Review of Thieves Like Us (1974) by Caroline B — 10 Nov 2011
I have to be honest, I expected too much from this film. Maybe that was unfair of me. All of the components were there: 70's Altman, Depression-era, Shelly Duvall, a Tewkesbury script...and yet I found myself bored and dulled by the uninspired characters and lack of sharp social commentary I come to expect from Altman of this period, and in general.
The heavy-handed motif of the quilt is shockingly Old Hollywood and would seem to come out of some b&w gangster film starring James Cagney.The value I take from this film exists only as it contrasts with the statements of that other New Hollywood crime drama, Bonnie and Clyde, which is that the romantic, glamorous, exciting lifestyle of the earlier film is contradicted by the bleak realism, frayed monotony and simple-minded characters we are presented with in Thieves Like Us.
What redeems this film is the careful and crafty production design(I particularly liked the shack Bowie and Keetchie hole up in, which is lined with WWI sheet music), as well as the sound design featuring scads of old radio broadcasts.
Indeed, a film student could easily craft a mediocre paper on the role of the radio in this movie. I would probably not rewatch this film, and Altman, to me, is all about re-watchability.
This review of Thieves Like Us (1974) was written by Caroline B on 10 Nov 2011.
Thieves Like Us has generally received positive reviews.
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