THE PLOT THUS FAR
International locales, beautiful women, guest stars galore… It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever on DVD featuring all three seasons of the hit show that Cinema Retrocalled “the coolest espionage series of the late sixties.”
Smooth, suave and sophisticated, Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) is the world’s greatest cat burglar. Now, he’s plying his trade as the SIA’s most debonair spy – traipsing the globe, seducing beautiful women and embezzling fortunes, all on behalf of Uncle Sam and the U.S. government.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Alexander Mundy was the coolest of the cool, a career thief who had been given a get out of jail free card. Even though he had choosen to do burglaries for the government, there was still a hint that Mundy might go back to his old ways if he could figure out how to get away with it. The show even became more cool when they added the character of Mundy’s father who was also a career criminal.
Mundy’s new focus in life is trying to seduce his handlers and perform the occasional task given to him by Bain. Those tasks usually involve Mundy stealing something, impersonating someone, or infiltrating something and they take place all over the world. One day he may be in the United States and another in Monaco to steal some crown jewels.
The series came in went in a three year span. Sure, the first year ran with the strong premise. After that, it ran into network retooling when they realized that the premise would run thin. Supporting cast members were swapped around and in the end it turned into just another spy show in the late 1960s. Robert Wagner is a smooth man-pimp with questionable boating practices. That being said, it’s fun material that might a little too expensive for the casual buyer.
The DVD comes with interviews, original film frame, featurettes and a booklet. Plus, you get a bunch of coasters which makes no sense. Still, it’s practical and I like the approach to the release. The A/V Quality is pretty sharp with no digital overcorrection on the transfer due to remaster. Plus, you get the original cleaned up audio tracks. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
