ONCE A THIEF

Alain Delon

ONCE A THIEF (1965). Director: Ralph Nelson. Colorized.  

Born in Trieste, Eddie Pedak (Alain Delon), lives with his wife, Kristine (Ann-Margret), and little girl in San Francisco. An ex-con who may have shot a detective, Inspector Vido (Van Helfin), during a robbery -- Pedak was acquitted, however -- he comes under suspicion of a new robbery and murder in Chinatown and now Vido is on the case. Meanwhile Eddie's creepy brother Walter (Jack Palance) and his even creepier associates want Eddie to join them on another job that might net a huge profit in platinum. Eddie resists until he gets fired and discovers he can't get unemployment. But this caper might not go off without a hitch.

Delon with Van Heflin

Jazzed up -- literally -- with a loud, brassy and distracting score by Lalo Schifrin, Once a Thief still can't disguise the fact that its plot is really old hat. The ex-con trying to go straight; the unpleasant family associate who wants to drag him back in; the cop who's out to get him etc. etc. It's all been done many times before and this adds nothing new to the recipe unless you want to count two "sex symbols" in Ann-Margret -- who's not very sexy in this -- and Delon. Halfway through, the movie turns into a caper flick, but the robbery itself doesn't take up that much screen time. There is some excitement during the climax when thieves turn out, and Eddie and Vido turn into unlikely allies when the former's child is kidnapped. 

Ann-Margret with Delon

Delon gives a good performance; Ann-Margret is overwrought (even considering the circumstances) but effective enough; and Heflin turns in his customary professional job. Jack Palance seems more interested in putting on a show than in creating a real character, but on that level he's fine. John Davis Chandler and Tony Musante are suitably repulsive as Walter's unsavory associates, and Jeff Corey is notable as the lieutenant who tries to keep Vido in line. 

Verdict: Despite some interesting sequences and elements, this doesn't quite work. **1/2.