Thomas Crown, a wealthy businessman, arranges a robbery of a Boston bank. He organizes the crime with indirect methods, via telephones and remains a mystery to his assembled crew of five criminals. The members themselves also only know the details on a need to know basis and meet each other within the bank during the robbery for the first time and won't see each other never again afterwards.
1
Bright spotlights targeted at his potential crew during the recruiting process keeps Crown's identity a secret. He remains in the shadows. "(Crown) - No questions! What you don't know can't hurt you. … You, or me."
2
The robbers meet at the bank for the first time. Everyone knows their part and they are successful. The money is put into a station wagon and is deposited in a cemetery by the designated driver.
3
Mr. Crown is very much in control of his environment. As a boss, he's hierarchical with clear rules and a direct, yet friendly manner. His employees do respect him but are not in fear of him. Towards the competition he's sly and calculated.
4
Crown arrives at the cemetery with his Royce, he brings a bouquet and collects the money. A lot of smaller bills, unmarked, over 2 million Dollars in total.
5
The Boston police department which is in charge of solving the crime. Not a very charismatic bunch at first glance. Detective Eddy Malone is in charge of the investigation and they've got nothing so far.
6
Meanwhile we learn more about the man who is prepared to gamble and throw away all his possessions and freedom for a bank robbery. He shows a combination of strong ego and amusement over himself.
7
He's joyous. Much more joyous about himself getting away with the crime, so far, than about hedonistic pleasures. Still, he arranges a date with his mistress. "(Mistress) - Hello? -9 o'clock. It's either the Ritz upstairs or Joseph's. -Joseph's. I'm starved. -So am I… "
8
At the same time, our detective is dealing with the press, trying to be as boring as possible - probably in an attempt to bore the journalists into submission. He's the well adjusted, average man.
9
Where to with the money? Thomas Crown hops on a plane to Switzerland. Bringing as much of the money as he can in his personal luggage. Apparently the Suisse are known for never checking personal luggage on planes and to be very discreet about it anyway. Note to myself - Sunglasses keep a man unsuspicious during a passport check.
10
"(Banker) - ….What name? -Code name and a number. -And what address? -No address. -But eh.. we do not know you. -But you will do it. …. There will be further deposits. In cash, also. You see, we are both in the same business (smiles)."
11
The police and the bank's insurance company are still in the dark. Time for Vicki Anderson to fly in. An insurance investigator. She's well dressed with a posh demeanor. As it turns out, she's very intelligent too, especially the feminine kind of intelligence.
12
Detective Eddy Malone (the hat on the right) has a big grin on his face the first time he spots her at the airport but she ignores him completely during the introduction and strolls off with the insurance company agent. He doesn't look amused about that that incident. Vicki to Malone after giving her and the other agent an insincere compliment, in a calculated non-irritated voice - "How tactful you are."
13
Time for some gliding… "(Mistress) - What do You have to worry about?!? -…Who I wanna be tomorrow."
14
With the help of Vicki, the police are starting to come up with some ideas. They are looking for the money now. Because of her psychological insights* and the nature of the crime and how it was orchestrated they start to look into the business world and specifically, people who recently made trips to Switzerland and other countries where one can hide that kind of money. *To get on with the plot
15
"(Vicki) - Let's advertise. Be a thief for 25.000 Dollars…"
16
"(Vicki) - Nice…mhmm.. " "(Malone reads) - Thomas Crown, he was at the robbed bank six months ago. Real estate, currency trading, graduated from Harvard Business Administration, Socially acceptable and plenty of money, two trips to Geneva in May… 4 million Dollars, 36, divorced, she kept the children… He sounds just perfect for you."
17
Let's take some pictures. That's how you get his attention… "Eddy, I know he's our man. I know it, I feel it…"
18
She doesn't approach her man directly. She does all in her power to get his attention indirectly but he must make the first move.
19
"(Crown) - So, who's head are you after? -Yours. -Mine?!? -…Yours. -(laughs a bit nervous yet also joyous)"
20
Time for a dinner for two. "(Crown) - Always get your man? -Of course. -Think you'll get me? -… I hope so…."
21
In the meantime, they now have a lead on the station wagon driver, Ernie. Their advertising worked quite well. Since the insurance company is involved, their methods are now not always legal (stealing the car in question, kidnapping his child and blackmailing). It's the results which matter to them.
