A boring heist movie, Ralph Nelson’s Once a Thief would never make anyone’s top twenty list of great crime films, yet it boasts incredible actors with compelling performances.
Alain Delon and Ann Margret might seem an odd romantic pairing, but they have great chemistry. Delon endues Eddie Pedak, a small time hood on the straight and narrow, with a frustrated indignation that resembles Henry Fonda’s Eddie Taylor in You Only Live Once (1937). Old timers Van Heflin and Jack Palance are out of place on paper, but a seamless fit as modern versions of Javert and Mephistopheles. As for Ann Margret, I consider this possibly her best performance in a dramatic role.
Nelson works some great visual magic, particularly in the film’s opening, featuring some interesting nightclub shots and explosive Jazz drumming. However, bad execution and a predictable plot, render Once a Thief a poor man’s Rififi (1955), with little interest in the actual robbery, which is easily the dullest part of the film. The result is an interesting failure, not worthy of critical acclaim, but enjoyable viewing.
A few scenes from the film. WARNING: This clip does show part of the ending, but you've probably figured it out anyway, so you might as well watch:
[youtube][/youtube]
Once a Thief plays early on 4/27.
The opening shots and dialogue along with the murder were gripping, but then all that ambiance and stylization disappears! Nevertheless, Once a Thief remains an interesting work for what it is and what it could have been.