Save your money for something good and enjoyable

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Photographed in black-and-white CinemaScope. Lenses supplied by Bausch & Lomb. Westrex Sound System. Producer: Sydney Boehm. Copyright 1960 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Paramount: 11 March 1960. U.S. release: January 1960. U.K. release: March 1960. Australian release: 7 April 1960. 9,178 feet. 102 minutes.SYNOPSIS: An aging American gangster, Theo Wilkins, hoping to pull off one last grand coup before he dies, masterminds a sensational plot to rob the Monte Carlo gambling casino of $4 million. He enlists the aid of six others, including Melanie, a stripper, and Raymond Le May, the casino director's secretary, who will arrange for the other four's admittance on the night of the Governor's Ball. While Paul Mason, Wilkins's "right arm" and Louis, a safe cracker, break into the vaults, Theo poses as the personal physician of an eccentric crippled millionaire in a wheelchair, impersonated by Melanie's partner, Poncho.NOTES: Bill Thomas was nominated for an Academy Award for his Costumes, losing to "The Facts of Life" (black-and-white category).COMMENT: Alas it's very obvious that this film was made entirely in the studio with unconvincingly obvious stand-ins doing an occasional walk through the real French locations then a jump-cut to Steiger, Robinson, Collins etc. against a process screen. The film also tends to be a bit long-winded and dialogue bound and one of the original centers of interest suffers by being originally conceived for Mai Britt who was actually cast in the film when shooting commenced. Although the part was re-written for Joan Collins, she was obviously a second choice and suffers from poor camera angles and Hathaway's characteristically nonchalant direction of his players. The other players are as good as their material with the exceptions of Alexander Scourby and Eli Wallach who are even better.Once the film gets into stride with the robbery sequence itself — and in fact all the casino scenes — it becomes quite engrossing and there is some good dialogue for Robinson and Sebastian Cabot. But then the interest tends to peter out again, but fortunately the film concludes — somewhat unconvincingly it is true — before too much damage is done.Photography is rather flat especially in the exterior scenes where the process screen is used. Production values are little more than adequate, whilst Hathaway's direction is little more than safely and commercially routine. Even his well-known penchant for violence is noticeably absent here giving one the impression of a flaccid yarn, flaccidly told. Tighter film editing would help.

Edward G. Robinson has planned the perfect crime in "Seven Thieves," a 1960 black and white film also starring Rod Steiger, Joan Collins, Eli Wallach, Alexander Scourby, Michael Dante, Marcel Hillaire, and Sebastian Cabot. The film is set in Monte Carlo where Theo Wilkins (Robinson) has arranged to meet Paul Mason (Rod Steiger) to ask him to join in the plot. Wilkins is a former scientist who lost his credibility after commission of some sort of crime, but we don't know what it is; Mason has just finished three years in jail. The crime concerns the theft of 4 million francs from a casino and will involve a total of 7 people - a dancer (Collins), her friend (Wallach), her married boyfriend (Scourby), and a safe cracker (Dante).Directed by Henry Hathaway, this is an interesting drama that moves somewhat slowly and might have been better. It has a couple of twists at the end that are interesting, and there is quite a bit of tension and suspense for the audience throughout.The performances are excellent. Robinson gives a sympathetic portrayal of an old man looking for his last shot; Steiger gives a subdued (!) performance, his character being quietly threatening instead of screaming his guts out - good choice. Someone commented on this site that Joan Collins looks the same today as she did in this film 45 years ago - actually, it's kind of true. The only difference is that she wore less makeup then. Her figure is amazing, and she gives a wonderful performance as an unhappy, hard woman who has much compassion underneath. Eli Wallach does a great job as a nervous wreck."Seven Thieves" holds your attention. Strangely this is around the time of "Ocean's 11" where the touch is much lighter. This is a very dramatic story. It's not the greatest but worth checking out.

Remember "Mission: Impossible"? The TV series, not the movie. It was always fun to watch the team pull off one of their stunts, because they balanced their Rube Goldberg concepts with NASA-quality planning. This movie is cut from the same cloth. It's about a casino robbery engineered during one of the gambling hall's biggest celebrations. The eponymous crooks must work in synchronized unison to fulfill their plan. Unlike the MI series, though, they aren't all quite equally devoted to their mission or, at least not to their particular roles within it. Still, they have a clever series of steps that get more interesting to watch, even as it seems increasingly likely that the plan will succeed.Along the way, there are some interesting mixtures of personality types, some mysterious backgrounds waiting to be uncovered, and a degree of slipperiness that make it hard to be sure just who we should be rooting for. Indeed, part of the charm of this film is that there are _no_ "good guys," yet we want the thieves to get away with their crime.A nifty, thoughtful piece, with little action and no sfx (in the current sense, anyway). An added plus for some of us is a pair of fairly sexy dance numbers a 27-year-old Joan Collins does "nearly naked," as her character puts it. She was at her physical prime in this film, but don't underestimate her acting ability. She carries the sole female role with every bit as much mastery as Wallach, Steiger, and the oddly endearing Edward G. Robinson carry theirs. John Beradino (the original "Dr. Hardy" of TV's "General Hospital") has a small role, and Marcel Hillaire appears as more or less the same character he would play dozens of times in TV guest spots for the next few years.7/10, recommended if you've had your fill of explosions, CGI, or Tom Cruise.

"Seven Thieves" is an average but interesting little "rob the casino" caper, raised a level by the quality of the acting.Edward G. Robinson stars as "the professor" who masterminds a plot to rob a Monte Carlo casino. For Robinson, this represents his one last chance to make a major score before he cashes in. Rod Steiger plays on old acquaintance from the States whom Robinson tries to recruit in order to complete his team. Joan Collins, looking gorgeous, is the femme fatale and Eli Wallach as Poncho the Sax playing member of the group. Michael Dante, Alexander Scourby and Berry Kroeger round out the rest of the "Seven Thieves". Sebastian Cabot also appears as the casino director.Robinson in what amounts to a supporting role, is excellent as always. Steiger's method acting seems a little misplaced here, however under Henry Hathaway's direction, he does deliver a good performance. Collins was never more beautiful and performs a couple of provocative (for 1960) dances in a cabaret with Wallach."Seven Thieves" is always interesting but contains little in the way of physical action. There are a couple of surprises as well, but I thought the ending was a bit of a let down. Nevertheless, It is still an interesting film to watch if only see the performances of the stellar cast.