Harry in Your Pocket (1973)

Sick Product of a Sick System

Good concept, poorly executed.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

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.

I liked this film, but contemporary viewers might find it somewhat less than exciting. Viewers who weren't around in the early '70s are liable to be distracted by the bad fashions and bad hair of the day, even though this film is relatively conservative in that respect. Sex and violence do exist in the film, but by today's standards are extremely mild. The main characters, in any case, are portrayed superbly. All four actors who play these roles are charismatic, each in his or her own way. I thought the ending of the film was a little disappointing, although it undoubtedly was meant to send a message. This is a film that needs to be rated according to the standards of the time. While categorized as a comedy, it is far more serious than amusing.

This is a nice film that would have to be made by an independent today because it wouldn't have the blockbuster potential studios are looking for. Or the studio would add too much sex and violence to appeal to today's targeted demographics.As someone who first saw Walter Pidgeon as Cinderella's father when I was 9 years old, it was a shock to see him as a drug sniffing thief when I was in college. The scene where he gets caught was heartbreaking. He and Coburn are so smooth here you almost feel sorry for Sarrazin and Van Devere. They may look better but Coburn and Pidgeon are the better actors.The story is interesting because you don't see many movies about pickpockets. Heck, everything i know about pickpocketing I learned from this movie. They made it look easy and fun, or at least easy once you spend a lot of time practicing.One thing I've always wondered is how many people became pickpockets after watching this movie. At least it's better than other forms of crime.I hope it comes out on DVD since it's better than a lot of the stuff the studios put out today.

Sure missed this film over the years and was very glad I was finally able to view it on TV. James Coborn, (Harry), "Intrepid", played the role of a master at the art of pickpocketing and also had a side kick, Walter Pidgeon, (Casey) "Funny Girl" who gave a great supporting role. Michael Sarrazen, (Ray Houlihan) "Feardotcom" was starting out as an apprentice to this field of putting your hands in other peoples pockets. Trish Van Devere, (Sandy Coletto) "Messenger of Death", was also in on this racket and her lover was Ray Houlihan. Trish would wear very very short skirts and bend over to distract young and old men in order to enable her co-workers to pick their pockets dry. This four some went from city to city and had a ball doing whatever they pleased. This is truly a great classic film from 1973 with James Coborn at the top of his career and his supporting cast were outstanding. Enjoy