Great Caper/Heist Films
The caper (or heist) film can be one of the most entertaining genres, as you watch an intricate plan unfold, go wrong, and succeed. These films can be great dramas or fantastic comedies, with the odd romance thrown in on top. Also included are a few tv series in which the caper aspect is a key component and a few about con artists, with their own capers.
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- DirectorJohn HustonStarsSterling HaydenLouis CalhernJean HagenA major heist goes off as planned, but then double crosses, bad luck and solid police work cause everything to unravel.This noirish tale of a heist features an incredible group of actors, including some, like Sam Jaffee, who would find themselves blacklisted for their politics. It's a rather dark and cynical tale, in keeping with the noir atmosphere.
- DirectorCharles CrichtonStarsAlec GuinnessStanley HollowaySidney JamesA meek bank clerk who oversees the shipment of bullion joins with an eccentric neighbor to steal gold bars and smuggle them out of the country as miniature Eiffel Towers.Ealing comedy, starring Alec Guinness. Guinness is a quiet, competant man who shepherds gold shipments for a bank. However, he is being pushed out of the job; so, he concocts a plan to steal the gold on his last run. He assembles a rather odd group of criminals and pulls off the perfect crime, until he loses the gold! Hilarity ensues as Guinness and his partner try to retrieve the gold and elude the police. Audrey Hepburn makes a small cameo in the film.
- DirectorJules DassinStarsJean ServaisCarl MöhnerRobert ManuelFour men plan a technically perfect crime, but the human element intervenes...Legendary French crime film, with an intriquite robbery at the center of the plot. This is also a dark tale and was highly influential, both for its style and for its heist scenes.
- DirectorAlexander MackendrickStarsAlec GuinnessPeter SellersCecil ParkerFive oddball criminals planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians.Alec Guinness stars in another Ealing comedy, where a group of criminals masquerades as an orchestra to throw an old woman off the scent, while they plan a robbery. Of course, things go wildly wrong. Herbert Lom appears, long before he would be plagued by Clouseau. The film was remade by the Coen Brothers, with Tom Hanks.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantGrace KellyJessie Royce LandisA retired jewel thief sets out to prove his innocence after being suspected of returning to his former occupation.No so much a caper film, though it involves a cat burglar. Cary Grant is a retired thief who is hired to catch another thief who is targeting jewels owned by Grace Kelly's mother. This Hitchcock piece is a classic love story, but also an excellent thriller.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsSterling HaydenColeen GrayVince EdwardsCrook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.One of Stanley Kubrick's earliest films, complete with a heist at the center of the plot. This is another noir film, but stylishly shot.
- DirectorJean-Pierre MelvilleStarsRoger DuchesneIsabelle CoreyDaniel CauchyAfter losing big, an aging gambler decides to assemble a team to rob a casino.French crime thriller about a down on his luck crook, who plots to rob a casino on Grand Prix weekend. From Jean-Pierre Melville, a master of crime films.
- DirectorMario MonicelliStarsVittorio GassmanMarcello MastroianniRenato SalvatoriA motley quintet of inept small-time thieves attempt the burglary of a local pawnshop in this Italian farce.An Italian caper farce.
- DirectorBasil DeardenStarsJack HawkinsNigel PatrickRoger LiveseyA disgruntled veteran recruits a group of disgraced colleagues to perform a bank robbery with military precision.Not as well known on this sode of the "pond;" but, it's an exciting film. Jack Hawkins leads a group of WW II army veterans in a scheme to rob a bank delivery, using military precision. All of the men have found that civilian life is far less exciting than their war days and each one is easily persuaded. The film is filled with great character actors, including a youngish Richard Attenborough.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsEdward G. RobinsonRod SteigerJoan CollinsA motley crew of professional thieves plans the robbery of a Monte Carlo casino vault.Edward G. Robinson leads a group of criminals as they plot to rob a Monte Carlo casino. Made around the same time as Ocean's Eleven, but with more skilled actors.
- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsFrank SinatraDean MartinSammy Davis Jr.Danny Ocean gathers a group of his World War II compatriots to pull off the ultimate Las Vegas heist. Together the eleven friends plan to rob five Las Vegas casinos in one night.The Rat Pack star in this infamous film, where they try to rob multiple Las Vegas casinos. The acting is rather broad, but it's played straight. It's better than Robin and the Seven Hoods, as the Rat Pack films go.
