Great Movies: The Thomas Crown Affair

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?