This film about a heist of a casino in Monte Carlo is graced by three giants of the film industry, Edward G. Robinson, Rod Steiger, and Eli Wallach. Steiger in particular gives his multi-faceted performance superb shading and sensitivity in the development of his relationship with Edward G. Robinson, whose performance, as always, is stellar. Rod Steiger is incapable of giving a bad performance, but his touching reactions when the character played by Robinson dies at the end of the heist is one of the best portrayals you will ever see an actor give in any film. Joan Collins part is a bit overdrawn, especially with the unnecessary exposition at the beginning where she dances at the strip joint, but her participation later lends gravitas and poignancy to the dramatic line. See this film for the performances of Steiger, Wallach and Robinson if for no other reason. I have watched it five times and never miss it when it is shown on TV. The power and pathos of Steiger's performance make it work the watching, time and again.

It seems like only yesterday that the gang and myself went to see this SEVEN THIEVES picture. It was playing at our local movie show,The Ogden Theatre at 63rd & Marshfield, here in Chicago. It was a Double Feature with THE PURPLE GANG, a production from Allied Artists (formerly known as Monogram Pictures, a long time resident of Hollywood's Poverty Row.The advertising stated that it starred "........Edward G.Robinson(Little Ceasar) and Rod Steiger(Al Capone)." Gangster films were enjoying a renewed popularity at that time. AL CAPONE was released the prior year and did okay at the Box Office. Desilu Playhouse had aired the two part "THE UNTOUCHABLES", which led to the weekly series.Well, my 13 year old mind thought that we were seeing something that would be like 'Little Ceasar Meets Al Capone!" We all left the show giving the 'thumbs up' to THE PURPLE GANG, but not really caring for SEVEN THIEVES. Small wonder, when a bunch of kids see a picture like this that will have a lot of material that was really "TWA"(over our heads).Well, only a few months ago this former guttersnipe saw SEVEN THIEVES again. This time I understood it, I think.Billed as "The Robbery That Rocked Monte Carlo!" It is a caper film, and a very good one at that. It has a fine cast, in addition to Mr. Robinson and Mr. Steiger, Joan Collins, Elli Wallach, Sebastian Cabot, Alexander Scourby, et al.Anyone would enjoy this film. It's well worth seeing, and our old gang would heartily agree.

Considering the talent involved, this was an incredibly boring film. I'm not a guy who needs CGI, explosions, and car chases for a film to be exciting...how about some crisp, witty, intelligent dialog? I love a good character study as much as the next film fan, but these characters were too shallow, vague, and "mysterious" to be anything beyond one-dimensional. The attempt at mysterious pasts fell flat because they never went anywhere and had no bearing on the caper or its aftermath. Every chance the gang members had at challenging Rod Steiger's authority fizzled into quiet subservience immediately. The "tension" during the heist was forced and unrealistic, with obstacles overcome much too neatly. This seemed more like a TV episode of "It Takes A Thief" or, as another reviewer suggested, "Mission: Impossible". Even the worst episode of either of those series was more enjoyable than this film.Other reviewers found the plot "complicated". Can't figure that one out, as it is the most straightforward plot imaginable, with a clear avoidance of any meaningful twists and turns. And the "twist" ending fell completely flat because it had no bearing on anything that came before it. All it generates is a shrug of the shoulders and a yawn before the abrupt and pat ending. Lost opportunities to push the envelope, generate legitimate tension, create plot twists, and stir up human drama.The acting held only one surprise: Rod Steiger. This is the only film I've seen him in other than "On The Waterfront" where he is not chewing up the scenery with wild, over-the-top acting. He actually quiets things down and gives a mostly tight and controlled performance...choosing his outbursts selectively, rather than making his entire performance one long outburst as he usually does. Joan Collins was very pretty, but she is given nothing to do and every opportunity to use her character to stir up trouble in the group, or create a surprise twist with the heist is avoided at every possible chance. And they throw in a couple of dance numbers to "spice" up the movie, but the choreography is dreadful and she's not in rhythm to the music, so it is not erotic or sexy in the least...one just wants her to stop. I was willing to sit through one dance number as a way of introducing her character (eventhough we're already quasi-introduced to her in a meaningless café scene), but when they toss in the second dance number, there is no point other than time filler. Her acting was good...it's a shame the script didn't give her something substantial to do. The rest of the cast does a serviceable job, but again, there is nothing much for anyone to do. Top honors must go to Mr. Robinson, of course. There is no question that he radiates genuine star quality, and he is an absolute joy to watch. When he's not on, the movie becomes an endurance test until he is back on the screen again.OVERALL: Missed opportunities left and right, boring script, complete lack of tension, a director & script that undermine the drama at every turn, but gets a hearty three out of ten stars strictly for Mr. Robinson's performance.

Seven Thieves is an intricately plotted and well acted caper yarn. It combines beautiful Monte Carlo setting with seven distinct characterization. A host of international professionals are on hand including Edward G. Robinson, Eli Wallach, Sebastian Cabot, Alexander Scourby, Berry Kroger, Marcel Hillaire, John Berardino, and most of all, Joan Collins and Rod Steiger. Collins, generally not one of my favorites, gives a marvelous performance, surprisingly reminiscent of Sophia Loren. Steiger starts the movie off being belligerent and one-note, so much so, that I wasn't certain I would continue watching. But, soon we gradually see why Edward G. wants him on his team so badly. Next, things get very taut and laced with whimsy and dry humor.If you enjoy caper films that make you think, watch this one.