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Frank’s dynamic journey to attain total freedom is well-developed through the visuals alone. There are certainly showy juxtapositions in the tense heist scenes, but those visual tricks are uncommonly good and executed with a deft touch. Neon lights reflecting on rainy roads, symbolic tube-like underpasses, darkly lit interiors and distinct color schemes (primarily cobalt blue) practically become a character in itself. There are few over-stated moments in the script and some might find the narrative fundamentally flawed, although the greatest virtue of the film is its immediately recognizable, well-designed style. The enraged conversation between Urizi and Frank (at the interrogation room) may not be as colossal as De Niro & Al Pacino exchange in “Heat”, but still Mann goes for organic dramatics to further his favorite themes rather than using faux action. The contempt, agony, and romance between the two gloriously resonate beyond the frames and enclosures. Consider the well-staged sequence in the diner between Jessie and Frank, where he talks out of her reluctance. However, the soul of the director’s works resides in inaction the bliss of watching Mann’s is in the principled conversations between two polarizing or consenting personalities. “Heat”, “Collateral” or “Thief” could be affixed with crime/action labels and definitely Mann provides stupendous action sequences (the heist scenes in “Thief” are vividly detailed). But, “Thief” is never spoiled by this predictability factor, thanks to Mann’s wonderful thematic reworkings and sharp aesthetics. As in Noir films, good things happening to criminal people doesn’t last forever.
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The mournful plot may not seem to have anything new and the narrative trajectory is of course predictable. And, so Frank compromises few of his instincts to take an exciting offer from powerful mob boss Leo (Robert Prosky).
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His inherent desire to start a family pushes him to escape from the shadows of the criminal world. At work, Frank wants to call all the shots, trusting few acquaintances including Barry (James Belushi). He presents his love for Jessie in a strangely practical manner and also explains what he does for a living. Frank had rarely concealed his persona and so he approaches the girl Jessie (Tuesday Weld) with the same verve. To which Okla replies “ lying is the best way to ruin what you have with someone who means something to you”. He asks the old man whether he should lie about what he does. In one of the film’s great moments, Frank visits dying Okla in the prison and tells to him about the girl he loves. Now, Frank just wants to attain the ‘American dream’ (in his own way), which had been denied to him by the system (he grew up under childcare management). He had wasted his youth in prison and if not for a father figure & mentor – an ex-con named Okla (Willie Nelson) – he would have ended up dead inside the prison. But, Frank’s instincts and reasons are palpable.
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Nevertheless, Frank isn’t a master in dealing with other aspects of life: hot-tempered has single-minded ideas about life and a bleak code.
#THIEF 1981 CINEMATOGRAPHY PROFESSIONAL#
A master professional with a sensual precision, who drills into a huge safe withholding D-flawless diamonds in the opening scene. Frank (James Caan), the expert safe-cracker in “Thief” is one such guy. These men are not totally cynical they do indulge themselves with hope, but their idea of self-preservation is so rigid that it often leads to self-destruction. Mann’s protagonists or anti-heroes are often professional men who believe in thieves’ honor and are gradually caught up in a lonely, dangerous endeavor. Thematic and narrative wise, Mann’s debut feature traverses in the territory of classic, existential European heist films “Riffi” (1955) and “Le Circle Rouge” (1970), but the innovative and acute staging of the material signaled the arrival of a director with a purest, unique voice. A single, rigorous frame and handful of colorful dialogues in “Thief” could serve as a fine blueprint for cinephiles on what to expect from Mann’s masterful film-making skills. The recurring themes in Mann’s works involving hardened, urban males are also present here. And, what’s fascinating about these confident and meticulous visuals is that Mann accomplished it all in his feature-film debut “Thief” (1981) itself. Yeah, it’s all the recognizable nuggets of Michael Mann’s visual style, which isn’t just about remaining ‘showy’, but also remains wholly attuned to the story’s emotional textures. Glistening wet streets, intense neon lights, transient spaces, reflective objects, cool-blue color palette, and a pulsating score. “Michael Mann’s “Thief” is a film of style, substance, and violently felt emotion, all wrapped up in one of the most intelligent thrillers I’ve seen.” – Roger Ebert