‘Thief’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
April 1, 2021 · Thief (1981) · Action · Crime · Drama · 1:24:41
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsKhan goes to the plating company to get his money, Willie Nelson's prison scene with Frank, Prosky's first scene, and the diner monologue▶ 27:36
Chris RyanAgreed with the plating company scene and Willie Nelson prison scene, noting the intensity between the characters▶ 28:02
Sean FennesseySupported Willie Nelson's acting and scene, discussed Prosky's unique combination of warmth and evil▶ 30:30
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsRobert Prosky — Acknowledges Prosky and Farina were 'that guys' but notes they became bigger stars, making the award difficult to give▶ 1:00:44
Chris RyanRobert Prosky — Suggests changing it to 'Old Rookie of the Year Award' for Prosky, Farina, and Peterson who became staples for 30 years▶ 1:00:50
Sean FennesseyTom Signorelli — Tom Sicarelli (Ataglia) - only one who maintained 'that guy' status, always the eighth goon, never became famous▶ 1:01:11
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts including: Mann brought Caan to Gunsight Academy firearm school, Howard Johnson's restaurant connection to Alan Siegel's personal story, real burglary tools used as props, 60,000-gallon water truck for wet streets, Green Mill jazz club was Al Capone's hangout, and Tuesday Weld's Wikipedia page details▶ 1:04:26
Sean FennesseyDiscussed Mann's visual sensibility and how he would drive around looking at bridges and water to develop his aesthetic of urban landscape colliding with natural world, explaining the wet streets signature style▶ 1:05:46
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsNo for Jimmy Caan, Tuesday Weld, Michael Mann, Willie Nelson. Yes for Chicago Diners and Robert Prosky death scenes. Yes for Joliet prison (alongside Blues Brothers).▶ 1:08:31
Chris RyanFerris Bueller's Day Off — No for Robert Prosky (too early in career, became prominent in early 90s). Yes for Robert Prosky death scenes. Ferris Bueller for best Chicago movie.▶ 1:08:44
Sean FennesseyContributed to discussion about Chicago movies, mentioned Chicago (Best Picture winner) but didn't give clear apex mountain picks for individuals▶ 1:12:07
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsJames Caan-Tuesday Weld relationship editing is confusing; bulletproof vest reveal at the end isn't obvious enough▶ 1:12:59
Chris RyanQuestions whether Prosky's mall investment deal was actually that bad, given shopping malls were profitable in the 1980s▶ 1:14:16
Sean FennesseyQuestions how easy baby stealing is and how you get a social security card for a stolen baby▶ 1:15:40
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhat happened to Frank after the ending? Thief vs Heat similarities? Why James Caan never worked with Michael Mann again?▶ 1:17:09
Chris RyanWould choose Neil McCauley over Frank for a bank heist because Frank is too combustible and emotional▶ 1:18:37
Sean FennesseyBelieves Thief and Heat share material - 'it's all one movie for Michael Mann' with same motifs in different ways▶ 1:18:04
Who Won the Movie
Chris RyanRobert Prosky — Acknowledges Khan as the obvious answer but highlights Prosky as one of the great crime movie villains▶ 1:20:57
Movies Referenced (30)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:35 |
| Public Enemies (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:12:10 |
| Running Scared (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:11:08 |
| Misery (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:40 |
| Miami Vice (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 4:03 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 16:47 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:45 |
| Scream (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 18:42 |
| Underworld (2003) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 48:14 |
| Weird Science (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:15:28 |
| Apocalypse Now (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 23:11 |
| Blade (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:41 |
Directors Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 33 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 2:18 |
| John Colorado | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Hancock | ▶ 27:29 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 6:14 |
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 10:22 |
| David Steinberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:07:52 | |
| Robert Altman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Gosford Park | ▶ 16:39 |
| Robert Rodriguez | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 13:24 | |
| Stanley Kubrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon | ▶ 1:08:08 |
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 8:15 |
| William Hoffa | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Limitless, Furious 7, Creed | ▶ 1:08:44 |
Actors Referenced (38)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Nelson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 22 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Dukes of Hazzard, Wag the Dog | ▶ 19:21 |
| Tuesday Weld | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Thief, Once Upon a Time in America | ▶ 44:30 |
| Dennis Farina | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Get Shorty, Manhunter, Snatch | ▶ 28:21 |
| James Caan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Thief, Rollerball, Misery | ▶ 2:04 |
| Howard Johnson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 37:11 | |
| John Belushi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers | ▶ 51:34 |
| Roy Scheider | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Jaws, The French Connection, All That Jazz | ▶ 59:29 |
| Robert Prosky | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Thief, Broadcast News, Mrs. Doubtfire | ▶ 32:38 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 1:07:52 |
| Gene Hackman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unforgiven | ▶ 59:29 |
| Jeff Bridges | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Big Lebowski, True Grit | ▶ 59:07 |
| Jim Belushi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:58 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Kahn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 21:12 | |
| David Mamet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | House of Games | ▶ 47:39 |
| Lawrence Kasdan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Big Chill | ▶ 7:48 |
| Jerry Bruckheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon | ▶ 9:00 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 26:40 |