Line #36 Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1968


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6	[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_thomas_crown_affair_1968.jpeg]]
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8	''The Thomas Crown Affair'' is a 1968 American heist movie directed by Creator/NormanJewison, starring [[Creator/SteveMcQueenActor Steve McQueen]] and Creator/FayeDunaway.
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10	Millionaire Thomas Crown ([=McQueen=]) has just pulled off the perfect crime, taking more than $2.6 million from a bank in Boston and socking it away in a Swiss bank account. Vicki Anderson (Dunaway) is an independent insurance investigator contracted to investigate the heist, who will get a portion of the stolen money if she manages to recover it. Crown obviously doesn't need the money, but is [[RichBoredom constantly in search of diversions]], welcoming Vicki's interest in him as a way to alleviate his boredom, even though she informs him from the start that she knows he's the one who pulled the job, and intends to prove it. Their relationship develops into a full-blown affair, complicated by Vicki's determination to recover the stolen money.
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12	Also notable is the film's opening theme, "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Windmills_of_Your_Mind The Windmills of Your Mind]]," written by Music/MichelLegrand and performed by Music/NoelHarrison. It has since become a pop standard and has been covered by many other artists, including Music/{{Sting}} (for the film's remake), Music/JohnnyMathis, Music/DustySpringfield, and even [[Creator/MuppetPerformers Jerry Nelson]] in ''Series/TheMuppetShow''!
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14	It was [[Film/TheThomasCrownAffair1999 remade in 1999]].
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17	!!This film contains examples of:
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19	* AntiHero: Vicki is promiscuous. She does not hesitate to steal a car and then to kidnap a child to make an accomplice talk it out.
20	* AntiVillain: Thomas Crown is the leader of a gang of thieves, but his crimes are almost bloodless and he is very charming. He even charms the insurance investigator who is after him.
21	* {{Auction}}: Thomas Crown meets Vicki during an artwork auction.
22	* BatDeduction: The plot relies on Vicki making several, from guessing Switzerland is where the money went, to the manner both of the heist team's assembly and payment, all the way to intuiting Thomas Crown's involvement based primarily on his looks and the fact that he plays polo.
23	* BeleagueredAssistant: Thomas has one, who doesn't understand ''why'' the boss keeps complaining about boredom.
24	* BrutalHonesty: Vicki puts her cards on the table with Thomas almost immediately:
25	-->'''Thomas:''' Who's head are you after?
26	-->'''Vicki:''' Yours.
27	* ByronicHero: Thomas Crown is male, charming, intelligent, sophisticated, educated, sensitive, but he is not satisfied with his life, even if he seems to have everything. He is so bored with his life and he has so little respect for the social norms that he will commit a crime just to get out of his boredom.
28	* ByTheBookCop: Eddie Malone. He is shocked by the methods used by Vicki, in particular the kidnapping of a child.
29	* TheCaper: Indeed, it was was almost called ''The Thomas Crown Caper''.
30	* CigarChomper: Thomas Crown always smokes cigars.
31	* ClockKing: Thomas' heist revolves around this: he tells his accomplices by phone exactly when they have to go on stage.
32	* CriminalProcedural: Thomas Crown is a thief and he is the protagonist of the film.
33	* DatingCatwoman: Gender inverted. GentlemanThief Thomas Crown has an affair with Vicki, the insurance investigator who tries to unmask him as the sponsor of a bank heist.
34	* DirtyBusiness: played with. Vicki makes no bones about being unscrupulous, and when Eddie calls her out on this, she gives him a "Think Dirty" plaque.
35	* DoubleEntendre: As with the BrutalHonesty above, Vicki doesn't waste time:
36	-->'''Thomas:''' Think you'll get me?
37	-->'''Vicki:''' [{{Beat}}] I hope so.
38	* TheFaceless: As we see from the pre-heist meeting in the hotel room, this is what Thomas to his team.
39	* {{Foreshadowing}}: After Vicki beats Thomas at a game of chess, he [[TakeAThirdOption changes to a different game]].
