THIEF

This is Michael Mann's feature debut, about a professional thief Frank, played by James Caan.

Frank has some similarities to Neil, the Robert De Niro character in 'Heat'.  Both are meticulous in their planning and execution of their jobs, and both are careful to work only with people they can trust to be competent and trustworthy.

But whereas Neil takes care to avoid emotional attachments, so that he can leave at any time, Frank is dating Jessie (Tuesday Weld) with a view to going straight and starting a family.

The main question at stake is whether Frank can succeed in leaving his life of crime, and being an experienced filmgoer I knew what the answer would be.  

Whereas Neil's downfall is due to Al Pacino's police detective, here the forces of law enforcement are not a problem, to the point where their presence in the film is a comedic one.  No, Frank's problem is that he gets entangled with Leo, a Chicago crime boss.  

Frank agrees to do one big score for Leo, after which he will quit.  Naturally Leo reneges on the agreement - Frank is too good at his job for Leo to let him retire so easily.

Up to this point the film, though a tad predictable, was cruising along nicely - visually stylish (naturally), a cool soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, and very watchable actors.  It was fun to watch Frank put together and carry out his last big score.

But the ending of the film was a bit of a let down.  

Firstly Frank goes on an inexplicable (to me) destructive rampage, banishing Jessie (now his wife) and adopted baby from his life, and blowing up his house and a couple of businesses he has set up as fronts.

Then he manages to get into Leo's house, and kill Leo and his security team, which I found implausible - after all Frank may be a master thief, but he's no man of violence.

Nevertheless it's an enjoyable debut from Mann, and it was good to be able to at last appreciate the legendary Tuesday Weld in a film, legendary to me because she is name checked in a song ('New Frontier') by the great Donald Fagen.

RATING: ✓ Cheers