"LE COUP/ LE CASSE / THE BURGLARS" -1971

"LE COUP/ LE CASSE / THE BURGLARS" -1971
Was one of my favorite movies growing up, this was my father's favorite movie too. The thought of this film bring me back to the time when the entire family was glued to the TV set, also I really loved the soundtrack by Ennio Morricone.
"The Burglars" (was the title we grew up with), started out with a "hi-tech" break-in to a luxurious home in Greece, the intruders used the technology of 1971 to figure out the combination and created a duplicate key to the safe; stealing priceless jewelry.
Omar Sharif plays Abel Zacharia a crooked policeman assigned to the case; he would do anything to catch Jean-Paul Belmondo, our hero- the burglar, BUT not for justice, but to take the jewels for himself.
My mother and mine scene was when Sharif visits Belmondo at a restaurant and treats him to a sensational gourmet meal. For the next 5 minutes the Belmondo and the audience were introduced to various Mediterranean delicacies and the screen was filled with shots of the kitchen preparing the meal as Sharif explained the recipes and each dish, taking the viewer away from the plot and into short tourists video.
Later Belmondo meets Lena played Dyan Cannon an exotic dancer, who brings Belmondo back to her beautiful apartment; decorated with fur floor covering, mirrors on the ceiling and we were first introduced to the amazing "CLAPPER"!
I remember the audience in the theater going ooh and ahh as The Clapper was demonstrated in a love scene and later a very funny scene too.
With a great sound track, beautiful scenery and a fantastic 10 minute car chase featuring a parade of nuns, made this movie a must see!