Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2514. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

    2514. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on April 9, 2019 100-109 mins, 1968, 6 - 7.9, 90-99 mins, Apr 19, Crime, Drama, Movies Of 2019, Review, Romance, United States
    7.0 Cool, but underwhelming
    • Acting 7.0
    • Directing 7.0
    • Story 6.9
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Paul Burke

    Director: Norman Jewison

    Running Time: 102 mins


    The Thomas Crown Affair is an American film about a suave bank executive who pulls off a major bank heist, however he finds himself up against a seductive investigator who proves a chink in his armour.

    The ’60s don’t get any more ’60s than this film. Oozing the cool, slick and suave persona that makes the decade so legendary, The Thomas Crown Affair is filled to the brim with style and effortless charisma across the board, from its chic visuals to its classy performances. When it comes to the story, however, things aren’t quite as sleek, and although it has all the hallmarks of a great crime drama, The Thomas Crown Affair never really manages to pull its best ideas together to make a really entertaining movie.

    Let’s start off on the bright side, though, with just how cool this movie is. From beginning to end, the film is set to a brilliantly slick ’60s soundtrack, all the while made even more stylish with striking cinematography, using a lot of split screens and cut frames throughout as it brings the many layers and complex relationships of its story to light in eye-popping visual form.

    Away from that, you have the two lead turns from Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. Now, I can’t say that either of their performances are the best that they’ve ever given, and don’t perfectly fit either of their brilliant acting styles, but the confidence and charisma that the pair naturally possess, as well as the electric chemistry that comes about when they’re together, makes them effortlessly likable throughout, and a major part of the movie’s slick identity.

    So, all in all, you have a film that’s absolutely gorgeous to look at, with slick post-modern styling bolstered by elegant cinematography, as well as a toe-tapping soundtrack and two effortlessly charismatic performances. What’s more to like?

    Well, while the movie does have all of that cool persona and suave class, it never really manages to hit home with a great story at the same time. The foundations are there, and the premise is perfectly engaging, as relationships become complicated as people on different sides of a crime and investigation find themselves drawn together, but it’s all overshadowed by the stylishness of the presentation.

    In comparison to the 1999 remake, which is a much more stylistically grounded depiction of the story (albeit nowhere near as classy), this original is just a little bit too much style over substance, and while the hallmarks of a good story are there, they’re often frustrated or obstructed by the super-sleek atmosphere, and it’s difficult to really get into the grit and drama of the story at hand as the remake was able to allow you.

    Overall, then, I did like The Thomas Crown Affair, but principally because of its bold and striking stylishness throughout. With effortlessly cool visuals, a great soundtrack, and classy (albeit not perfect) performances from Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, the movie is an undeniably suave one, but without the real depth and story development beyond that to prove reallly impressive, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.0.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.1
    Review
    June 9, 20130

    180. Misery (1990)

    8.0
    Review
    December 14, 20160

    1582. Room 237 (2012)

    8.6
    Review
    September 11, 20160

    1483. Central Intelligence (2016)

    8.8
    Review
    June 23, 20150

    1000. The Godfather (1972)

    9.0
    Review
    July 13, 20180

    2215. Incredibles 2 (2018)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.