Thieves Like Us

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Thieves Like Us

R

Released Feb 18, 1974

2h 3m

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In this Robert Altman period drama, Bowie (Keith Carradine) is an escaped convict who embarks on a crime spree with fellow former prisoners Chicamaw (John Schuck) and T-Dub (Bert Remsen). While in hiding between bank robberies, Bowie meets a young woman named Keechie (Shelley Duvall), and the two quickly fall in love. A life of crime doesn't sit well with Keechie, however, so she and Bowie try to settle down, but the law is determined to bring him to justice.

Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Altman, revisiting territories already familiar from his McCabe & Mrs Miller, here uses the past – this time the Great Depression – as a prism to America’s present, while finding warts-and-all sympathy for the nation’s marginalised outlaws.

Jul 6, 2023

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Judith Crist

New York Magazine/Vulture

It is, is, perhaps, the most demanding of his recent films -- but as always, the demands are justified and rewarding.

Oct 2, 2019

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Robert Altman finds a sure, soft tone in this movie, from 1974, and he never loses it.

Dec 8, 2014

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George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This poor man's Bonne and Clyde deals with a boring handful of two-bit bank robbers in Depression Mississippi. It is suitably depressing.

Sep 24, 2024

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Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

The film was made at a time of upheaval and convulsion, even chaos, qualities that the master improviser Altman thrived on. The period’s rebelliousness undoubtedly played a role in making Thieves Like Us one of his most compelling films.

May 30, 2024

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Katie Hogan

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

Altman lulls us into a crime story but opens us up to a romance baked in and it makes the most unexpectedly delightful film, even if the tragedy at the end brings us back to reality.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 19, 2023

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dave s

Probably one of Robert Altman's least Altman-like films, Thieves Like Us isn't up there with the best that he has to offer, but it's still a pretty decent offering. Set in Mississippi during the Great Depression, convicted murderer Bowie (Keith Carradine) escapes from prison with two other felons. The trio embark on a spree of bank robberies, but when Bowie falls for the strangely child-like Keechie (Shelley Duvall), he is forced to reexamine his values and priorities. While the film feels a bit dated stylistically (check out the handful of fast zooms, for example), it does a good job capturing the flavor of the times with great locations, costumes and period details. While it compares unfavorably to other crime films from around the same time (Bonnie and Clyde, Badlands), it remains respectable and memorable, thanks in large part to Duvall's strangely affecting performance.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

The best gangster romance movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

Weird. But good! The Bowie character is especially enjoyable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Audience Member

nice but only once. very 70-th in mood, colours and directing

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

Pretty good. Not Altman's best though, and it's not as good as the book though (obviously).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

Very disappointing movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

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Robert Altman

Director

Keith Carradine

Bowie

Shelley Duvall

Keechie Mobley

John Schuck

Elmo (Chicamaw) Mobley

Bert Remsen

T-Dub Masefield

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Synopsis

In this Robert Altman period drama, Bowie (Keith Carradine) is an escaped convict who embarks on a crime spree with fellow former prisoners Chicamaw (John Schuck) and T-Dub (Bert Remsen). While in hiding between bank robberies, Bowie meets a young woman named Keechie (Shelley Duvall), and the two quickly fall in love. A life of crime doesn't sit well with Keechie, however, so she and Bowie try to settle down, but the law is determined to bring him to justice.

Director: Robert Altman
Producer: Jerry Bick
Screenwriter: Robert Altman, Joan Tewkesbury, Calder Willingham
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, George Litto Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 18, 1974, Original
Release Date (DVD): Apr 17, 2007
Runtime: 2h 3m