Review of The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) by John T — 26 Nov 2014

In my opinion Steve McQueen is on of the charismatic Hollywood actors ever to grace the big screen. I have seen many of his films and there is not one that I dislike - that is until now.

It is reported that of all the films Steve McQueen made The Thomas Crown affair is his favourite. All I can think is that he never actually got to see the final cut because this film is a complete and utter mess.

Four men pull off a daring daytime robbery at a bank, dump the money in a trash can and go their separate ways. Thomas Crown, a successful, wealthy businessman pulls up in his Rolls and collects it. Vickie Anderson, an independent insurance investigator is called in to recover the huge haul. She begins to examine the people who knew enough about the bank to have pulled the robbery and discovers Crown. She begins a tight watch on his every move and begins seeing him socially. How does the planner of the perfect crime react to pressure?

I'm not sure what director Norman Jewison was on when he made this film but I would like a bit of it.

This film is so badly put together it looks like all the scenes were cut up and thrown on the floor and were picked up and spliced together in no discernible order. Seldom have I seen a film with scenes that stop so abruptly and skip to different scenes with the same characters.

There are three scenes placed at separate times of the film where Thomas Crown is riding his beach buggy , all of which were quite obviously shot at the same time and have no place in the film or the story.

I know Steve McQueen is famous for either using bikes or cars or planes in his films but this is the worst case of self indulgence I have seen in his movies.

It's such a shame because Mcqueen and Dunaway quite obviously have a great rapport together it's just that story was given no consideration.

I really didn't understand most of what was going on and more importantly didn't care. I have not seen the 1999 version of this film but I'm damned sure it must be better than this.

Apart from the Oscar winning theme song " The Windmills of Your Mind" the rest of the music sounds like it was taken from either a drunk jazz musician or from some dodgy German porn movie.

Jewison hasn't even bothered to fade the music or mix it into the next scene because it just stops dead.

One thing he does do quite well is the split screen scenes during the Robbery . I wasn't aware that this technique was used as far back as 1968 and you can see where the TV seres 24 gets it's distinguished look. it's just a shame it only lasts for the first part of the film.

I'm sure some people will argue that this is a classic but I cannot see a single reason why . If your one of those people I urge you to go back and watch this movie again and then tell me what you really think.

The Thomas Crown Affair is one of the worst films I have seen in a while and definitely the worst so called " classic movies" I have ever reviewed.

2 out of 10.