The Big Steal

source: The Big Steal

Trailer—The Big Steal

The Big Steal

Tough guy, Robert Mitchum plays Lt. Duke Halliday on the trail of a payroll thief. Of course, Halliday himself is accused of the robbery. Enter Captain Blake, played by William Bendix, chasing Halliday. Cat and mouse chases plus fist fights; what else could you want? Jane Greer is Chiquita, a distraction for Halliday. This romp through Mexico also features Patric Knowles and Ramon Novarro. Directed by a master, Don Siegel.

Wonderful repartee between Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer in this chase caper. Absolutely delightful. Jane Greer and Mitchum at at their height of attractiveness, and work so well together. Lots of rapid fire dialogue, quips and double entendres in the script.

'The Big Steal' sees Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer team up again after their earlier Noir classic 'Out Of The Past', which is still one of the greatest Film Noirs ever made. 'The Big Steal' isn't as good, that's a fact, but it's a very different kind of movie, and comparing the two is a bit unfair. It's much lighter in tone and approach. Still Mitchum and Greer make a great team and it's a pity they didn't work together more. Director Don Siegel went on to make 'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers', 'The Killers' and 'Dirty Harry', all great favourites of mine, but 'The Big Steal' is just as good and is not to be overlooked. It's a great piece of entertainment and also features a very good performance by William Bendix, who I also really enjoyed in Hitchcock's underrated 'Lifeboat'. Forget about 'Out Of The Past' and just enjoy 'The Big Steal' for what it is, a thriller that is a great fun film.

"The Big Steal" is sort of like a mini-version of "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World," film noir style. Jim Fiske (Patric Knowles) stole money from Duke Halliday (Robert Mitchum) and Joan Graham (Jane Greer). Halliday and Graham take after Fiske to get it back. Meanwhile, Vincent Blake (William Bendix), the intended original recipient of the cash, is chasing Halliday, thinking he's the one who actually stole it. Much of the movie is comprised of a madcap car chase through the Mexican countryside and the attempts of all involved parties to slow or block the passage of the others. There's a sort of zany albeit inconsequential fun to be had from the whole thing, especially in the tough banter between Mitchum and Greer, even if the movie all told doesn't add up to very much. Grade: B

As a team, Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer are pretty well-known, at least to classic film fans, for their pairing in "Out Of The Past," but I thought they were a lot more fun to watch in this particular film noir. This movie, still not available on tape or disc for some reason, is almost one long chase scene, with people in three vehicles all on the move....with a neat twist at the end. There is the typical 1940s budding romance in which the two parties do nothing with insult each other until the end. Sometimes that gets really old but in here it isn't, maybe because Greer has so many good lines. It's also fun to see the old cars racing around hairpin curves, although the special effects are really dated. The fight scenes didn't look too realistic, either. Hey, I didn't say it was technically a great movie.....just a fun one to watch. Equally entertaining were two of the other people in on the chases: William Bendix and Patric Knowles.