MovieChat Forums > The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) Discussion > laughably horrible

laughably horrible

posted 18 years ago by jovanja_almassy
44 replies | jump to latest

after reading the reviews of this movie, i was really excited to see this. i just watched it last night for the first time, and i'm not really sure what i was expecting, but i wasn't impressed.

i'm really into cinema classics from the 60s and 70s, and i guess this movie was good to watch just for the sake of knowing about it, but i don't even know where to be begin with this movie.

right from the theme song, i couldn't help but laugh. the movie was unintentionally hilarious. the ending where vicky starts crying was also unintentionally hilarious. low quality film and completely over-dramatic main characters in my opinion.

the only thing that kept me watching to the very end was paul burke. other than that, i don't have any plans of watching this film again. and this is all coming from someone who's seen 'rosemary's baby' about 300 times and still doesn't get tired of it.

i'd have to give 'thomas crown affair' a 4.5 out of 10.

"Nothing's ever for sure John. It's the only sure thing I do know."-Charles (A Beautiful Mind)

[–] badknees59 17 years ago

I liked Rosemary's Baby too but I don't think it has much to do with what one would think of The Thomas Crown Affair.
Do you have a girlfriend or a wife? Do they think you are romantic? Do you? I'm not even sure it's romance. It's a magnatism. Steve McQueen had more style than any actor I've ever seen and I am a strong movie goer. Have you seen his movie The Getaway? Take some lessons. There is an Alex Baldwin version but it doesn't rate much with me.
Also have you seen The Tao of Steve? Take notes there too.

[–] campbabo 17 years ago

I just saw this McQueen flick for the first time a few months ago. It rates a 8.8/10 for many reasons:

1. Steve has a very cool house.
2. Steve drives very cool car.
3. Shots of vintage Mass Pike toll booths are classic.
4. Steve is cool

In summation a classic, the comments of "laughably horr...." are way off base.

[–] hobbyhob 17 years ago

I agree with "campbabo" and then some. I first saw this film when it came out (I was around age 10), and it has held up over time, and is considerably better than the remake. Different strokes and all that, I guess... some folks don't like Monet or Picasso either. Go figure.

[–] lastmidnite2 17 years ago

I saw this when it first came out. I was 10 and loved it so much I made my grandmother take me again. I watched today for the first time in 40 years and loved it all over again; although when I was 10, I thought the kissing scene was at least 5 minutes long! I was surprised at how short it is. The movie is a time capsule of '60's cool and style.

[–] ian_buchan 17 years ago

Personally McQueen's cool and carisma make up for any flaws in this film.
That's why I suddenly want to see this film every once in a while.
I'm his avid admirer.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Death_to_Pan_and_Scan 17 years ago

I'm throwing in another 4.5/10 for this film. I gave the (still flwaed) remake a 7/10 (much of it for making the hesits at least interesting (something the original fails on versus just about any caper or heist movie in existence -- especially the French films like Rififi).

The original only wins in the chemistry between the two leads and even that isn't enough to make up for its many faults. The story is non-existent to boring, the camerawork/editing with the ineffective 6-frames-in-one crap annoyed me in the first few minutes (an annoyance repeated by other films by Soderburgh's 'Oceans Thirteen' - a kinda fun, but seriously flawed movie where everything about the heist plans seems ridiculously phony).

I've liked McQueen and Dunaway much better in other films and many of director Norman Jewison's films are much much better than this (especially In the Heat of the Night and The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming, but also Fiddler on the Roof, Rollerball, In Country and even Only You, Other People's Money and Moonstruck.

After seeing and disliking the film I decided to read Ebert's review and in this case was practically dead on. There are tons of better movies from the 60s and 70s.

----------

If you're watching 'Fullscreen' DVDs, you aren't getting the whole picture.

[–] rogueforte 17 years ago

I'll go 4.5/10 and agree with Ebert's review, too. This movie would appeal to anyone who wants to see Steve McQueen 'try' to act outside of his normal, brooding, loner persona (and failing miserably at it). I once read where it was rumored that McQueen was stoned out of his gourd throughout most of the filming of Bullitt. Steve should have used the drugs while filming this turkey, as well.

The Thomas Crown Affair is more of a curiosity than anything else to see the type of movie that was popular in 1968 and wonder about the mindset of people back then.

[–] Howlin Wolf 15 years ago

McQueen was the best thing about this, and this is coming from someone who doesn't usually see the appeal.

Do you like having sex? Then DON'T buy a Nintendo!

[–] Jealous_Skunk 16 years ago

because you don't know art when you see one! the song is a masterpiece! faye is a goddess! the movie itself is very clever and artsy! i'm not suprise if it get a cult status!

JeSkuNk

[–] onepotato2 15 years ago

- McQueens obnoxious, phony laugh (at at least three points)
Steve, you weren't supposed to laugh like someone told you a joke, or like you're an evil scientist.
- Faye Dunanway kidnaps a child
- Drinking from snifters
- excesses of the 70s in both editing and style
just does this in.

All I need in life is to find a superintelligent, beautiful woman who thinks I'm the sh*t because I drive her all over a beach like a dick, in my dune buggy, while she smiles and fawns over me like a dunce.

[–] franzkabuki 13 years ago

"All I need in life is to find a superintelligent, beautiful woman who thinks I´m the sh-t because I drive her all over a beach like a dick, in my dune buggy, while she smiles and fawns over me like a dunce".

LOL.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] bpike6319 11 years ago

You obviously don't remember the '60s.

