Rough Cut is a 1980 American heist film written by Larry Gelbart,[3] directed by Don Siegel,[3] and starring Burt Reynolds, Lesley-Anne Down and David Niven.

[3] Jack Rhodes, a rich American living in London, attends a party and meets Gillian Bromley, an attractive woman who is also a thief.

Gillian confesses that she steals for the thrill, and also displays her skills at high speed driving.

Gillian is being coerced by Chief Inspector Willis, a veteran Scotland Yard detective who knows Jack is really a diamond thief and is determined to catch him before his impending retirement.

He dislikes his initial choice of getaway driver, a mercenary living in Amsterdam, and recruits Gillian as replacement.

The robbery goes ahead as planned, Jack's team divert the private jet carrying the diamonds to Amsterdam, where he and Gillian intercept the shipment and escape following a high speed car chase.

Meanwhile, Willis, who had travelled to Antwerp, discovers that a duplicate plane flown by Jack's team has delivered a package of worthless quartz and retires in disgrace.

"[4] In 1977 it was announced Burt Reynolds would star in a film of the book called Rough Cut based on a script by Larry Gelbart, produced by David Merrick and directed by Blake Edwards.

"Even if it didnt turn out well I'd get to throw away my Levis and cowboy hat and wear some decent clothes for a change," the actor said.

[12] Merrick fired Siegel several weeks into filming and hired British filmmaker Peter R. Hunt.

"I've done more in three days than Henry Kissinger did in three years," said Reynolds, adding that "I'll never get myself in a situation like this again.

[17] Merrick used a rough cut of the film as collateral to raise money for his famed Broadway production of 42nd Street.

[18] David Niven later sued Merrick for $1,791,000 claiming his likeness was not used in advertisements and publicity.

"[21] Gelbart quipped, "as someone once said, all you've got to do with a Burt Reynolds picture is keep it in focus and it's bound to make you $50 million.

Roger Ebert gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4 and wrote, "It's fun, it's slick and it's carefully put together, but it's more of an exercise than an accomplishment.

"[22] Variety declared, "Miraculously, all of the [production] difficulty does not result in a disjointed feeling in the picture.

"[23] Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, "Once the movie gets into the caper itself, which occupies the last quarter of the picture, 'Rough Cut' suddenly acquires its identity as an action film, but it's nearly too late.

"[24] Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times stated, "At its least, 'Rough Cut' is a sleek and featherweight care-lifter.

"[26] Gary Arnold of The Washington Post called the film "all too aptly titled," explaining that its "principal flaws are Don Siegel's stiff-jointed direction and a lackluster plot.