- DirectorBlake EdwardsStarsDavid NivenPeter SellersRobert WagnerThe bumbling Inspector Clouseau travels to Rome to catch a notorious jewel thief known as "The Phantom" before he conducts his most daring heist yet: a princess' priceless diamond with one slight imperfection, known as "The Pink Panther".Blake Edwards' wild comedy features Peter Sellers in his first appearance as the hapless Inspector Clouseau. David Niven plays the jewel thief, Sir Charles Lytton, a sort of modern Raffles, who is after the Pink Panther diamond, which is in the company of a North African princess. This one is a bit less slapsticky than the films of the 70s, basing the comedy more on character. Other actors would play Clouseau, until Sellers and Edwards were enticed to return to the series, including Alan Arkin.
- DirectorJohn SturgesStarsSteve McQueenJames GarnerRichard AttenboroughAllied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.Not really a caper film, but it shares the same elements, as we watch an elaborate plan unfold to dig a series of tunnels to aid a mass escape of Allied POWs. The film is based on a true story and features great character performances from an all star cast.
- DirectorJules DassinStarsMelina MercouriPeter UstinovMaximilian SchellA conman gets mixed up with a group of thieves who plan to rob an Istanbul museum to steal a jewelled dagger.An interesting cast of international actors, including Peter Ustinov and Maximillian Schell, headline this film, about an attempt to steal a jewelled dagger from the Topkapi Palace, in Istanbul. Ustinov is the odd man out in this gang. The intricate nature of the break-in would heavily influence the tense scenes of the Mission Impossible series.
- DirectorGuy HamiltonStarsSean ConneryGert FröbeHonor BlackmanWhile investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.Gert Frobe is the criminal Auric Goldfinger who plots to steal the gold in Ft Knox. James Bond, who already has had a run in with Goldfinger, is assigned to investigate gold smuggling by the villain. Along the way, he discovers Goldfinger's true plans. The best of the Bond films, more crime story than spy thriller, though at grandiose levels. Honor Black is the infamously named Pussy Galore.
- DirectorAndré HunebelleStarsJean MaraisLouis de FunèsMylène DemongeotThe best men of France - a brave journalist and an extremely energetic commissioner - attack the trail of a mysterious criminal mastermind.Jeam Marais stars in a dual role as the supercriminal Fantomas and the journalist Fandor. Fantomas plots to steal a fortune in jewels from a museum, right under the nose of Inspector Juve.
- DirectorMarco VicarioStarsRossana PodestàPhilippe LeroyGastone MoschinAn international gang of thieves, led by Albert the Professor and his seductive assistant Giorgia, use meticulous planning to steal seven tons of gold from the Swiss National Bank in Geneva.Fun Italian caper film, about an international team of crooks, led by a genius professor. The gang is stealing gold from a Zurich bank, right under their noses. Plenty of fun and more than a bit of sizzle from the female lead, Rosanna Podesta. Of course, there are double-crosses upon double-crosses. Followed by a sequel.
- CreatorBruce GellerStarsPeter GravesBarbara BainGreg MorrisAn elite covert operations unit carries out highly sensitive missions subject to official denial in the event of failure, death or capture.Each week, the IMF crew would pull off some elaborate con or theft, often involving infiltrating secure areas, or creating false realities. Discovery is always just around the corner. It was great in the early years, but lost much of its charm when it became less about spies and more about fighting "the syndicate."
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsAudrey HepburnPeter O'TooleEli WallachThe daughter of an art forger teams up with a burglar to steal one of her father's forgeries and protect his secret.Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn star in this romantic comedy. Hepburn's father is an art forger, carrying on a family tradition. The family is in danger as their priceless statue, on loan to a museum, is about to be valued for insurance, which will reveal that it is a fake. Hepburn blackmails O'Toole, who had broken into her home before being caught by Hepburn, into helping her find a way to steal it. Along the way, the two fall in love. Eli Wallach and Kenneth Griffith round out the cast.
- DirectorRonald NeameStarsShirley MacLaineMichael CaineHerbert LomAn English cat burglar needs a Eurasian dancer's help to pull off the perfect heist, but even the most foolproof schemes have a way of backfiring.Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine plot to steal a jade bust from Herbert Lom, in North Africa. The film starts with the robbery, which goes off like clockwork, only to be revealed to be Caine's imagination. he soon finds that reality is far different, starting with a rather talkative Shirley MacLaine. The film is a lot of fun and there is also a nice romance at the center.
