Thief (film)
| Thief | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Michael Mann |
| Produced by |
Jerry Bruckheimer Ronnie Caan |
| Screenplay by | Michael Mann |
| Story by | Michael Mann |
| Based on |
The Home Invaders by Frank Hohimer |
| Starring |
James Caan Tuesday Weld Robert Prosky Willie Nelson |
| Music by | Tangerine Dream |
| Cinematography | Donald Thorin |
| Edited by | Dov Hoenig |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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122 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7 million |
| Box office | $11,492,915 |
Thief is a 1981 American neo-noir film written and directed by Michael Mann. The film is based on the 1975 novel The Home Invaders: Confessions of a Cat Burglar by "Frank Hohimer" (the pen name of real-life jewel thief John Seybold).
The film stars James Caan as the titular thief and Tuesday Weld as his girlfriend.
Frank (James Caan) is a highly experienced jewel thief and hardened ex-convict who has a set structure to his life. With a pair of successful Chicago businesses (a bar and a car dealership) as fronts for his lucrative criminal enterprise, Frank sets out to fulfill the missing part of his life vision: a family beginning with Jessie (Tuesday Weld), a cashier he has begun dating.
After taking down a major diamond score, Frank gives the diamonds to his fence, Joe Gags (Hal Frank). However, before Frank can collect his $185,000 share of the score, Gags is murdered by being pushed out of a 12th-story window for skimming off mob collection money. Barry (James Belushi), Frank's friend and associate making the pick-up, discovers that a shady plating company executive Gags was working for, Mr. Attaglia (Tom Signorelli), is responsible for Gags' murder and stealing Frank's payoff. In a tense confrontation at Attaglia's plating company, Frank demands his money back.
This leads to a face-to-face meeting with Attaglia's employer, Leo (Robert Prosky), a high-level fence and Chicago Outfit boss. Unknown to Frank, Leo has been downing Frank's "merch" from Gags for some time. He admires Frank's eye for quality fenced goods and professionalism, and wants him taking down contract scores all over the country working directly for him, offering Frank large profits. "I'll make you a millionaire in four months," Leo states at their jargon-filled meeting, which is monitored from a distance by police surveillance – as well as a hidden Barry armed with a rifle, in case the meeting goes bad.
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Wikipedia