Once a Thief
Synopsis
Set in Hong Kong and Vancouver, the story follows Mac Ramsey and Li Ann Tsei, lovers and professional thieves who are separated while fleeing the powerful Hong Kong underworld crime lord who raised and trained them. After being imprisoned in Hong Kong, Mac is forcefully recruited into a clandestine international crime-fighting unit by a hard-nosed, menacing Director. He is teamed in Vancouver with Li Ann, who thought Mac was dead, and her new fiancé Victor Mansfield, an ex-cop who is attracted to the unorthodox methods of the agency. Conflict flares between Mac and Victor as the trio take on their assignment. They soon learn that their principal target is their foster brother Michael Tang, who had been given Li Ann as his future wife and who has vowed to hunt down the pair for their disloyalty to the "family".
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
September 29, 1996
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Woo
- Screenplay & Story
- William Laurin, Glenn Davis
- Original Score
- Amin Bhatia, Michele Worth
- Original Title
- Once a Thief
- Country of Origin
- Canada
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Woo
William Laurin, Glenn Davis
Amin Bhatia, Michele Worth
Bill Wong Chung-Piu
David Wu
Department Leadership Roster
William Laurin
Writer
Glenn Davis
Writer
John Woo
Director
Bill Wong Chung-Piu
Director of Photography
David Wu
Editor
Betty Thomas Quee
Stunt Coordinator
Amin Bhatia
Original Music Composer
Michele Worth
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Once a Thief.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Once a Thief.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Once a Thief
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Once a Thief about?
Set in Hong Kong and Vancouver, the story follows Mac Ramsey and Li Ann Tsei, lovers and professional thieves who are separated while fleeing the powerful Hong Kong underworld crime lord who raised and trained them. After being imprisoned in Hong Kong, Mac is forcefully recruited into a clandestine international crime-fighting unit by a hard-nosed, menacing Director. He is teamed in Vancouver with Li Ann, who thought Mac was dead, and her new fiancé Victor Mansfield, an ex-cop who is attracted to the unorthodox methods of the agency. Conflict flares between Mac and Victor as the trio take on their assignment. They soon learn that their principal target is their foster brother Michael Tang, who had been given Li Ann as his future wife and who has vowed to hunt down the pair for their disloyalty to the "family".
Who directed Once a Thief?
Once a Thief was directed by John Woo.
Who stars in Once a Thief?
The principal cast of Once a Thief includes Sandrine Holt, Ivan Sergei, Nicholas Lea, Robert Ito, Michael Wong.
When was Once a Thief released and how long is it?
Once a Thief was released in 1996 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
Who composed the musical score for Once a Thief?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Once a Thief was composed by Amin Bhatia, Michele Worth.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Once a Thief?
Once a Thief holds official age classifications: US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).