This week I’m recommending four crime films from the 1970s and early 80s. Each one centers on a planned job, bank heists, robberies, break-ins, and none of them go smoothly. The tone across these films is lean, serious, and focused on the people involved more than the action. There’s a lot of attention to detail, and they hold up well.

Charley Varrick (1973)

Directed by Don Siegel. Walter Matthau plays a bank robber who ends up in the crosshairs of something bigger than expected. Matthau had just done more comedic work at the time, so this role stood out. Joe Don Baker plays a contract killer hired to clean things up. Lalo Schifrin did the score, which is sharp and suits the pace. It was based on the novel The Looters by John Reese.

The Anderson Tapes (1971)

Directed by Sidney Lumet. Sean Connery is a thief planning to rob an entire apartment building. The film stands out for how it handles surveillance. Almost every major character is being watched by police, by private groups, by government agencies. This was Christopher Walken’s first film. The music is by Quincy Jones, and it’s more experimental than you’d expect.

Thief (1981)

Michael Mann’s first feature film. James Caan plays a professional safecracker who wants to get out after one last job. Mann used real tools and brought in actual former thieves to advise on the technical side. The film has a cold, exact feel. The soundtrack is by Tangerine Dream. It’s shot in Chicago and uses the city well without overdoing it.

The Getaway (1972)

Directed by Sam Peckinpah. Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw star as a couple on the run after a robbery. The script was written by Walter Hill and based on a novel by Jim Thompson. The film was a big success when it came out and mixes action with slower moments of tension. McQueen did many of his own stunts. It’s one of the more polished crime films of its time.

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