Emil Marcus Reviews

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

The Art of Stealing Art

[18 January 2000]

The 1999 "high-tech" remake of The Thomas Crown affair is charged with unexpected and delectable bends and twists. It definitely is entertaining and worth adding to your DVD or VHS collection. Pierce Brosnan shows us he can, actually, perform much better than in any of the three James Bond he did so far, but it is Renne Russo who steals the show ! Despite being a much different person in real life (which reminds us of Anne Parillaud in La Femme Nikita), she really lives her character. The story is captivating and John McTiernan, known for his strong action movies (Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October), does a good job directing it.

Casting Faye Dunaway as Crown's therapist, and making repeated use of Michel Legrand's Oscar winning wonderful musical score "Windmills of My Mind", of course, reminds us of the 1968 original "affair", and there is no way but to admit that Steve McQueen's performance is superior there, the chemistry between the two is much more intense, and there is more craft and subtlety in director's Norman Jewison's unfolding and revealing it to us.

Watch and enjoy both "affairs" ! (rating - 1999: 7.0/10; 1968: 8.5/10).

Entrapment (1999)

We Always Do Well what We Like Best !

[17 January 2000]

I know: many viewers resented the apparent lack of physical chemistry between the characters played by Connery and Zeta-Jones. Most of them had vivid memories of Sean Connery playing the always charismatic 007, and Catherine Zeta-Jones exchanging sparks with Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro.

But is chemistry between a man and a woman just, physical, sensual, and sexual ?

I find the movie entertaining, as it shows 2 people enjoying doing what they like best. The chemistry is between Zeta-Jones youth, outgoing passion for life and Connery's less evident, more inward quest for adventure which is backed up by his wisdom and longtime experience. As they go about doing and accomplishing things together, the old man develops respect and acknowledges the younger woman's worth. Slowly he starts to like her and, despite his age, or, perhaps because of his age, he feels that, to a certain extent he cares for her. While, at the same time, she turns from intellectually admiring him to actually liking him on her side.

Admittedly, it is an uneasy chemistry between Connery, the Scott gentleman and Catherine, the Welsh with long brown hair and eyes, but the film offers enjoyable action moments interspersed with occasionally good dialogue and exchanges between the two leads.

Watch "Entrapment" ! Enjoy it as I did for what it is, not for what it is not!- (rating 7.5/10)