NOLTE STEALS THE SHOW IN 'THE GOOD THIEF'.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

IN NEIL JORDAN'S boozy, breezy ``The Good Thief,'' Nick Nolte plays Bob Matagnet, a hard-luck case who everyone loves - even if his reputation seems as phony as the Picasso hanging on his bedroom wall. Bob is an American expatriate living in the south of France, a true believer in the power of luck, which makes it all the more sobering when he loses all of his.

Even though he says he wants to die in an old folks' home and not a jail, Bob, a dope addict and thief of questionable prowess, tries for one last haul, putting to good use his third rule of gambling: Always play the game to the limit. Damn the consequences.

To the credit of both Jordan and Nolte, we love Bob just as much as everyone in the movie. And that counts for a lot. Long after we've stopped caring about the mechanics of the heist and all the double-crosses, we still want to spend time with this charismatic smooth talker with the sandpaper voice and weathered visage. ``The Good Thief'' plays to Nolte's strengths just as much as ``The Quiet American'' showcased Michael Caine's formidable talents. For Nolte, this fun romp is close to a career best.

The movie itself is a remake of Jean-Pierre Melville's New Wave precursor ``Bob Le Flambeur,'' a world-class charmer that you should hunt down, particularly if this film piques your interest. Melville called his movie a ``love letter to Paris,'' and, in many ways, Jordan's film is just as equally enthralled with the French Riviera. Oscar-winning cinematographer Chris Menges turns nighttime Monte Carlo into a feast for the eyes, beautifully contrasting the cobalt blue sky with the azure sea and town's white, white lights, creating images that would stir the soul of even the bile-filled Francophobe.

In addition to changing the setting, Jordan has Bob and his crime associates planning two heists, a fake one and a real one, the former covering for the latter. It's an interesting gimmick, even if it doesn't quite stick. What keeps us going is the characters and their banter. The supporting cast is, without exception, first-rate, including Tcheky Karyo (the French scientist in ``The Core'') as a paternal policeman keeping an eye on Bob and newcomer Nutsa Kukhianidze as a teenage beauty whom Bob saves from prostitution.

Kukhianidze's casting gives Jordan the opportunity to indulge in a favorite theme, having a world-weary man taking care of a lost girl (``Mona Lisa,'' ``The Crying Game''). And then there's Bob's lingering Catholicism, another Jordan perennial. Sitting in a church, Bob tells his police friend the story of the good thief, the man hanging on Christ's right side during the Crucifixion who asked for forgiveness. ``Today, you shall be with me in paradise,'' Jesus told him.

Bob says it was a story his mother told him as a child. He doesn't believe it, but clearly the part about paradise has lingered all these years. And even though it looks like he has hit bottom, Bob never stops believing that paradise - courtesy of a great run of luck - might still be around the corner. What's more, you believe him. No wonder everyone loves hanging around the guy.

THE GOOD THIEF - Three and one half stars

(R: language, sexuality, drug content, some violence)

Starring: Nick Nolte, Tcheky Karyo, Nutsa Kukhianidze.

Director: Neil Jordan.

Running time: 1 hr. 49 min.

Playing: Landmark Regent in Westwood; Laemmle Sunset 5 in West Hollywood.

In a nutshell: Nick Nolte is perfection in Neil Jordan's boozy, breezy remake of ``Bob Le Flambeur.''

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Nick Nolte keeps an eye on would-be prostitute Nutsa Kukhianidze in ``The Good Thief.''