The Burglar (1957)
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56% of users liked it
(92 ratings)
Professional burglar Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea) and his two associates, Baylock (Peter Capell) and Dohmer (Mickey Shaughnessy), set their sights on wealthy spiritualist Sister Sarah (Phoebe Mackay), who has inherited a fortune -- including a renowned emerald necklace -- from a Philadelphia financier.… More Professional burglar Nat Harbin (Dan Duryea) and his two associates, Baylock (Peter Capell) and Dohmer (Mickey Shaughnessy), set their sights on wealthy spiritualist Sister Sarah (Phoebe Mackay), who has inherited a fortune -- including a renowned emerald necklace -- from a Philadelphia financier. Using Nat's female ward, Gladden (Jayne Mansfield), to pose as an admirer and case the mansion where the woman lives, they set up what looks like a perfect break-in; even when Nat's car is spotted by a couple of cops, he bluffs his way through, gets the necklace, and makes the getaway. But the trio -- plus Gladden -- can't agree on how to dispose of the necklace, and soon their bickering becomes a lot less important than the fact that someone is on to what they've done -- a woman (Martha Vickers) is working on Nat, while a man (Stewart Bradley) is working on Gladden. Equally serious, the trio kills a New Jersey state trooper while on their way to warn her. And among the cops chasing them is one with larceny in his heart and murder on his mind. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
- Directed By
- Paul Wendkos
- Written By
- David Goodis
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1957 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com
An underrated and overlooked gem, The Burglar is a very stylized film for a B movie. Wendkos uses striking camera angles and far-out set pieces to frame what is essentially a psychological story about family loyalty.
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Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
...sordid world of twitchy crooks, flophouse hideouts, duplicity as a way of life, and an atmosphere dripping in sexual longing and lust, with fractured, jagged storytelling...
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Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
Not the perfect crime, but not a bad movie.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The film succeeds as a visual feast...
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
Cast
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Dan Duryea
as Nat Harbin
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Jayne Mansfield
as Gladden
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Martha Vickers
as Della
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Peter Capell
as Baylock
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Mickey Shaughnessy
as Dohmer
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Wendell Phillips
as Police Captain
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Phoebe Mackay
as Sister Sara
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Stewart Bradley
as Charlie
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John Facenda
as News Commentator
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Frank Hall Crane
as News Reporter
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Steve Allison
as State Trooper
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Andrea McLaughlin
as Gladden as a Child
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Michael Rich
as Person
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Richard Emory
as Harbin as a Child
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Bob Wilson
as Newsreel Narrator
