Make Like a Thief

American Bart Flanigan is deported from Finland.He's suspected of a murder, and he keeps hiding while looking for the real murderer.He's helped by two Finns, Arvo Mäki and the cute singer, Marja Salo.Juokse Kuin Varas (Make Like a Thief) from 1964 is directed by Åke Lindman and Palmer Thompson.Lindman also does the role of Arvo Mäki.He does a great job, both in Finnish and English.His wife-to-be Pirkko Mannola is wonderful as Marja Salo.Richard Long is terrific as Bartley Flanigan.Aulikki Tarnanen plays Helvi Östman.Uolevi Vahteristo is Einar.Esko Salminen is Kari.Juhani Kumpulainen portrays Leonard Weston.Rose-Marie Precht plays the part of Toini Saari.Ismo Kallio is Bank manager's butler.This movie is a real curio.I saw it on TV last night, and the previous time it was shown on TV was in 1974.The movie has its lacks, obviously, otherwise it would be better known.It lacks in writing, you don't know what's going on in the movie from time to time.But it can also be quite comical, like when Bart ends up in the sauna with a few women.They don't know he's there, though.And the relationship portrayed between Bart and Marja is quite funny.She wants to marry him right after meeting him.After the movie Pirkko Mannola spoke about the movie she had almost completely forgotten.She saw the flaws, but found also a lot of good in it.I totally agree with her.

An unusual film because except for Richard Long, the lead, everyone is Finnish. Actually, this is the only look I ever had a Finland, and I did find the accents sometimes hard to get through, but the gist of it came to me just fine. Long is V. Bartley Lanigan (the "V" is a long Finnish name, since his mother was Finnish), an American in Finland trying to find his way out of the charge for a murder he didn't commit, but the one who did is in Finland. Not to be taken too seriously, it's more a romantic comedy than a mystery or crime film. It's cute for a murder mystery, just right for the versatile Long and his affinity for the light-hearted character in trouble.