The Thief (1952)

The Thief is a 1952 American film noir crime film directed by Russell Rouse and starring Ray Milland. The film is noted for having no spoken dialogue; the only verbal communication present in the film is represented through closeup shots of two telegrams.

Director – Russell Rouse

Writers – Clarence Greene (written for the screen by), Russell Rouse (written for the screen by)

Cast –
Ray Milland as Allan Fields
Martin Gabel as Mr. Bleek
Harry Bronson as Harris
Rita Vale as Miss Philips
Rex O’Malley as Beal
Rita Gam as the Girl
John McKutcheon as Dr. Linstrum
Joe Conlin as Walters

Watch “The Thief” (1952)

Plot

Dr. Allan Fields is a nuclear physicist employed by the United States Atomic Energy Commission in Washington, D.C. He has a secret second job as a spy working for an unnamed foreign power.

Through elaborate tradecraft, Fields, as ordered by his case officer, takes sets of photos of top-secret documents, using a Minox camera, and passes these through a network of foreign-power couriers to New York City, and thereafter overseas to an enemy country. The latest canister of microfilm which Fields sends out is intercepted by authorities after the courier is killed in a freak traffic accident in Manhattan, with the undeveloped microfilm canister in his hand. The FBI develops the microfilm, analyzes its contents, and constructs a list of probable suspects within the AEC, one of whom is the custodian of the subject document, whom Fields observes being taken away for interrogation at FBI headquarters.

The custodian is apparently cleared of espionage charges, and the FBI moves its focus to his subordinates at AEC. Fields is the prime suspect. His case officer sends him a “flash message”, in a Western Union telegram, ordering him to destroy all his spycraft apparatus and to move into a safe house in New York City.

Now scared and paranoid, Fields stays overnight in the safe house, a cheap hotel. Receiving a “signal” from his case officer on the hotel’s hall phone, he proceeds to the Empire State Building, meeting his contact, Miss Philips, on the 86th-floor observation deck. An alert FBI agent spots Fields and pursues him, first to the 102nd-floor observation deck, and then to the spire. The two men fight, and the agent falls to his death. Fields exits the building with his “escape”, a package of money and false identity documents which will get him out of the country, but he has been shaken by the sight of the dead agent, and feels remorse.

Fields finally breaks down after realizing what he has done, destroys his escape, and surrenders to the FBI the next day.