A very well made film, but I think that it falls just short of greatness.

The main item that keeps the film from reaching greatness is Robert Redford’s performance. Redford is simply not of the same caliber as Neuman, and it shows in the film. The film also would have been better without the intertitles, and the romance sequence.

So I have to dock it a star for these issues.

I dock the other star because the film itself doesn’t speak to any greater meaning or tell the audience anything about themselves. Its just a movie about some cons that we are supposed to like because they con another bad guy.

SPOILER:

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.Even the double cross scene, in which Redford gives his best acting of the film, tells us nothing about the characters because ultimately it was just to play the audience and of course Lonigan.