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Harry in Your Pocket

Harry in Your Pocket (1973)

September. 23,1973
|
6.3
|
PG
| Drama Comedy Crime

A master thief and his drug-addicted partner teach two aspiring crooks how to steal wallets.

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Reviews

FirstWitch
1973/09/23

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

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BelSports
1973/09/24

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

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Nayan Gough
1973/09/25

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

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Portia Hilton
1973/09/26

Blistering performances.

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Scott LeBrun
1973/09/27

Michael Sarrazin plays Ray Haulihan, a hard working but not typically efficient pickpocket, who lifts the watch of Sandy Coletto (Trish Van Devere) one day in a train station. This act sort of binds them together, and since they're both now in need of some finances (in going to confront him, she left her other valuables vulnerable), they go to meet with Casey (Walter Pidgeon), who's recruiting members for a team of thieves that will be masterminded by Harry (James Coburn, smooth as always). Casey and Harry are veterans of the pocket picking game, and therefore experts, who teach the young couple everything there is to know about it.Much of the joy here lies in learning the lingo and watching the Harry / Casey / Sandy / Ray team in action as they finally start to gel. Tony Giorgio, who has a small role as a detective, served as the technical adviser, and the whole premise is fascinating enough to reel viewers in, with the presentation by writers James David Buchanan & Ronald Austin and producer / director Bruce Geller remaining largely matter-of-fact and fairly low key for the duration. Although this was marketed as a comedy, "Harry in Your Pocket" is actually pretty serious most of the time, although it's not without laughs. It benefits greatly from location shooting on a few American and Canadian locations (Seattle, Salt Lake City, Victoria) and good, straightforward storytelling, not to mention a wonderful music score by the ever dependable Lalo Schifrin. Hairstyles and fashions may help to date the film, but this is never a big distraction.The quartet of principal actors all shines. Van Devere is very, very sexy, and Coburn is compulsively watchable as usual. But Pidgeon is a special treat as the endearing old timer who unfortunately happens to have a cocaine habit. (He also played a pickpocket in his penultimate film, "Two-Minute Warning".) Top character actor Michael C. Gwynne ("Payday", "The Terminal Man") has a one scene role as a fence.A very fine film, overall, that deserves to be better known. It was the only theatrical filmmaking effort for Geller, better known as a TV veteran who'd created the classic series 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Mannix'.Eight out of 10.

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tomsview
1973/09/28

Before "The Sting", "House of Games" or "The Grifters", there was "Harry in Your Pocket".When amateur thief, Ray Haulihan (Michael Sarrazin) teams up with Sandy Coletto (Trish Van Devere), they get the chance to work in a 'wire mob' with a couple of pickpocket pros: Harry (James Coburn) and Casey (Walter Pidgeon). At first, Harry, who has many rules, only wants the attractive Sandy to provide distraction while he picks the pockets of his marks, but soon Ray learns the trade and their lives become entwined, leading to big changes for them all.This is an absorbing movie with a moral dilemma at its core. As the movie plays out, both Ray and we, the audience, learn the art of pickpocketing, and we end up on the side of the likable, but disconcerting set of criminals. As the team plies their trade, there does not seem to be the slightest degree of remorse over their victims. Although they only target wealthy-looking marks, our moral judgement is also suspended; when one of the team is caught through an accident, we feel that he is the victim.Sandy and Casey are the warm heart of the film while Ray and Harry test each other for alpha male status – and Sandy. Ray is the novice who does not seem entirely suited to a life of crime. Harry is beyond cool. Steve McQueen was the 'King of Cool' at the time, but Coburn, wearing Ray Bans as though he was born with them on, gave him a run for his money with this film.Interesting locations along the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada open the film out. Lalo Schifrin contributed a breezy score that accompanies the well-choreographed stings on the streets – the lightness of the score also seems to give us permission to identify with the crew.This may have been the first film to feature this kind of con to such a degree. A similar wire mob sequence was one of the best things in 2015's "Focus" with Will Smith and Margot Robbie. In that film, the veteran con artist also teaches the novice how to be successful in a life of crime – it's a formula that worked well for both films."Harry in your Pocket" is over 40 years old now – credit cards were just beginning to replace cash – but it doesn't seem particularly dated. It's a movie that still won't disappoint too many people.

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Milan
1973/09/29

Harry in your pocket is not a lost masterpiece but more of a lost movie of the decade that was famous for it's crime genre cinema. It's one of the better Coburn films of the 70's and pretty decent all around. All four principal characters take the equal burden of the story, which never becomes boring, predictable or tedious. There are some great scenes that show us the tricks of the trade, but every bit of it remains interesting to the end. Walter Pigeon and James Coburn lead the way in a story of life on a day to day basis, never looking beyond tomorrow, and doing a job that might just take you down in flames, so enjoy it while you can. And they do, best clothes, best hotels, best food and coke, but never in one place for more than a week. Michael Sarrazin and lovely Trish Van Devere are great as well as a no future lovers who immerse themselves in Harry's combustible world of fast money and quick pleasures. The job is risky and takes it's toll, that's how it goes and the ending serves the story. I don't know why this movie wasn't released on DVD but it surely deserves the attention of all fans of 70's cinema. Find and enjoy.

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hipchecker20
1973/09/30

A terrific Coburn vehicle. Great job by Walter Pidgeon showing why he lasted so long as a supporting player. The scenes in all of the various western cities are great.Showing people who strive to learn an ancient "trade" rather than work for a living! I really enjoyed this. It adds so much to Coburns' legend.How else do you live in fancy hotels and meet beautiful people unless you have a real secret of success.Always remember, "Harry doesn't carry."Coburn is certainly a guy I will miss.

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