Thomas Crown Affair (Norman Jewison, 1968): USA

This classic known as the Thomas Crown Affair was featured in the film festival because of the pure genius of the director, Norman Jewison. This gives the example to future directors of what elements one’s film should be like. The cast of actors include the famous Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen that portray the beautiful investigator and the cunning mastermind behind the crime(s) of the century.

The significant scenes featured during the robberies and the editing with cut up shots that are aligned neatly on the screen, made the film come together within the same time frame between all the characters. One other fantastic shot is performed by Thomas Crown’s character in flight with a bright yellow plane looping upside down without a care in the world. The cinematography was incredibly arranged by Haskell Wekler and was amazing to see tracking shots used on the floor during the first act, after the robbers had escaped from the bank while throwing a stick of tear gas that was colored in orange smoke.

It’s no wonder that the crime/drama/thriller/romance of Thomas Crown Affair had won an Oscar back in the day. The fantastic editing shows cross cutting between five different shots within one shot as well as fill the screen with ten shots up to twenty-five shots within one scene. Rainbow traces that are created around the actor’s first kiss between Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. All made possible by Hal Ashbury, Byron’Buzz’ Brandt, and Ralph E. Winters whom were the editors.

The sound was very uniquely to the opening credits of the film with the song,”The Windmills of your mind” performed by Noel Harrison. The voice off in the first act makes an introduction of Thomas Crown unseen due to the lighting and shadows about to make the deals for each of the robbers individually in small hotel room.Tom Dowing which is the music editor creates the the non-diegetic sound and music that was scored by Michael Legrand whom was the composer for the film. The sound effects used was done also with bank alarms and the sound of smoke from the tear gas bombs which complimented the robbing scene nicely.

The develpoment of is of a perfect crime without consequences which was in the form of a five day span. The patterns were of the consistant cut up shots from the four robbers or of Thomas Crown. Multiple kalidascope shots that gave more depth of what was taking place at different moments of the robbery. Norman Jewison conducts a world of the upper class that is ruled by men that take charge and one woman trying to unravel a mystery of crime and motive of an upper class mastermind robber.

I personally had my first viewing of the Thomas Crown Affairon the big screen and I’m really pleased to write that because I can really appreciate all the work that was put into it. Alan Trustman whom was the screenwriter really had a phenomenal piece of work that Norman Jewison projected into a work of art that went beyond the format of film.