Pulp Altman; a tough but tender story of criminals and young love
Thieves Like Us takes the same elements of the plot from the book of the titlee as did Nicholas Ray's 1948 debut They Live By Night. But the chief differences are separate forms of lyrical interpretation, and as well a certain freedom that Altman has, not simply in it being the 70s (i.e. rated R for violence, language and sex/nudity), but in the interpretation carrying more than just a satisfying B-movie. It's a certain attitude Altman tries to convey with the casting of the actors, all of whom would fit in in an old 40's noir but have some other qualities that keep them a little more grounded, part of that "Altman-esque" feel many critics talk about. And in the details that come up, real points of interest that makes us see these people past their simple clichés; Bowie (Keith Carradine) isn't just a country boy, and his fellow bank robbers aren't just an obnoxious drunk and aging cripple respectively. And Bowie's girl, Keechie, is no fool with what he's doing either.It's a shame then to find out that it's one of Altman's lesser seen pictures when it may be one of his finest in the prime of his career in American movies. He does tell the story of the three bank robbers well enough to keep interest on that alone, but he puts in things that make it a richer experience than another director (hell, even Ray) could've accomplished. The aspect that struck me the most was the use of radio, how it's always flowing into a scene naturally, and with some of what's on there (i.e. Romeo and Juliet, the Shadow) corresponding beautifully to what's in the scene. No music, in actuality, is used from a composed score but from all songs and programs and (of course) news bulletins from the 30s. It's maybe a symbol of the slightest escapism possible for these characters, something that comes in and takes one away for a little while, and sometimes acting like a balance to the tenion on camera, like the first bank robbery.
Also commendable, I might add, are the bank robberies. This isn't quite Bonnie and Clyde, with getaways put to hokey banjo plucking or with lots of ultra stylized violence. If anything Altman is apprehensive to go with the conventions of typical bank robbery scenes, so it is not until 3/4 of the way through- till the Yazoo robbery- that we're even shown what's going on inside the bank as the robbery goes on (the other are seen from the outside, every detail of the outside adding to what is not quite the usual suspenseful, but not boring either). And even then the scene is shot mostly in a high angle master take, and the very act of the bank robbery in a movie is somewhat, subtly deconstructed till it becomes just that much more disturbing, particularly for the Chicamaw's latest, unnecessary 'hit'. I'm sure this will not be done like this again any time soon in another movie, certainly not in a hyperactive genre movie ala Tarantino.
But what about the lovers-on-the-run convention? This is also handled with about as much care and tact that Altman can muster; having Carradine and Duval together, as Pauline Kael noted, is about as close to "perfect" a companionship imaginable, if doomed of course by fate. And we're not made to feel forced into liking them or feeling sympathy. I'm almost reminded in some of the scenes midway through when Bowie and Keechie become a lot 'closer' some of the bedroom scenes in Breathless, minus the loads of dialog and self-consciousness. They're very natural, joking, light-hearted, sensual, and even with an innocence to their lovemaking. Things are stripped down between them, and as the tragedy starts to unfold there's a stronger connection made because of the actors playing it naturally and without unforced drama (every conflict stems from Bowie's crimes, a lie, and not being able to be together full-time). It also adds another somber dimension to the final scenes where the expected comes, but with an extra kick of emotional power.
Full of witty and smart dialog, fine supporting work from Fletcher, Remsen, Latham and Skerrit (only Schuck nears being over-the-top, but only nearing), and a style from Altman that is cool but not detached, Thieves Like Us is great, subtle work from a director looking to peel back some of the layers of pulp fiction while staying truthful to the power and sorrow in what's typical.
score 10/10
Quinoa1984 26 May 2008
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1881183/34894
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