Great Scene: “Thief”
What makes a great movie scene? Why do they work? What are their narrative elements that elevate them to greatness? Let’s face it: In a fundamental way, screenwriting is scene-writing, so the more we learn about this aspect of the craft, the better.
Today: The 1981 movie Thief, screenplay and screen story by Michael Mann.
IMDB plot summary:
Becoming closer to his dream of leading a normal life, a professional safecracker agrees to do a job for the mafia, who have other plans for him.
In this scene, Frank (James Caan) meets with an old flame Jessie (Tuesday Weld).
Some background notes:
- The screenplay for this film was adapted from the novel “The Home Invaders”, written by Frank Hohimer, himself a professional thief. Hohimer was serving time in prison at the time this film was in production.
- When Frank tries to light his cigarette in the diner scene, the lighter does not work. This was not scripted. The prison story that Frank tells in his monologue is based on a letter Michael Mann received from a real inmate.
- After The Godfather (1972), this is James Caan’s favorite film of his own. He has stated that his monologue in the diner is the scene he is most proud of in his career.
It’s a 10-minute scene. All dialogue. Yeah, movies could do that 30 years ago. Why? Even though a majority of the lines are exposition, they are compelling, capped off by Frank’s monologue about his life in prison, how he fought off being “gang banged”.
The scene also has a three-act structure of its own:
Beginning: Frank presses Jessie to update him on her life which she does — illegal activities, a former lover now dead.
Middle: Frank’s monologue about prison life leading up to the revelation of a small collage he keeps folded up in his wallet as inspiration — his life, the one he wants.
End: Frank makes his pitch for Jessie to live her life with him, fill the spot in the collage he made for her. At first, she refuses, but after he makes one final plea, she agrees. Scene out.
We’d be hard-pressed to find a contemporary mainstream movie which would take up about 8% of screen time for one scene comprised of two ‘talking heads,’ but this scene worked in 1981. And it works today.
What’s your perspective on this scene? Why does it work? What do you take away from it?
To read all of the entries in the Great Scene archive, go here.
