Channel surfing....
One of the "old movie" stations (TCM - Turner Classic Movies ?) was showing "The Thomas Crown Affair" - the
Steve McQueen
version. First time I've seen it. The newer version with
Pierce Brosnan
isn't a bad "caper" movie. Nice light entertainment.
I was expecting a lot more from the McQueen version, otherwise why would they have remade it ? It wasn't quite what I was expecting.
Of course, that could have been partly due to the "edited for television" look.
I'm not a big McQueen fan. Too "60's/70's macho". I prefer
John Wayne
and
Clint Eastwood
style "Western macho" in my 60's/70's action movies. And of course, Sean Connery is The True Bond. Doesn't seem much choice for 80's/90's action macho with the exception of Harrison Ford.
And none of them are "hard edged urban jungle" like McQueen.
But a lot of movies from that time period had that vibe. Unlike the 90's+ "gloss".
So how do the two movies stack up ? Based on dim memories of the newer one:
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 |
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Old |
New |
 |
|
Actor |
Steve McQueen |
Pierce Brosnan |
|
|
occupation |
Banker |
rich playboy |
|
|
plot |
Somebody robs a bank |
Somebody robs an art museum |
|
|
protaganist |
Faye Dunaway |
Rene Russo |
|
|
end of movie |
He robs another bank |
He returns painting |
|
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attitude |
hard/cruel |
sophisticated |
|
 |
 |
|
|
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The photography in the original shows signs of someone trying to
be too clever while the newer version is straight forward.
The music in the original doesn't contribute to the story. Can't remember
how well it works in the newer one but it wasn't distracting.
Would I watch the original (if it really was the original version)
again ? Not if I have a choice. The newer one ? Possibly. Depends.
I'm going to have to watch the newer one again.
Ahh, trivia - Faye Dunaway was in both movies.
8:17:47 PM 
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