Thief, 1981 (© Park Circus)
Thief
The Loner
USA 1981
Director: Michael Mann DCP | Original English version
Frank is a professional jewel thief who has just been released from prison. He longs for stability, love, and a future with Jessie. But the world he lives in makes a fresh start nearly impossible. When a lucrative opportunity for one last big heist presents itself, Frank is drawn deeper and deeper into a violent underworld. Thief establishes themes and stylistic signatures that Mann would return to again and again throughout his career. Frank is an early prototype of the men who shape Mann's cinema—from Neil McCauley in Heat to Vincent in Collateral—characters who adhere to personal codes rather than conventional moral standards. At the same time, the film establishes Mann's unmistakable visual style, characterized by rain-soaked cityscapes, neon-lit nights, and a precise attention to sequences and processes. Thief already heralds the signature of a filmmaker with a singular and enduring vision.
Supporting film: Kneecam No. 1
Director: Matthias Fritsch
Germany 2001 | 4 min | HD video | No dialogue
Friday, May 29, 2026, 8:00 p.m.
Blue Salon, Room 012, HfG Karlsruhe
Free admission, donations welcome