[–] ridge-m-1 9 years ago

Your opinion is completely obviated by your remark "excesses of the 70s (sic) in both editing and style just does this in." My "friend", the film was released in 1968. Check out McQueen's blue-lens shades and Faye's wardrobe, those are examples of 60's coolness and style. Faye's Ferrari is the ultimate in cool as well. Have you ever drank cognac "potato-head", 'nuff said. You obviously don't understand "Vicki's character, she does not play by the rules as Malone (Burke) is constantly annoyed at how she works since he is a by-the-book cop. If you don't appreciate the split-screen scenes the technique has a logical explanation. There was too much film in the can that needed to be included but the studio wanted the final cut shortened, thus the split-screen to be able to portray the entire story. It definitely helps if a big-screen monitor is available for viewing.

With the film being shot on location it is an interesting time capsule to an America that no longer exists.The Steve McQueen catalog is quite fascinating. During his lifetime he was considered the epitome of cool and to this day retains that same iconic image. Lucky for us film aficionados that he appeared in pictures of the 60's and 70's. Since mostly young adults and kids hang at this site this picture does not receive the credit it deserves. It's a fun romp with two of tinsel town's biggest A list actors. The relationship between Thomas and Vicki is the ultimate cat and mouse game and the ending is classic.

Too bad for those that don't get the movie. All is not lost though, HBO will be running a Vin Diesel marathon soon.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] McTaffity 15 years ago

Although I hardly rate this film as a masterpiece, I can't believe anyone who professes to love films of the 60's and 70's would not enjoy it; it reeks with 60's cool and nostalgia. I do have concerns though; the two main roles are portrayed as heroic, when they are in fact a couple of very unpleasant and greedy characters. She kidnaps a child (the fact he was treated well is irrelevant), and Tommy's thuggish villains shot an innocent bystander and terrified many others.

[–] pinkkyy 15 years ago

The Hayes commission is dunzo, so the morals of it and the quality of the film are not truly related. Tarantino makes so-called masterpieces with low character morals.

I think what is so great about it is the competitive nature of their love affair and how like many modern women, she's torn between her heart and her career.

And of course McQueen is SCRUMPTIOUS!

[–] davethemathtutor 9 years ago

"I do have concerns though; the two main roles are portrayed as heroic, when they are in fact a couple of very unpleasant and greedy characters. She kidnaps a child (the fact he was treated well is irrelevant), and Tommy's thuggish villains shot an innocent bystander and terrified many others."

I'm so glad you mentioned these unpleasant aspects of the film! They bothered me a lot too. But I was also bothered by the ridiculous screenplay, the lame acting (both by Steve McQueen, who was a cool celebrity icon but not much of an actor, and even by Faye Dunaway, who later matured into a fine actress), and the overbearing music (especially the scene where "The Windmills of Your Mind" is sung so poorly by Noel Harrison). Does it reek with 60s cool? Well, yes, sorta; but "reeks" is the appropriate word here, because it's 60s cool of the cheesiest kind, that today just looks smug and self-indulgent. For a better quality of cool see "Tom Jones" or "Zorba the Greek" or "The Godfather" or "Bonnie And Clyde" or a kajillion other 60s/70s movies that were far far better than this rancid crap.

[–] Howlin Wolf 15 years ago

I'd say it's worth seeing just for the McQueen-Dunaway coupling... Worked better than Brosnan and Russo (though they weren't bad.)

Do you like having sex? Then DON'T buy a Nintendo!

[–] ssarag1138 15 years ago

I often try very hard to stay calm and neutral and accepting of other points of view when I disagree with an opinion on here, but really? You're a fan of movies of the 60s and 70s and you dont see the appeal of this film? Honestly? TCA is the dictionary definition of popular Hollywood film-making in the late 60s. This is the movie that sets the bar whenever people talk about stylish, sexy cool movies of the 60s. Yes its style over content, Jewison himself admits that, but the film works on its own level, and you need to watch it in its cultural context - but as a fan of films of the era I would expect you you to do that.

So many films in the 60s tried and failed to capture the essence that TCA effortlessly managed, and ended up as camp, garish dross.

Let me just throw some names at you. Steve McQueen, Norman Jewison, Haskell Wexler, Hal Ashby, Michel Legrand, Walter Hill, Pablo Ferro. These guys all had a hand in this movie. They couldn't have turned out a "laughably horrible" movie if their lives depended on it - its just not in their DNA. I would respectfully suggest you revisit TCA and look at it again. Watch in context of the era it was made is the only "apology" I would make for it. There's much to admire.

[–] Zoomlenz 15 years ago

It appears that the people who like this movie enjoy McQueen's "coolness" and the "sensuality" of the McQ-Dunaway relationship. I don't get either. McQueen is wooden and boring to me. A persona, but not a person. A dune buggy and a glider, brandy and cigars. It's like a tacky liquor advertisement.

Dunaway's character has potential to be interesting, but it doesn't really come to fruition. Does she just want money? She's clearly as amoral as he is -- after all she kidnaps the poor kid. There's nothing in the film to support her not joining him in crime.

As for their relationship, it's boring. The chess scene is not sensual. It's just tedious.

As a heist movie, TCA also fails. The first robbery is interesting as its happening. But it's over quickly. The second robbery makes little sense. AFter losing over $2M the bank doesn't change any of its procedures?

Overall, I was very disappointed.

[–] benemlaw 12 years ago

OMG! I couldn't agree with you more. The most boring, self consciously hip BullSh!t I have ever been wittnesed to. I couldn't stand this piece of crap. Just lifeless dead charecters in cool looking 60's clothes.

[–] Jason_Radley 12 years ago

Succintly put. It was like watching a two-hour pop video.