The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)

The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)

Taglines: What’s up with Ryan, now?

The Thief Who Came to Dinner movie storyline. Computer programmer Webster McGee (Ryan O’Neal) is so bored at his job that he begins a sideline career as a thief. When he steals incriminating documents from a local tycoon named Henderling (Charles Cioffi), Webster blackmails his victim into helping him up the social ladder. Soon he finds himself hobnobbing with the fast set and falling in love with with a beautiful socialite (Jacqueline Bisset). Everything would be great if a dogged insurance investigator (Warren Oates) weren’t on to him.

The Thief Who Came to Dinner is a 1973 American comedy film directed by Bud Yorkin. Based on the novel by Terrence Lore Smith, the film stars Ryan O’Neal and Jacqueline Bisset, with Charles Cioffi, Warren Oates, and in an early appearance, Jill Clayburgh.

The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)

About the Story

Bored and somewhat fed up with the open corruption around him, Webster McGee decides to quit his job as a computer engineer at Houston-based Control Data Corporation. What he doesn’t tell his friends and now former associates is that he does have a plan for his future: to become a jewel thief. His initial primary motivation is not the money, but rather be what he considers an honest thief.

His first successful theft against corrupt businessman Gene Henderling leads to several things. Out of circumstance, Webster is able to have a long list of potential future targets. Webster begins a relationship with poor but beautiful socialite Laura Keaton, to who he is open about what he now does as a living.

Because he leaves at his thefts a calling card in the form a chess piece and a slip of paper with a chess move, Webster, being coined the Chess Burglar by the media, begins a very public chess match with the Houston Post’s elitist chess columnist Zukovsky, who dismisses the Chess Burglar as an amateur in every respect of the word.

But most importantly, Webster becomes the only suspect as the Chess Burglar by insurance investigator David Reilly, to who Webster taunts as indeed being the Chess Burglar short of coming right out and saying the words. Another outcome of Webster’s relationship with Dave is that Webster’s ex-wife, actress Jackie Johnson, reenters his life, she who left a boring computer engineer, but who is interested in a relationship with an exciting jewel thief.

The Thief Who Came to Dinner Movie Poster (1973)

The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)

Directed by: Bud Yorkin
Starring: Ryan O’Neal, Jacqueline Bisset, Warren Oates, Jill Clayburgh, Charles Cioffi, Ned Beatty, Austin Pendleton, Gregory Sierra, Michael Murph, John Hillerman, Alan Oppenheimer
Screenplay by: Walter Hill
Production Design by: Polly Platt
Cinematography by: Philip H. Lathrop
Film Editing by: John Horger
Costume Design by: Polly Platt
Set Decoration by: Audrey A. Blasdel
Music by: Henry Mancini
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: March 1, 1973

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