To me, this movie is perfection.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

I caught this movie last night on TCM while channel-surfing around...I have always been a big fan of James Coburn and had never seen this(I was born the year, 1973,before it came out). It was a really neat little flick about pickpockets from different generations working together...it is almost like a time capsule watching the places, fashions, and particulars from that era. The story was engaging and it was well-shot;the acting was also good from all four principals(Coburn, Pidgeon, Sarrazin, and Van de Vere). I tend to agree with several of the posters in that this movie probably could not be made today, or it would be a direct to video affair. Character studies and dialogue driven movies are almost niche films by some of todays standards. All in all, if you are a film fan it is definitely worth checking out(if just for the contrasts in styles from the mid 60's/late 70's to today:)

Original, offbeat character study with bracing dramatic moments stars Michael Sarrazin as an unskilled young thief in Seattle who gets himself and his new girlfriend (the appealing Trish Van Devere) hired on by a wily old pickpocket and his partner, a no-nonsense type with a big ego and a calculating manner. After some training, the foursome move on to Salt Lake City, where they become a finely-tuned team of cons. The smooth direction by Bruce Geller, the occasionally clever script from writers James David Buchanan and Ron Austin, and a superb cast including James Coburn and Walter Pidgeon promise a sure-fire movie. Unfortunately, the disappointing third act doesn't so much unravel as it does dry up, with the writing smacking of moralistic pandering ("Don't let this happen to you!"). Still, two-thirds of a great picture, one with a jazzy look, some amusing interplay and memorable characters. **1/2 from ****

I liked this film, but contemporary viewers might find it somewhat less than exciting. Viewers who weren't around in the early '70s are liable to be distracted by the bad fashions and bad hair of the day, even though this film is relatively conservative in that respect. Sex and violence do exist in the film, but by today's standards are extremely mild. The main characters, in any case, are portrayed superbly. All four actors who play these roles are charismatic, each in his or her own way. I thought the ending of the film was a little disappointing, although it undoubtedly was meant to send a message. This is a film that needs to be rated according to the standards of the time. While categorized as a comedy, it is far more serious than amusing.

James Coburn and Walter Pidgeon are quite interesting in this quirky film. Dismiss the soundtrack, absorb the scenery. Michael Sarrazin and Trish Van Devere, at the time were also popular film personalities.Hate to admit it, but the scenes with Walter Pidgeon, snorting coke and teaching Sarrazin how to become a world class pick-pocket are quite funny. James Coburn always adds his persona to a film; I have loved his performances since the 1970's.This film almost seems like something Quentin Tarantino may watch now, and brainstorm for a new project. I guess I have missed my calling, but I think audiences are again ready for quirky films like this, with realism and edge.8/10.