Signé: Lassiter

Lassiter has all the ingredients of a great film: a great caper, good leads, an interesting setting, action, and romance. What it didn't have was a budget to do the production justice, and an overabundance of tv actors.

Lassiter is basically an attempt to cash in on Tom Selleck's fame on Magnum PI, and his loss of the role of Indiana Jones. The film is set in the same time period as Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the same villains, the Nazis. Instead of a swashbuckling archaeologist, Selleck is a slick jewel thief, Nick Lassiter. Instead of being recruited by the government to recover a treasure, he is blackmailed. However, this is no ode to the Republic serials; no, this is an ode to the caper films of yesterday, with a little To Catch a Thief thrown in for good measure.

Selleck's Nick Lassiter is an American jewel thief, living and operating in London. When not stealing from high society, he enjoys the good life. Selleck looks good in his period costumes, like he belongs. He brings charm and humor to the role, the perfect blend for a gentleman thief.

Jane Seymour is his love interest, a dancer. Seymour is beautiful as always and makes the most of a limited role.

Lauren Hutton gets the juicier role of the Nazi courier and kinky assassin. Hutton plays this decadent role to the hilt, if a bit over the top.

Finally, Bob Hoskins is a London cop who concocts the frame-up that forces Lassiter to attempt to steal Nazi diamonds. This is one of Hoskins earlier film roles and he easily steals the movie. He's not a likable character, but he keeps your interest.

The rest of the cast is filled primarily with tv actors, like Joe Regalbuto and Ed Lauter. They are fine actors, but don't bring the same level to their character roles that the better film actors do. Their appearance has more to do with budget than talent.

The film was co-financed by Raymond Chow, of Golden Harvest, which explains the low budget. Had this been a bigger studio picture, with stronger supporting characters, it could have been a great hit. Instead, it is an entertaining minor film, which appears to steal from James Bond and Indiana Jones. It looks like it was made for tv, and works better on the small screen. The music is of the period, and makes a welcome change from more modern music. The end credits feature a song from Taco. For those not acquainted with 80's New Wave, Taco was an odd performer who mixed New Wave sounds with Cole Porter and other Jazz Age songs. He had the perfect voice for those songs, but the end result was more amusing than memorable.

This is a fine film to watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon, or when sick in bed. It brings a smile to your face, as long as your expectations aren't too high.

I love Tom Selleck's early movies where he was clearly willing to take a chance. Once he began his career into western type movies the boredom set in for me. This was a risky movie to make, but he clearly succeeded! Great mystery, fun story line, and I never saw the ending forecast. Beware of full nudity if that bothers you. There's enough violence if you find that less threatening than the peacefulness and beauty of the human body.

Set in pre WWII London, this story is based on the reputation of an established American cat burglar caught in a police frame to steal Nazi diamonds. Lassiter's solution is brilliant and, for me, completely unpredicted. Marvelous! Watch and enjoy. See if you can figure out what's REALLY going on!

Good cloak and dagger action drama set in London 1939.Has very good sets and story but could have been a classic if it had better directing and script/screenplay.The director had a little difficulty finding a good balance between being edgy or watered down in a more Hollywood way.Great entertainment though for cloak and dagger fans and big fans of the lead stars.Selleck looks really good here.....

This is the first movie I ever reviewed in my hobby/career as a movie critic. When I first viewed it, I wasn't impressed. It's one of those movies that you'll find is better with a second viewing. It has interesting characters and while it has a copycat scene right out of 'The Sting', it is still an entertaining romp set in pre World War II Europe with impressive sets, costumes and the Nazi element thrown in as villains for great conflict. A worthwhile movie to view and to be taken for what it is. Selleck is very good but the best character in the film is an English police officer played by Bob Hoskins.

Selleck is slick as a jewel thief in London in this lavish action/mystery, but the film suffers from a predictable plot and weak supporting performances. Most obvious is that of sexy Lauren Hutton, who shines best when she doesn't speak.