One of the worst movies I've ever seen

Highly Overrated But Still Good

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Although "The Thief Who Came to Dinner" has been branded a comedy, it really isn't - it's more of a drama with some lighter moments. The lighter moments, incidentally, aren't really all that amusing, possibly because they try to be extremely realistic at the same time instead of doing something absurd or satirical. The movie isn't that much more successful in the drama portion. There are some interesting ideas floated around, like the fact that the title character has an interest in being in high society, but these ideas don't really get worked on that much. The performances are okay; Ryan O'Neal does make his thief character somewhat likable (until the climatic museum heist, where he hurts people), and Warren Oates gives another solid performance, though he isn't give that much of substance to do. In the end, the movie is pretty forgettable, so much so that this die hard movie buff hadn't even heard of this movie until it appeared recently on Turner Classic Movie's schedule.

Ryan O'Neal gives one of his better, looser performances in this crime-caper, a handsome comedy-drama involving a computer programmer-turned-jewel thief planning a major heist. Warren Oates is the insurance investigator in dogged pursuit, Jacqueline Bisset (at her most lovely) plays a love-interest in on the action, Austin Pendleton is very funny as a nerdy chess pro, and wonderfully blithe Jill Clayburgh makes a big impression in the minor role of O'Neal's ex-wife. Engaging fluff with tongue wryly in cheek, well-directed by Bud Yorkin. Fine non-think entertainment for cable-watchers, yet this did seem a little flat when it played in theaters. **1/2 from ****

Ryan O'Neal was so clever and seductive in this movie, I wanted to go to bet with him too. The focal point of the movie is the fascinating love story -- not between O'Neal and Bisset or between O'Neal and Jill Clayburgh -- both of which were quite entertaining, but the cerebral symbiotic linkage between Warren Oates and O'Neal. This has to be Oates' best performance of all time. Young Ned Beatty and Charles Cioffi are very good --leading a quite capable supporting cast. Very enjoyable movie.

In 1973, the best chess programs running on the fastest supercomputers could barely play a passable game of chess, much less challenge a master level player such as the Austin Pendleton character would be (newspaper chess columnist for the Houston Chronicle).