Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Thieves Like Us Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 15, 2023

Radiance Films is offering fans of Robert Altman a chance for a double feature of sorts with two simultaneously released efforts by the legendary auteur, though considering the fact that the two films in question are this one and O.C. and Stiggs, excitement levels might understandably be a bit muted, given that neither film is regularly considered among Altman's best efforts. In that regard, I'd certainly rate Thieves Like Us above O.C. and Stiggs. If that second named film is somewhat hilariously described in supplements on Radiance's Blu-ray release as an "anti John Hughes teen comedy", Thieves Like Us might be thought of as what Bonnie and Clyde might have been had Altman rather than Arthur Penn directed that effort, with perhaps just a soupçon of O Brother, Where Art Thou? thrown in for good measure. The result can be as ragtag as some of Altman's more undisciplined efforts, but it's frequently weirdly visceral, brought to life by yet another fascinating ensemble cast assembled by Altman.

Even some diehard Altman fans may under duress accept the fact that the first cinematic adaptation of this film's source eponymous source novel, 1948's They Live by Night, is generally considered to be the superior film version of the tale, and, frankly, no one other than Altman is probably to blame, as Thieves Like Us tends to wallow at times in certain twee aspects that frequently attend Altman's directorial efforts. Still, this tale of three prison escapees (Keith Carradine, John Schuck and Bert Remsen) has some undeniably gritty elements that may remind some of Altman's deconstructionist western McCabe & Mrs. Miller. The film offers showcases for Carradine, Shuck and Louise Fletcher in particular, with Shelley Duvall as Carradine's love interest offering yet another of her patented exercises in quirkiness.

Kino Lorber released Thieves Like Us for the Region A market quite some time ago, and there's a bit more plot information in Brian Orndorf's Thieves Like Us Blu-ray review of that version. Brian's review is also a good resource for screenshot comparisons. This release's supplements easily outstrip the Kino Lorber release.

Thieves Like Us Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Thieves Like Us is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance sent only a check disc for purposes of this review, and so I'm not privy to any verbiage about the transfer that might be included in their insert booklet, but this has some noticeable differences when compared to the Kino Lorber release, at least judging by screenshots. This release is considerably darker and I'd argue better suffused, though that darkness may contribute to a somewhat swarthier appearance in the grain field. Detail levels look generally very good throughout the presentation, though as Brian noted in his review of the Kino Lorber release, there's a certain anachronistic softness to some shots that may work against the hardscrabble grittiness of the story. Evidently as with Kino Lorber's release, this release also shows some very minor age related wear and tear.

Thieves Like Us Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Thieves Like Us features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio. The film has a rather interesting diagetic sound design, where things like radio dramas and/or news reports often play out in the background (or actually in some cases, the foreground). All of the sound effects and dialogue are presented cleanly and clearly and I noticed no defects or age related issues. Optional English subtitles are available.

Thieves Like Us Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Robert Altman Commentary


• Joan Tewkesbury (HD; 18:17) is a newly produced interview with the screenwriter.


• Keith Carradine (HD; 34:39) is a newly produced interview with the actor.


• Geoff Andrew (HD; 24:46) is a newly produced appreciation of the film and Altman by critic Geoff Andrew.


• Radio Plays

  The Shadow (HD; 28:41) offers Orson Welles in an episode from 1938 called Message from the Hill. This plays to a still from the film featuring an image of an old time radio.

  
  

  Speed Gibson of the International Police (HD; 12:25) is a 1937 episode called Arrival in Hong Kong, which plays to another frame from the film which also features an image of an old time radio.

• Trailer (HD; 1:59)


• Gallery (HD)

Radiance only sent a check disc for purposes of this review, and so I can't comment authoritatively on packaging, but it looks like this is being released with another nicely appointed insert booklet and Radiance's quasi-Obi strip on the cover.

Thieves Like Us Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of the jaw dropping surprises for me when I saw Gosford Park for the first time was how elegantly structured it was, not just in terms of the writing, but Altman's control of tone and performances. A lot of Altman efforts almost willfully reject traditional structuring, but in the case of Thieves Like Us, there's a peculiar reliance on "realism" (within certain relativistic contexts) and more outside of the box characterizations, and the result is a bit of a mishmash. There's an appealingly worn and dowdy production design that helps to establish the environment, but some of the people moving around in that environment may strike some as, well, Altman-esque, for better or worse. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable. At least for those accustomed to some of Altman's eccentricities, Thieves Like Us comes Recommended.