The Thomas Crown Affair: Did this one really need a remake?

I've heard people speak highly of the 1968 'classic' The Thomas Crown Affair. Add to that the fact that it was deemed worthy of remaking in 1999 with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo and I just had to check it out.

And I gotta ask: What's the big deal?

The movie stars Steve McQueen as the titular (wow, that sounds dirty) Thomas Crown. He and a bunch of other guys pull off a heist because ... well, because Thomas Crown got bored. He ends up being chased by the beautiful (and oddly non-titular) Vicki Anderson, played by Faye Dunaway. She's an insurance investigator who's willing to go to great lengths to ... *ahem* ... get her man.

I've heard it said that this was one of Steve McQueen's favorite movies to make. And I can see why. About 110% of the movie is Thomas Crown flying, driving, or whatnot with the latest thrill-seeking vehicles and simply having fun. Sure he's going to enjoy filming that. That doesn't mean I give two Twinkies about watching it for an estimated five hundred minutes straight.

Booooriiiiing.

Even the interactions between McQueen and Dunaway don't keep my interest. Which is too bad. They're fine actors in their own right. The director too. Norman Jewison directed, for instance, Fiddler on the Roof. And as dour and depressing as it gets, I find it always much more interesting than this one. McQueen's been in better movies as well.

However, I do have a movie from Dunaway's filmography that I'm thinking of talking about in my Rightfully Forgotten series of reviews.

But back to this snooze fest.

I just don't get it. What makes people remember this one at all? Let alone fondly. Now, I haven't seen the Brosnan remake, but as I see it, the only reason to remake this one is to prove to the world that you can do better. But since that one is ranked under even the original at IMDB, I don't think I'll be testing out that theory.

It's not a terrible movie. Just dull and boring.

I just don't get it.

This one gets a 5 / 10.

The Thomas Crown Affair is listed as rated R "for some sexuality and violence", but at IMDB, it's also rated at TV-PG, so you tell me what to call it.

Or don't, and we'll call it good.

Or not.