40	* GentlemanThief: Thomas Crown is a charmer. He steals money only from banks in an almost bloodless manner.
41	* HoneyTrap: Vicki charms Thomas Crown to get more information about him. {{Deconstructed\|Trope}}: Vicki falls in love with Thomas Crown and he tries to use her feelings for him.
42	* IKnowYoureWatchingMe: Vicki isn't exactly subtle about keeping the heat on Thomas. He responds with various tricks on her agents.
43	* IntimidatingRevenueService: [[spoiler: Vicki wins by siccing the IRS on Thomas: they can nail him if he spends any of the money he stole.]]
44	* ItAmusedMe: Thomas' motivation. Being a millionaire, he does not need the money he steals. He was just bored with his life and needed some entertainment.
45	* IvyLeagueForEveryone: Thomas is a graduate of Dartmouth and Harvard Business Administration, part of his generally upper-class background.
46	* JustPlaneWrong: That glider sure roars like a jet when it comes over the trees, doesn't it? It wouldn't be half as egregious if Thomas's lady friend didn't specifically mention it not having an engine mere moments later.
47	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Thomas Crown is not caught for the heist: he flees to another country.]]
48	* MathematiciansAnswer: In response to being asked what he wants by a cop who's putting together a take-out order for food, one witness replies, "I wanna get outta here."
49	* MirandaRights: Upon being introduced to Lt. Eddie Malone, Thomas takes a long {{Beat}} and then says dryly, "I'm not gonna say anything until I talk to my lawyer."
50	* MirthlessLaughter: Eddie's response to Thomas invoking his MirandaRights.
51	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Vicki investigates the bank heist only because she will receive a bounty if she catches the thief.
52	* OperationJealousy: a somewhat less complicated version than in the remake: he just starts going out with other women.
53	* OrbitalKiss: Between Vicki and Thomas after he proposes a different game. Possibly the ur-example.
54	* PragmaticHero: Vicki uses every resource to unmask the thief: she sleeps with him, she steals the car and kidnaps the child of one of his accomplices.
55	* ThePerfectCrime: Thomas Crown's plan is very clever: his accomplices do not know him and do not know each other; his plan unfold as expected; he goes to Switzerland to hide the loot.
56	* PresentDayPast: The opening heist occurs on Friday, June 9. June 9, 1967, was a Friday (although the film came out in June 1968, it was shot in 1967).
57	* ShirtlessScene: Thomas Crown is seen shirtless when he sleeps with Vicki.
58	* SmartPeoplePlayChess: Thomas and Vicki play chess together. Thomas is already established as very smart, but Vicki wins, which shows Thomas has found a WorthyOpponent. The game is loaded with more VisualInnuendo than you can shake a stick at.
59	* SmokingIsCool: Vicki smokes cigarettes from a holder. Thomas smokes cigars.
60	* SplitScreen: Taken to an insane degree during the opening heist with multiple screens for the viewer to follow.
61	* SwissBankAccount: Thomas books a flight for Switzerland after the heist to deposit a large pile of small bills. Vicky observes the Swiss are "famously casual about certain formalities."
62	%%* SympatheticInspectorAntagonist: Eddie.
63	* TakeAThirdOption: After their game of chess, Thomas suggests this to Vicki. She thinks he's talking about going to bed, but in fact, he's setting her up for a long con.
64	* TapOnTheHead: What Thomas does to one of the detectives watching him.
65	* TensionCuttingLaughter: Thomas gets two big ones: after the first heist and later, on the plane.
66	* TheUnfettered: Vicki is the detective's version, using every resource, and we do mean ''every,'' to win.
67	* VillainProtagonist: Thomas Crown is a thief and he is the protagonist of the film.
68	* VisualInnuendo: When Thomas and Vicki play chess. The way Vicki touches the pieces is very evocative.
69	* WhamLine: "I have a telegram for you," complete with crash zoom.
70	* WhatTheHellHero: Eddie calls Vicki out for extracting a confession from a man by kidnapping his son. She responds with an IDidWhatIHadToDo.
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Context Film / TheThomasCrownAffair1968