lost-in-limbo
Another enjoyably hearty Burt Reynolds vehicle to the long-winded comedy caper list, but making it more a welcoming ride is a strong cast along side him with David Niven, Lesley-Ann Down and Patrick Magee. Director Don Siegel serviceably lets it flow without much structure, as the crafty story has its twists and turns with its clever façade before finally revealing its trump cards. An aging Scotland Yard detective Chief Insp. Cyril Willis is coming towards retirement, but before calling it a day he has plans of capturing Jack Rhodes an American jewel thief that throughout his career has always been one step ahead. So in comes a beautiful lady, which is part of the plan to nab his man. But what blossoms is unexpected.Tailored like an old-fashioned romance comedy, "Rough Cut" is all about a laconically lounging Reynolds sweeping the gorgeous Lesley Ann-Down off her feet, while finding some time to organise a quick in and out heist of some diamonds. Sometimes the tone can be jumpy, but everything feels like its on cruise-control with Siegel's automatic handling, especially when it comes to the excitement and dangers of the job. The witty script is where the rapid fire comes from. However the action when it arrives is masterfully shot. It's smooth and magnetic, just like the performances. The interplay between the cast works. Reynolds plays it dry and confident. A sexy Down is a complete delight and Niven only adds to the wilily fun.
grickards55-1
This a brilliant film, a sophisticated comedy thriller in the 'North By Northwest' and 'To Catch A Thief' mould. I have always thought that Burt Reynolds was at his best in comedies, and his performance in this delightful film proves my point. David Niven adds his usual strong support in the role of the craft Chief Inspector Cyril Willis, (What a great name), and Lesley-Anne Down adds the required sophistication and glamour in necessary quantities. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Patrick Magee as the Nazi pilot. The script is extremely literate and funny, and the locations are glamorous and sophisticated. A great movie that I hope will come out on DVD. I musn't forget Nelson Riddle's brilliant score, orchestrating the work of Duke Ellington into a remarkable and hummable score. Can anybody please tell me if a soundtrack exists for this brilliant film? Also, who originally sang the song, 'Boogie, Let's Boogie'? Any help really will be appreciated. Thanks, Gaz.
fandangonoir
Yes, the poster for this film. The neat image of sparkling, cut diamonds slipping through Burt Reynolds fingers. That's pretty much all I liked about this flick. Burt stars as a jewel thief who pulls off a heist in jolly old England. There's a very dated scene where one of the guys in Burt's crew shows of his collection of Nazi memorabilia. Nice. Not. But the Nazi dude then does his part in the caper working alongside the token black dude in the crew, so I guess the character's more liberal minded than the average Nazi. Don Siegel is usually a kickass director (i.e. Dirty Harry etc.) but he isn't here. Skip this film, you'll thank me in the morning, dear...over 'n' out...
gridoon
Very ordinary indeed. There is almost nothing to separate this film from dozens of similar capers. There are bits of sophisticated dialogue and phlegmatic humor, but most of the time the film comes off as a poor imitation of its superior predecessors (Hitchcock's "To Catch A Thief" comes to mind). Unfortunately, director Don Siegel is not in top form and the film often feels too low-key and lacks energy. But Reynolds's charm is at its zenith here, and his pretty good byplay with David Niven provides some funny moments.
AD
