Seven Thieves (1960)

A very nice heist film, 14 July 2007

The plot of Seven Thieves is similar in many respects to the dozens of other heist movies made in the 50s and 60s. Edward G. Robinson plays the kindly, but discredited professor who has put together a plan to rob a Monte Carlo casino much as he would put together an experiment to mix two chemicals. He assembles his team and they get to work planning and rehearsing their roles for the big heist. It will require timing, precision, and a good head if something should go wrong. If one member fails to perform, it will mean certain disaster for the rest. But can these seven really just walk out of a casino with $4 million in French francs?

Seven Thieves is a nice, enjoyable heist film. It's certainly not as good as it could have been, but it is entertaining with a few tense moments along the way. The film has an incredible look that far exceeds its budget. The cinematography and lighting are solid. The set decoration is a real standout. The locations and sets fit the film perfectly. Combine all of these elements and you've got one very nice looking movie. In short, Seven Thieves looks stunning. And speaking of stunning, there's Joan Collins. While everyone in the film gives a good performance, none of her male co-stars can hope to compete with her. She steals every scene in which she appears. And what a knockout! Those dance numbers are a highlight for me. I don't know why it took me so long to discover Ms. Collins, but I'm a fan now.

But, as is almost always the case, the movie isn't perfect. As I said, Seven Thieves is not as good as it could have been. Even though there were a number of things that bothered me, I'll limit this to two key weaknesses I saw in the film. First, there's a twist near the end of Seven Thieves involving Rod Steiger's character that is completely unnecessary. Its only purpose seems to have been to create some overly artificial sentimentality. The movie didn't need it. Second, and most importantly, I have a big problem is Rod Steiger himself. Don't misunderstand – he gives a solid (and surprisingly understated) performance, but he's terribly miscast in Seven Thieves. He just doesn't look the part he's asked to play here. And he seems so terribly serious throughout. The role seems to have called for a different sort of actor with a more natural sense of humor.

In the end, the good outweighed the negative and I really enjoyed watching Seven Thieves. And I've come full-circle on Joan Collins. I can't wait to discover more of her early work. For what it's worth, I'll rate this one a 7/10.

7/10