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Released by: Kino/Jezebel
Released on: January 22, 2013.
Director: Martin Campbell
Cast: David Warbeck, Jennifer Westbrook, Henry Rayner, Diane Keen
Year: 1974
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The Movie:
Martin Campbell's directorial debut was this 1974 sexy spy spoof that begins by introducing us to a mysterious masked burglar named Grant Henry (David Warbeck). Dapper Grant has a habit of breaking into homes and stealing jewels but not before hopping up on whatever (usually married) lovely lady may be laying about the scene of the crime. A pulp novelist by trade during the day, Henry is a stud - women love him and his bedroom skills are evidently so top notch that his 'victims' - after having been ravaged by him - are unable to really describe him to the cops.
Lead by Inspector Robert Smith (Terence Edmond) and Sergeant Plinth (screenwriter Micheal Armstrong), the cops have got problems of their own to deal with but when a famous actress falls victim to the burglar's wiles, the issue can no longer be ignored. But how to catch such a coy thief? Bring in a martial artist named Judy Martin (Diane Keen), who also happens to work as an insurance inspector, to help out on the case. Judy is obviously female; however… will she be able to resist him where so many other women have failed?
The Sex Thief is pretty amusing, if fairly tame by modern standards. It's interesting to note that Campbell was obviously influenced by the success of the James Bond films popular at the time - that much is evident right from the opening credits but also apparent in the way that Warbeck handles himself on camera and in his line delivery as well. Considering that the director would go on helm Goldeneye and Casino Royale (along with a few other Hollywood blockbuster types, the most recent being Green Lantern), this maybe isn't such a coincidence.
Those who know Warbeck only from his work with the late Lucio Fulci will be impressed with the amount of charisma he shows here. He plays the part of the slick thief very well, oozing charm and handling himself with the proper amount of confidence to make the role his own. His character robs not out of necessity but primarily for the thrill of it, and the actor seems to be having a lot of fun with the part. The supporting cast is enjoyable as well, particularly the females on hand, most of whom undress for him at one point or another, with Keen's inevitable nude scene standing as the highlight though the presence of the lovely Gloria Walker, later to be seen in Norma Warren's Inseminoid, can't go unnoticed.
Nicely edited and well put together from a technical standpoint, the movie is colorful and quirky and set to an energetic score. It's more than a little hokey but you can't fault a seventies sex comedy for that, rather, it's to be expected. Interestingly enough writer/actor Michael Armstrong would go on to later infamy with Eskimo Nell and Mark Of The Devil.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The Sex Thief looks good on Blu-ray in AVC encoded 1080p high definition framed at 1.66.1 widescreen and mastered from the original 35mm negative. As it has been with most of the Kino pickups from Redemption (or in this case, Jezebel), it doesn't appear that the movie has undergone any seriously intensive restoration but the elements used here were obviously in pretty nice shape to begin with so outside of some minor specks and a couple of small scratches, there's nothing to be concerned about. Detail is solid as is texture and color reproduction looks nice and natural. There are no issues with compression artifacts evident nor are there any obvious examples of either edge enhancement or noise reduction. All in all, this is a nice film-like transfer that should make the film's fan base pretty happy.
The only audio option on the disc is an DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track in the film's original English language, no alternate language or subtitle options. This isn't a particularly exciting track but for an older Mono mix, it leaves little room for complaint. The levels are nicely balanced, the dialogue is easy enough to understand and distortion (you'll hear it in the opening theme song) or hiss does make it into the mix is minimal. The score sounds good as well, it's got some nice punch behind it when the movie asks for it.
There are no extras at all, not even a trailer or a still gallery, just a static menu offering a 'play' button and chapter selection.
The Final Word:
The Sex Thief turns out to be a nicely made little diversion, a fairly charming sex comedy with a great performance from Warbeck, loads of slick style and a fun supporting cast. The Blu-ray might be as barebones as they come but it looks and sounds just fine and fans of seventies sexploitation pictures from the UK should certainly consider this one - there's a lot to enjoy here.
