THIEF

US, 1981, 123 minutes, Colour.
James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Willie Nelson, James Belushi, Robert Prosky.
Directed by Michael Mann.

Thief has ambitions to be a classic gangster thriller. It does not always achieve these ambitions. Written and directed by television director Michael Mann (The Jericho Mile), the film is very interestingly photographed with fine use of experimental techniques for suggesting atmosphere, colour, light and darkness etc. The screenplay seems, at times, pretentious, and the film is long.

However, the film tries to portray very strongly the portrait of Frank, a thief from his young days, who has spent a long time in prison, is a professional, is employed by master criminals but who eventually wants to lead his own life and build a family. James Caan is quite effective in the role and has good support from Tuesday Weld as his wife and especially by Robert Prosky as the suave but villainous gangster. There is an engaging guest performance by Willie Nelson as an old criminal. Mann alleges that he investigated the Chicago criminal scene thoroughly and there is a great attention to detail - of jobs, homes, way of life. However, with its length and the serious approach, it would alienate the popular audience. However, it will probably take its place as a genre film of some importance.

1. Entertainment value of the film? The purpose? The portrait of a character? A character in a world of immorality, amorality, law and justice? A portrait of the contemporary '80s criminal world?

2. The importance of the style - its arty tones, the quality of the photography, the capturing of Chicago atmosphere, the day and night contrasts? The emphasis on technical effects? The special effects especially for the violence and the finale? The documentary attention to detail e.g. of the safe cracking? Patterns, the various tableaux for effects?

3. The contribution of the musical score and its effectiveness and mood? (As played by Tangerine Dream)? Volume, tempo, the contrast with the silences?

4. The accuracy and impact of the documentary style: robberies, the streets and homes of Chicago, the bar, the final robbery, the finale and the massacre? Sufficient background for understanding this world and Frank?

5. The bluntness of the title? The indication of a moral viewpoint or lack of it? The viewpoint for the audience as regards Frank, the criminal world, robbery? The professionalism of the thief, his skill? Working with partners, loyalties? Syndicate leaders using professional thieves? Owning them? Being betrayed? Frank's analogy of his work with Labor Rules?

6. The importance of the long introduction and seeing Frank at work, skill, persistence, success? The dark and wet streets of Chicago symbolising his night work? The audience getting to know him, understand him? Like him? Seeing him in action and then hearing his story - the long conversation with Jessie? His prison background, thieving jobs, experience in prison, homosexual experience, survival? The shaping of his attitudes and making up for the life he had missed? His collage picturing all the elements that he wanted in his life? His feelings and the brutalising of his feelings? His marriage and its failure? The warm sequences with Okla as his father-figure - the discussions in prison, discussing his work and techniques, the friendship with Jessie? His court order for Okla's transference to hospital? Okla's illness and death and its effect on him? The bond with Jessie in the bar, the outings, talking? His explaining his way of life to her? Build-up to marriage? Questions of children? Adopting the baby and building a new life? His work and continuing professionalism? His being employed by Leo? The Californian interlude? The possibility of moving to independence and the way of life he would have liked?

7. The world of the thief: the buildings, safes, jewels robbed? The world of cars? His car-selling and mechanical skills? Barry and his contacts? The bar and his friends, telephone? The relationship with Barry? Barry's death and its effect on him?

8. The confrontation about money? The confrontation with the manager of the plating firm? The encounter with thugs? With the police wanting leads? The confrontation on the waterfront and his being covered by a rife? The meeting with Leo and their getting to know one another? Leo's smooth proposal and jobs? Frank's checking things out, supervising? His being tailed by police surveillance? His growing involvement with Leo and yet his wanting independence?

9. The portrait of Leo as the smooth gangster boss? As a person, ingratiating smile, cold cruelty, violence? The power that Leo held over him -especially with getting the child for adoption? The house? The importance of the financial deals and Leo managing his money? Frank's turning on him? The violence in the factory and Leo's speech against Frank? The breaking point and Frank's decision to destroy Leo? Stalking him in his house? Murders? The destruction of the house?

10. The contrast with Okla and his friendship, father-figure role, death? Frank's relationship with Jessie and its warmth, capacity for talking honestly, happy sequences at how, the child and the decision about his name in the restaurant? The beach sequences and their lyrical joy? The final confrontation with Jessie and her not being able to understand his rejection? Sending her off to safety, out of his life?

11. The possibilities facing Frank? Final job and independence and the fulfilling of the images in his collage? The hold that Leo had over him for more jobs? Leo's manipulation of his money? Frank's decision for independence, demands of money? Leo and his henchmen and their brutalising of Frank? Frank's decision to reject his total way of life -sending wife and child away, the exploding of his house, the explosion in the bar, destroying the car saleyard (after the discovery of Barry's death), leaving his collage? The destruction of Leo and his enemies?

12. Frank's final walk - to where and to what? Could he resume the traces of his past life? The pessimism of the ending?

13. The audience involved in the world of the thief? The integrity of the thief within his own amoral standards? The comparison on standards with big business and organised crime? The place of the individual in contemporary society? The individual in contemporary American society? The use of violence - and its graphic portrayal? The role of law, justice? Who administers justice?