HARRY IN YOUR POCKET

US, 1973, 103 minutes, Colour.
James Coburn, Michael Sarrazin, Trish van Devere, Walter Pidgeon.
Directed by Bruce Geller.

Harry in Your Pocket is an interesting and entertaining comedy adventure. It portrays a group of professional pickpockets, shows them in their work with the various skills and in their relationships with one another. There is a briskness about the characterisations and the dialogue that make this a worthwhile film.

The cast is certainly very interesting with James Coburn as the older, more experienced thief and Michael Sarrazin as his apprentice. Walter Pidgeon has a role as a more patriarchal pickpocket - a style that he was to repeat briefly in
Two Minute Warning. Surprisingly interesting and enjoyable.

1. The arresting title, focus on Harry, pickpocket themes?

2. How much of the film was comedy, romance, thriller? Modern fable? The blending of these elements?

3. Colour, city locations, the atmosphere of pickpockets, urban atmosphere? Romantic interludes?

4. The picking of pockets and the morality of this, attitudes of the audience? The main characters as thieves? Audience response to their victims? Sympathy for the thieves, for the victims? Money, greed, honesty? How seriously were these thews explored? The irony in sympathy for the thieves?

5. Pickpocket work as an art, creative and skilful hands, techniques?

6. Comment on the impact of the many scenes of the set-ups for pick pocketing? The scenes where Tracy trains Ray? Comment on the danger, thrills, the experience of stealing and evading detection?

7. The initial meeting of Sandy and Ray, work, experience? Sandy watching Ray? The bond between them? Ray and his lack of skill, Sandy and her skills? Her love for him, protecting him? The romantic interludes?

8. Casey and his role in the film, the older statesman type of pickpocket, experience, advice, training, his participation in the set-ups? Comment on his taking of drugs, his age, influence, his comments on the glories of the past? The irony of his arrest? A good characterisation?

9. Harry as the central character, his good points, weak points? Womanising, skill at his work, enjoyment of it? Antagonism towards Ray and his inefficiency, attraction towards Sandy? Accepting them, blaming Ray? The encounter between Sandy and Ray and his knowledge of Sandy's love for Ray? The importance of this for his final gesture in letting them go free? A credible gesture?

10. The blending of crime thriller with romantic triangle? Which tended to predominate? Effectively?

11. The portrait of the people robbed, the police, the detectives? A picture of modern society, America?

12. The appropriate happy ending? Or not?