Is the essential theme of this movie (as expressed in the title)
one of love or one of crime and are they, in fact, inextricable?
Yes, Tom's back, without Steve this time, and following close
on the footsteps of Sean Connery's "Entrapment."
photo: The Thomas Crowne Affair
®Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
®Irish Dream Time Productions
®Universal Pictures International
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Thomas Crowne (Pierce Brosnan) is the billionaire who finds a
challenge laced with danger the most appetizing and irresistible
delicacy of all. He has an educated taste for art and has let his
eye fall on a delightful little Monet that he manages to remove
from the Metropolitan museum. No one notices this removal,
because they're all to busy trying to catch the thieves. Who
would assume that a philanthropic man who often donates vast
amounts to different organizations could be responsible for
such a notorious act? With his flawless reputation and gigantic
bank account, he is beyond suspicion in everyone's opinion,
excepting that of clever-dick insurance investigator Catherine
Banning (Rene Russo). Of course, the fact that this superbly
attractive woman suspects Crowne and is on his tail turns her
into yet another challenge in the prince-of-thieves' eyes and
makes him want to get on hers. She makes no bones about it
as they enjoy a sky-soaring champagne-filled escapade
together. The new game they're playing during the interim is
better than Beat the Stock Exchange or Gotcha and neither one
gets bored while trying to outdo the other between embraces.
Two people who are exceptionally determined individuals wind
up both metaphorically and figuratively in each other's bed.
What's a person to do when one's privacy becomes
endangered (and that person likes the thought of it)?
Captivating proposition?
Scriptwriter Leslie Dixon collaborated with ditto Kurt Wimmer
who took the heist scenes for his credit. A modern slant on the
story originally conceived and developed by ex-banker Alan R.
Trustman for the original film with Steve McQueen. Where
many re-makes tend to fail, this one creates the same
excitement the first one did three decades ago and manages to
capture the audience's interest on a level more in tune with the
90's. Director John McTiernan, who has given us such vehicles
in the past as "Die Hard" and "Die Hard: With a Vengeance,"
now presents us with yet another enjoyable tryst in Try Hard
with Allegiance. Production Designer Bruno Rubeo tastefully
puts the nouveau into elegance. Pierce Brosnan has the
gentlemanly suave it takes to be a criminal with dash, flash, and
lots of cash (The best thing around since David Niven). Rene
Russo is definitely lookin' lip-smackin' good (not exactly what
you'd normally expect from your typical Christian Scientist) as
she struts her stuff on the right side of the law, gettin'the bad
guy down. Faye Dunaway puts in an appearance and makes
one wonder if she still longs for Thomas Crowne herself or has
managed to deal with her loss through the passage of time by
becoming his shrink.
Twirl this one around the windmills of your mind.
© 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett
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