22
At the same time, Mr. Crown wants to liquidate his assets. He wants to "increase his mobility"…He's preparing for his departure, in one way or the other.
23
They now have a little talk with the driver. They want to get evidence about Crown's involvement through him. … But he can't tell them much. After all, he only knows what he needed to know.
24
Malone gets upset about his involvement with these methods and most importantly, it's because they still didn't get Crown. "(Vicki) - Alright, Eddie! I'm immoral - So is the world. And I'm here for the money. Okay?!?"
25
Let's invite Mr. Crown to the police station. Maybe the driver (sitting on the bench) can identify him. ….Alas, it didn't work….
26
At the elevator, Vicki catches up with Mr. Crown, after their plot to confront him with the driver. "(Vicki) - Like ice."
27
On their way to his "big, empty, no wife, no mother" city house. He tells her about his beach house too - His special place. "(Crown) - But you know all about that, don't you?…"
28
Vicki about the house - "-You do live… very well. Don't you? -No complaints. -…It would be a shame to have to give all this up…Wouldn't it? -…."
29
Playing some chess afterwards.
30
"(Crown) - Let's play something else…" It must have left an impression. A millionaire, charming, a sense of danger….
31
…and judging by her excellent mood the next morning, at the police station, it wasn't bad on a physical level either. But No - Vicki is a dedicated woman. She wants to get him in the 'lawful' sense too… Time to entice Thomas Crown and weaken his defenses. Having some romance and make him buckle is the name of the game…
32
That engine sound!
33
Picturesque lantern…
34
And a detective who is starting to feel jealous and finds that Vicki is enjoying herself too much.
35
Happy Birthday! You jealous fool.
36
Time to make Vicki jealous by having dinner with the mistress….
37
Detective Malone enjoys bringing her the bad news about the other woman in Crown's life.
38
That ploy to make her jealous seems to work. For the first time she's not just playing a well thought out, well controlled game of cat and mouse…
39
They are at his special place. The beach-house, the buggy, Crown and Vicki. It never got finished…
40
"(Vicki) - Tommy?.. -Mhm.. -….Did you ever bring…. anyone else here? -My wife. She didn't like the sand. -I didn't mean her.. -…Hey, listen, She was just a way of putting you in touch with yourself. -……. -I have never brought anyone here before."
41
Some good times at a local market.
42
Remembering the past… This is not a scene to advance the plot…
43
Vicki doesn't understand Crown. She does not understand his motivations. When she argues that he'll never be able to spend any of that stolen money he replies - "I've got all that I need." She wants him to make a deal. She wants to re-unite him, what he is now, with the society which he has turned on. He tells her to call her man at the police. But the answer she gets is - "(Malone) - No deals!"
44
"(Crown) - Don't you see, there is no way out. You've done too good a job, Vicki…I'm all hung up."
45
Time to think about what to do next.
46
"(Crown) - I did it once…. I can do it again. -You'r joking. -Why, it's not funny. -You'r crazy. It can't be done. -Why not? -We just can't… -Can't huh? It's not the only bank. You've got Ernie and there are four more… How do you know there is only five? (chuckles) -Why? What would it prove? Darling? You don't need the money. -It's not the money… It's not the money. It's me. It's me and the system. The system. -What about me? I just sit here? Do nothing? -That's it. … You let me try. … (starts slowly and begins to laugh out loud) -(she laughs quietly, with a sad note, with him too) -It's my funeral. You are just along for the ride. (kisses her and gets up)
47
Meanwhile, the police is putting pressure on Vicki to get some incriminating information out of him.
48
"(Crown, preparing some lobster at the fire) - Mhmm, almost done. They gonna be great! -What is this? The last supper? -… It's tomorrow… -…Where?!? -…I'll tell you where the pick up is. And you can meet me there. When it's over. Okay? -Tommy, Tommy… You can't… -Moral support. That's what I need. Moral support. -Tommy… Don't test me. Not this way. Not if you love me. -I've gotta know where you're at, Vicki. Time is running out… I've gotta know you are on my side. -(gets tears in her eyes) -No tears. Not for us! We are a pair, you and me. -(bursts out half a chuckle between her tears) -Smile. … Try.