THIEF (1981)

Cast

Plot

Excellent crime thriller with James Caan as a professional criminal who makes the mistake of joining up with murderous ganster Robert Prosky for a once-in-a-lifetime heist. The meticulous planning and execution of the robbery (using a burning ten-foot pole to penetrate the targeted vault) is superbly tense and entertaining, but the partners-in-crime begin to fall out when Prosky takes charge of the loot and "invests" it on Caan's behalf, inflaming him to embark on a lone revenge mission. Taut and brilliantly observed.