The Thomas Crown Affair

Not what I expected. I expected a movie centered around Steve McQueen pulling off a heist. But actually it's a movie where the (brief) heist occurs early and the rest of the movie is about an insurance investigator played by Faye Dunaway trying to snare McQueen. The leaps of logic that allow Dunaway to get on McQueen's trail strain credulity even more than the implausible heist. The plot leaks like a sieve but the flashy direction and charismatic performances by the leads keeps you interested. McQueen and Dunaway definitely had chemistry. Hard to believe that terrible theme song won an Oscar. It's a good film so give it a shot, especially if you're a fan of "the king of cool" Steve McQueen.

The Thomas Crown affair begs the question. What do the rich think of when they are bored? Norman Jewison decided to answer that question with a subtle, but over the top version of cops and robbers. Thomas Crown (suprisingly, but adroitly played by Steve McQueen) is a bored, millionaire who asks, "Who do I want to be tomorrow?" To that end, he decides on 'kicks.' In what seems like an absentminded challenge to himself, Crown designs and implements a down to the minute bank robbery. The plan is fantastic. He selects and hires five total strangers at random, instructs them on their part of the Bank robbery, then sets them in motion. What follows is perhaps the finest cat and mouse crime game between two intelligent and sophisticated players. Faye Dunaway plays Vicki Anderson, a top notch insurance investigator who for ten percent of recovered loot promises the capture of her agile quarry. Standing by to arrest the elusive Crown is Paul Burke, who plays Lt. Edward 'Eddy' Malone. Jack Weston portrays Erwin Weaver the get-a-way driver who could jeopardize Crowns Perfect crime. With the famous, "Windmills of your Mind" theme song, the viewer is hauntingly allowed into the mind of a sympathetic man and one cannot help but root for the thief. This film was McQueen's favorite. *****

Some movies rely on the chemistry of their lead co-stars in order to engage their audience, hoping that the thrill of watching two sexy movie-stars romancing and eventually getting it on with each other will provide sufficient escapism to make the reality lurking outside seem a world away. It's difficult to think of a film as reliant on the raw sex appeal of its superstars than Norman Jewison's 1968 heist thriller The Thomas Crown Affair, and Steve McQueen, as the titular millionaire playboy, and Faye Dunaway, as the sultry insurance investigator hot on his tail, positively sizzle with chemistry. In fact, they are so gorgeous that they manage to turn a game of chess into a playful game of seduction. The duo have certainly given much better performances during their careers, but they have never looked so good.

This pretty much sums up The Thomas Crown Affair: a polished, colourful star vehicle with an unashamedly glossy veneer. At the very centre of the story is a bank heist gone right, masterminded by the rather smug Thomas Crown (McQueen) after he handpicks his crew without ever letting them see his face. The thieves escape with over 2 million dollars, and nobody, including the rather clueless Detective Eddy Malone (Paul Burke), has any idea who it was. Enter Vicki Anderson (Dunaway), a no-nonsense independent woman with a love of the finer things in life. She quickly figures out that Crown was behind it all, but remains puzzled at why a man with everything would want to steal money he doesn't need. Of course, it's all a game, and the couple start their own game of cat-and-mouse as they embark on a steam affair.

Taking inspiration from the Expo 67 film A Place to Stand, which greatly impressed McQueen, Jewison employs 'multi-dynamic image technique', splitting the screen into sections with each part showing a different viewpoint. It gives the film a unique style, especially during the opening heist, and when combined with 60s kitsch, everything is wonderful to look at. While the visuals still impress, the characters are somewhat dated. He's the rich, philandering charmer, and she is bowled over by his fast-living and expensive possessions. It makes it all the more difficult to warm to a character I would detest in real life, but McQueen has more than enough charisma to pull through. There are never any real stakes, but it's pretty fun while it lasts, just a little hollow at its centre. The Pierce Brosnan/Rene Russo remake from 1999 makes for a more satisfying ride.

The original "Thomas Crown Affair" directed by Norman Jewison is one of the coolest movies ever made and great fun for all of its 100 minutes - a clever bank-heist caper combined with the sensual romance where both participants (the brilliant bank robber and his match, the sultry and shrewd insurance investigator) are sophisticated, quick-witted and oh so cool. The split-screen technique really works well in this movie and I should mention the song "The Windmills of Your Mind" by Michel Legrand that very deservingly received an Oscar - and it does not happen often in the best song categories.

The chess game between "King Of Cool" Steve McQueen and 27 year old Faye Dunaway in the most provocative dress possible is one of the sexiest and most exiting without actual sex involved (my favorite kind of scenes - let my imagination work, let everything happen in my mind) scenes ever filmed. IMO, the 60s was one of the best dressed decades ever with the first wave of mini (and I mean it) skirts and elegant suits and dresses.

From Faye Dunaway's interview to "USA Today" about working with McQueen, "We had the most magical spark. Our hearts and souls combined. There was no romance off screen but on screen it was like a smack."

This film seems very audacious for its age. It looks like it has been edited just two years ago because of the very dynamic way the bank attack scenes were filmed and the very sensual way the chess game scene was acted.

I very liked this movie, which very cool and very 'french' in its ambiance.