Watch The Burglar

The Burglar is a 1957 film noir directed by Paul Wendkos and starring Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield, and Martha Vickers. The film follows a group of criminals who plan a heist on a wealthy household, but things go wrong when they encounter unexpected obstacles along the way. The film begins with Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea), a professional burglar, and his team planning a heist on a luxurious mansion. The wealthy household seems to be the perfect target for the group, which includes a safecracker, a driver, and a young woman named Gladden (Jayne Mansfield), who is eager to participate in the burglary despite her lack of experience. However, things don't go as planned when they discover that a security system has been installed in the house, making it much more difficult to break in undetected.

As the group tries to find a way to bypass the security system, they encounter other unexpected obstacles that threaten to ruin their plans. Meanwhile, Gladden becomes increasingly infatuated with Harbin, despite his cold and distant demeanor. Her feelings create tension within the group and threaten to compromise their mission.

The Burglar is a classic film noir that features all of the hallmarks of the genre, such as complex characters, a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, and a plot full of twists and turns. Dan Duryea gives an excellent performance as the lead character, playing Harbin as a calculating and unemotional master thief who is constantly one step ahead of the law. Mansfield, in one of her earliest film roles, delivers a solid performance as Gladden, a young woman who is both naive and daring.

The film also features excellent cinematography by Don Malkames, who uses light and shadow to create a dark and brooding atmosphere that perfectly complements the gritty story. The scenes inside the mansion are particularly well shot, and the use of the security cameras adds an extra layer of tension to the heist.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Burglar is its exploration of the relationships between the characters. Harbin is a man who is defined by his single-minded focus on his work, but his interactions with Gladden reveal a more vulnerable side to him. Gladden, meanwhile, is a character who is torn between her desire to impress Harbin and her growing realization that she may be in over her head. Martha Vickers, who plays a supporting character named Della, provides a counterpoint to Gladden's impulsive nature, and her level-headedness helps to keep the group grounded.

Overall, The Burglar is a well-crafted film noir that is definitely worth watching for fans of the genre. Its exploration of the relationships between the characters adds an extra layer of depth to the story, and the cinematography is excellent. While it may not be the most well-known film from this era, it is definitely one that deserves more attention.

The Burglar is a 1957 crime movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.