A Marca de um Erro

In San Francisco, two men kill a Chinese woman after robbing her store. One of the thieves has the same characteristics of the Italian immigrant Eddie Pedak (Alain Delon) and he becomes the prime suspect of Inspector Mike Vido (Van Heflin). Eddie is an ex-thief that was found not guilty for shooting Vito in a bank heist, but the inspector blames him. Presently Eddie is married with a child with Kristine Pedak (Ann- Margret), works as a truck driver and has put a down payment on a fishing vessel with his savings. Out of the blue, Eddie's brother and gangster Walter Pedak (Jack Palance) and his henchmen Arthur Sargatanas (Davis Chandler) and Cleveland 'Cleve' Shoenstein (Tony Musante) visit Eddie to invite him to participate in a one-million dollar heist. Eddie loses his job and his personal life is deeply affected by Vito since he can not find another job. He decides to meet his brother and accepts to participate in the hold up. Meanwhile Vito discovers that Eddie was actually framed in the Chinese murder. He visits Eddie to disclose his findings to him but Eddie has already participated in the plan. What will happen to him?

"Once a Thief" is an engaging film with a non-original story and unfair conclusion. The direction and performances are top-notch but the situations are inspired in many film-noirs. The deceptive hopeless conclusion will certainly disappoint many viewers. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Marca de um Erro" ("The Mark of a Mistake")

It is such a shame that Alain Delon did not continue in the USA, except SCORPIO and a couple of western, comedy oriented stuff - I won't speak of RED SUN, not really American. But on the other hand, that would have meant less masterpieces in France with him...But here the adaptation of John Trinian's book is tremendous, jaw dropping, and the cast exceptional. It is tense, riveting, terrific for any noir lovers. I love for the characters symphony, Delon absolutely terrific, not less than Heflin nor Palance. And the John Davis Chandler as a nasty villain, announces his role in MAJOR DUNDEE, shot the same year. My Ralph Nelson's favourite, besides REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT. I have often thought that this crime drama was made by Mark Robson, I don't know why.

Around this time French film star Alain Delon was trying to broaden his appeal internationally by doing some American films. He did a whole lot better with this than with Texas Across The River.

Delon is a former crook trying to go straight as he has a wife Ann-Margret and a small daughter. Not easy because a San Francisco detective Van Heflin is looking to put him away any way he can. This was before the Miranda decision and Heflin is ruthless in what he tries to do.

Delon might be able to resist Heflin, but when his older brother Jack Palance calls it becomes too much. Palance is a big time operator and planner and has a big score lined up. He also has part of a crew as well, the none too bright Tony Musante and the psychotic John Davis Chandler.

There is such an air of tragedy around Delon that I've seen in very few other films. No matter what he does he has a destiny he can't escape.

Ann-Margret sheds her sex kitten image and turns in a great performance as a wife and mother fighting for her man and marriage against the fates. Too bad the public didn't want to see her in serious stuff like Once A Thief.

This one's a keeper and a sleeper. It should be watched and become better known.

Any semi-serious movie buff or even casual viewer should be able to see that this film practically screams "Coen Brothers," 30 years before their time. The creepy blond character in "Fargo" is a dead ringer for the creepy blond bad guy in "Once a Thief," right down to the hairstyle. And the general ambiance of many scenes, as well as the ironic plot twists near the end, indicate that this movie was a big influence on the Coen bros, and to some extent, "where they went to school."

It should also be noted that though this is film noir, it's also "hip" film noir, a rare breed that includes Larry Moyer's "The Moving Finger" and precious few others of the time. In fact, both these movies were too hip for their time.

I suppose I like the cast better than the film, itself. Heflin, Palance, Ann-Margret, Chandler, and Delon are all watchable.

This may very well be Chandler's finest performance (and he was always good at playing bad guys).

The story is one we've all seen before, many times, yet the cast makes it worth watching. Ann-Margret might not have been as good as she could have been, but she's not really that bad.

Even the scenes involving the little girl work well, and the chemistry between she and Delon is exceptional.

The surprise ending is tense and exciting. Too bad there's no DVD of this film. I'd buy it.

Johnboy