Great Movies: The Thomas Crown Affair
4 Comments Published by Jason March 30th, 2008 in Great Men, Movies. Share This
Sometimes, after being swamped with movies like I Am Legend (which was so far off from the book as to be telling a different story) and whatever that Cloverfield thing was, it becomes easy to forget how awesome the art of movie-making can be. Then a friend IMs and tells you to turn on Turner Classic Movies.
Last night we saw The Thomas Crown Affair. Steve McQueen rules; Fay Dunaway is in her prime. McQueen plays Thomas Crown, a handsome rich guy who masterminds a perfect crime. Dunaway is an insurance investigator who, investigating the crime, begins a very flirty relationship with Crown. There is awesome use of split-screens and imagery—the “chess scene,” for instance—that you simply don’t get in most of today’s films. I suggest checking TCM and seeing if they’re going to replay it soon.
I’ve never seen the 1999 remake. I wonder if they do the chess scene and if it is any good?
One man: Pablo Ferro. He was an experimental filmmaker and the second best title designer in America, second only to Saul Bass. Most of the awesomeness in this movie is all Pablo.
He’s my personal hero.
re: the 1999 remake. They did not do the chess scene, which I believe is for the best.
the good things about the 1999 remakes:
the heists were much more complicated and fun to watch.
Rene Russo in the Faye Dunaway part
the bad about the 1999 remake:
the ending is completely different
apparently they are making a sequel? bleh.
Haven’t seen the original, but I thoroughly enjoyed the smart remake. This is more the kind of stuff I’d like to see Pierce Brosnan doing now that he’s freed from the rather schlocky James Bond junk he had gotten pinned into.