former, with lumbering dialogue and dragging pace hobbling the latter. In the crucial scene in which Caan admits to his fiancee his criminal present, prison past and dreams for the future, Mann seems more fascinated by the illuminated symmetry of the motorway outside. The patient heist sequences, in which the crooks work like factory welders, are much more successful in revealing character. The astonishing, ritualistic climax, in which Caan is transformed into a kind of Terminator lost in the finale of '2001', has not yet been equalled by Mann.

I first saw this movie on the big screen 3 times upon its original release. This movie has the kind of intrigue and noir atmosphere that was incredible in the theatre, and that "Tangerine Dream" soundtrack in Dolby surround, was truly unforgettable. ..............Out on the brightly lit nightime rain soaked streets of Chicago, we meet Frank. James Caan brings him to life as the all time coolest, sexiest, street savvy and self assured robber to hit the silver screen. In my personal opinion, this remains Caan's finest role to date. ............... We open as Frank gets shorted in a diamond heist payoff by a fence. By going after his shorted payoff, he meets mobster heavy "Leo" played by Robert Prosky...............Leo is impressed with Frank and makes him an offer to come on board as a "freelancer". Just "a couple of moves" for Frank, and Leo sells Frank the idea that he can make his dreams of independence... financially and personally, come true. There is an unforseen price to be paid. Watch and find out!!..............Frank has a picture collage that represents his life, and the pictures on it, represent different elements of that life. When Frank meets Tuesday Weld in a coffee shop he frequents, to get calls about "moves."(No cell phones back then!) He persues her relentlessly, having decided she fits one of the pieces of his puzzle. She's skeptical, but, at last, Frank convinces her to "be" with him..................Now with the wife piece of the puzzle in place, Frank goes to work for Leo. Soon after, other outside parties are interested in a piece of his action. Frank is annoyed, and the relatioship with Leo begins to sour.............Frank agrees to one final job. Although successful, the payoff from Leo isn't what he had in mind. Frank is angry that the elements of his puzzle didn't pan out. He subsequently sets out to destroy all that stands in the way of his dreams. .................Finally, when it's payback time, a wonderfully filmed noir slow motion finale begins with that sensual Tangerine Dream soundtrack. I find it very similar to the ending of Pink Floyds "Comfortably Numb" classic of the same era. ........... Director Michael Mann, famous for his "Miami Vice" TV series, as well as "Manhunter" and the famed Al Pacino/Robert DeNiro classic "Heat", shows his great potential in this early noir masterpiece. Every element in this film is perfection. Dialogue, cast, atmosphere, and the aforementioned fabulous soundtrack that enhances every scene beautifully. "Thief", has it all. The cameos from Willie Nelson and Dennis Farina in his debut on the big screen, replete with BLACK hair, as one of Leos henchmen, are also fun surprises along the way................... Overall, "Thief" sizzles with real quality filmaking on every level.

Thief was broadcast on BBC television a couple of weekends ago. Prior to seeing it I never even knew the film existed. After seeing it I knew I had to own it.
Thief isn't available on video or DVD in the UK. However this is one of those rare exceptions when I am prepared to spend extra on airmail and have it delivered from the US.
Much has already been written about the visuals and there is little I can add. Like other reviewers I have to mention the soundtrack which to me is one of the best I've heard in any film, matched only by The Long Good Friday. There's just something about that turn of the 80's music that creates a tremendous atmsphere.

Based loosely of the book "The Home Invaders" by Frank Hohimer, this has got to be the most realistic crime movie ever made. Being from Chicago helps out a lot. The characters you see in this movie are the type of people that you run into in Chicago. From Taglia to the fat Italian fence, these guys are like people you deal with in Chicago. Robert Prosky, who plays Leo, is based after the real life character Leo Rugendorf. He was one of the most cold blooded gangsters ever to walk Chicago. Leo real life job was as a bails bondsman and fence for his crew of jewel thieves he employed. Hohimer was one of them. And he owned a meat factory, which is were he got rid of his victims. ...

A lot of people are turned off by this movie because its slow and there's not much action. This movie is as real as it gets. The dialogue, music, and acting is superb. Mann is probably the best director of realistic movies around. What I like the most about him is that he stays loyal to his actors. He uses most of his actors in more then just one movie. John Santucci was in Thief, Miami Vice and Crime Story. Dennis Farina was in Thief, Manhunter, and Crime Story. William Peterson was in Thief and Manhunter. That's just to name a few.

Anyway get this movie if you like intelligent stories that does not need action and if you want to know what the crime world is really like.

this is the best movie you will ever see it is james cann's best move don't miss it