Customer Reviews

Honor Among Thieves

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Updated *** At the time this review was originally written, Amazon had this DVD listed with an aspect ratio of Fullscreen. However the DVD is now listed with an aspect ratio of 1.66:1 ***

A classic 4 star old style 1960's thriller with good performances from Alain Delon and Charles Bronson. However, do not be fooled by Lionsgate's marketing department DVD cover art, this is in no way a Bronson action film such as The Mechanic, Mr Majestyk, Stone Killer, Death Wish or any number of other 1970's/1980's action rolls Bronson took on. This movie is for one third of its running time, a two man show with Alain Delon and Charles Bronson trapped inside a bank vault with little dialogue at times. Honor Among Thieves is one of four 1968 movies Bronson made in Europe after his big break in The Dirty Dozen the previous year. This one was made in France and as such is very typical of the type of movies being made in that time period. Honor Among Thieves is a small scale thriller reliant on characters with little to no action but does show that Bronson as an actor had more to offer than the simple action man roles that he ended up being type cast in. If you enjoyed other non action Bronson outings such as Twinky, Someone Behind The Door or Cabo Blanco then you will probably enjoy Honor Among Thieves also.

This movie has been out on Region 2 DVD for 3 years now under its European title "Farewell Friend". The Region 2 DVD is from a Studio Canal master with an excellent transfer to DVD with an Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen. This Lionsgate DVD has been presented in full screen.

It's good to see semi-respectable studio releases of some of these lesser know Bronson outings on DVD and perhaps Lionsgate may also get the distribution rights with decent DVD transfers for Rider On The Rain, Guns For San Sabastian, You Can't Win'Em All, Telefon or the two Bronson movies Paramount Pictures hold the rights to, When Hell Broke Loose and Villa Rides. This is 2007, 10 years since DVD first hit the market and still we have not seen DVD releases of Run Of The Arrow, Target Zero or A Thunder Of Drums.

Bronson and Delon fair much better here than in their second collaboration, Red Sun. But then again, much of Honor Among Thieves has the pair trapped in an office building, which allows for actual chemistry to develop between their respective characters. The interaction between Bronson and Delon add immeasurably to the charms of this cool, low-key thriller. But the Essex/D-Vision DVD is terrible. It looks to be mastered from an old videotape, and maybe not a complete one. Towards the end, there's what seems to be a jump cut. Nothing significant, but annoying if you've seen the film before, giving an odd sense that something is missing.

For me one of the best gangster films ever made this film shows great action with terrific playing stars Charles Bronson and Alain Delon. The quality of this Essex Entertainment/D-vision Edition of the film is horrible. Its somewhere between black and white and coulor picture in the quality of a bad video pirate copy. The voices of the actors seem to sound out of a deep cellar. There are no additional features even no chapter choice or sound setup. Its not worth buying this edition but to hope, that some company is going to remaster the picture and will publish a better edition of this great gangster classic.

Farewell Friend aka Adieu L'Ami/Honour Among Thieves isn't perfect but it is a neat and entertaining thriller that sees mismatched demobbed French Algerian War veterans Alain Delon and Charles Bronson trapped in the same basement vault, one to return stolen bonds, the other to clean out the two million in wages sitting there over the Christmas weekend. Naturally things aren't quite that simple even after they open the vault, leading to some neat twists and turns. On the debit side, there's a very bizarre striptease scene in a car park, Bronson has a very irritating Fonzie-like catchphrase he uses at the most inopportune moments, Brigitte Fossey, sporting perhaps the most hideously misconceived hairstyle of the 60s (it makes her look like a bald woman whose wig is blown back off the top of her head by a high wind), is something of a liability - her "I'll cook spaghetti! I'll learn to make love well! I'll read Shakespeare!" speech is hysterical in all the wrong ways - and it's a shame about the horrible last line/shot, but otherwise this is a surprisingly entertaining and unpretentious number that's worth checking out if you can find a decent print.

While LionsGate's Region 1 NTSC DVD is fullscreen, those with multi-region might want to seek out Cinema Club's UK PAL DVD, released as 'Farewell, Friend.' It only offers the English soundtrack, but since Delon voices himself and the rest of the cast are fairly well dubbed that's no great problem, especially since the widescreen transfer is pretty good quality.

I, personally like this movie, the story is sample but interesting.Specially, the scene that the chief inspector bet with one of the thief for the true story.Unforturnally, the quality of the movie is horible. it's smear, out of focus, and the voice is broken from time to time.I wonder my dvd is original one or a copy? my family really disappoint a lot. my last thing to said is: the story is good, interesting but the quality of movie is awful

Farewell Friend aka Adieu L'Ami/Honour Among Thieves isn't perfect but it is a neat and entertaining thriller that sees mismatched demobbed French Algerian War veterans Alain Delon and Charles Bronson trapped in the same basement vault, one to return stolen bonds, the other to clean out the two million in wages sitting there over the Christmas weekend. Naturally things aren't quite that simple even after they open the vault, leading to some neat twists and turns. On the debit side, there's a very bizarre striptease scene in a car park, Bronson has a very irritating Fonzie-like catchphrase he uses at the most inopportune moments, Brigitte Fossey, sporting perhaps the most hideously misconceived hairstyle of the 60s (it makes her look like a bald woman whose wig is blown back off the top of her head by a high wind), is something of a liability - her "I'll cook spaghetti! I'll learn to make love well! I'll read Shakespeare!" speech is hysterical in all the wrong ways - and it's a shame about the horrible last line/shot, but otherwise this is a surprisingly entertaining and unpretentious number that's worth checking out if you can find a decent print.

Cinema Club's UK PAL DVD only offers the English soundtrack, but since Delon voices himself and the rest of the cast are fairly well dubbed that's no great problem, especially since the widescreen transfer is pretty good quality (the Region 1 release from LionsGate is fullscreen).

BRONSON & DELON ARE TWO MERCINARIES WHO LEAVE THE ALGERIAN WAR TO LIVE CILVIAN LIFE. WHEN FATE BRINGS THEM TOGETHER AGAIN WHEN THEY ARE TRAPPED IN A PATROL SECURED OFFICE BUILDING. DELON IS TRYING TO MAKE A PROMISE TO A DECESED FRIEND WHILE BRONSON JUST WANTS THE MONEY FROM SAFE LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT. THE CHEMISISTY BETWEEN THE TWO LEADS IS THERE IN THIS TOP NOTCH SUSPENSE THRILLER.

I REMEMBER SEEING THIS FILM WHEN I WAS IN MY TEENS, AND, LIVING IN GERMANY. I'VE ALWAYS FOUND CHARLES BRONSON TO BE A GREAT "TOUGH GUY" ACTOR, AND AT THAT TIME, I REMEMBERED IT AS BEING VERY SUSPENSEFUL. I HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO FIND IT ON TAPE OR DVD, SO, WHEN IT BECAME AVAILABLE, I GOT IT RIGHT AWAY. I WILL ADMIT THAT IT LOSES A LITTLE DUE TO THE ERA IT WAS MADE, BUT, I STILL THINK IT'S A GOOD PERIOD PIECE THAT STANDS UP PRETTY WELL. IF YOU'RE A BRONSON FAN, YOU WILL PROBABLY ENJOY THIS FILM, IN SPITE OF THE OLD 70S STYLES!

This movie has another title called Farewell Friend, it is played with French actor Alain Delon, it may seem a little long during a particular sceen but the movie is great overall.

The movie was good with a surprise ending but was slow in the middle of the movie.