- DirectorMarco VicarioStarsPhilippe LeroyRossana PodestàGastone MoschinThe Professor (Leroy) and his men are captured by U.S. agents during an attempted train robbery. To avoid jail, they must kidnap a Latin dictator. The film is filled with cool sci-fi gadgets, including flying jetpacks. Austin Powers would love this fast moving, groovy sci-fi intrigue thriller. Podesta is a wow! From nice color 16mm print.The Seven Golden Men return and are blackmailed into aiding the CIA to depose a Carribean dictator. Guess which one? Along the way, they hijack a shipment of gold meant to finance the dictator, leading to a battle between factions that has to be seen to be believed. Not quite as good as the first film but still very entertaining.
- DirectorGiuliano MontaldoStarsJanet LeighRobert HoffmannKlaus KinskiTo pull off a daring diamond heist in Rio during Carnival, a retired schoolteacher hires four professionals who must contend with a revolutionary alarm system and a taciturn secretary.Edward G Robinson is a retired professor who masterminds a robbery of a Brazillian diamond company. The heist is carried out by an international group, including Klaus Kinski. Janet Leigh is a woman who is romanced to gain a key, to get access to a vault. Great caper, topped off with a surprise ending.
- DirectorHoward MorrisStarsJim HuttonDorothy ProvineMilton BerleA mint worker accidentally destroys some money and decides to break in and reprint it, but finds he has some unwanted partners.Jim Hutton stars in this lightweight, but entertaining comedy. Hutton works at the US Mint, in Washington and has accidently taken a bag of money (believing it to be horrible fudge) home and destroyed it in a garbage disposal. He enlists the aid of a retired worker, a deaf safecracker, a conniving Milton Berhle, ice cream salesman Bob Denver, Joey Bishop, and Victor Buono to break into the mint, print enough money to make up the discrepancy, and a little more to cover expenses. However, greed takes control and things go haywire. Along the way, we have sunken boats, pregnant basset hounds, and a wild chase through Washington. At the center is a charming romance between Hutton and Dorothy Provine.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsSteve McQueenFaye DunawayPaul BurkeA debonair, adventuresome bank executive believes he has pulled off the perfect multi-million dollar heist, only to match wits with a sexy insurance investigator who will do anything to get her man.Steve McQueen is a wealthy man who likes to pull jobs on the side. Faye Dunaway is an investigator who is looking to trap him. Along the way, a romance develops. Noted for its scenes of a seductive chess game and the theme song, The Windmills of You Mind, which is more recited than sung (and which I hate with a passion). The film would be remade with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, directed by John McTiernan.
- CreatorRoland KibbeeStarsRobert WagnerFred AstaireMalachi ThroneThe adventures of suave cat burglar Alexander Mundy, who plies his trade for the U.S. Government.Robert Wagner stars as a thief who finds himself stealing for the government in theis tv series.
- DirectorJack SmightStarsPaul NewmanSylva KoscinaAndrew DugganIn 1943, a group of captured Allied military can't agree on an escape plan, The allies headquarters develop a plan and send in a man who they hope is captured, to coordinate the captives' escape.Paul Newman plays a hapless GI, with a penchant for escaping from the stockade. He finds himself promoted to major general to lead a group of allied brigadier generals out of a posh Italian prison camp, set up in an Italian countess' villa. Allong the way, Frigg must confront the social gap between himself and the other generals, try to romance the countess, and deal with much nastier German soldiers. This one is more caper than war film.
- DirectorAntonio Isasi-IsasmendiStarsGary LockwoodElke SommerLee J. CobbA casino blackjack dealer plots with his girlfriend and a group of criminals to hijack and rob an armored car carrying a $7 million in cash while it's in route between Las Vegas and Los Angeles.Gary Lockwood stars in this film, about an attempt to steal the contents of a super armored car. Lockwood and his team ambush the truck in the desert between LA and Las Vegas, and spirit it away to a hidden bunker, where they work to open it up. However, the gang soon turns on one another. The film has many great moments; but, it ends up a bit disjointed.
- DirectorPhil KarlsonStarsDean MartinElke SommerSharon TateGold bullion worth USD 1 billion has been stolen from a hijacked train in Denmark. The main suspect is Count Massimo Contini. The US government sends Matt Helm, one of its top agents, to investigate and recover the gold.Nigel Green hijacks a load of gold bullion and secret agent Matt Helm is hot on his tail. The last of te Dean Martin spy films and a step up from the previous Ambushers. Also features Chuck Norris in a minor role.
- DirectorPeter CollinsonStarsMichael CaineNoël CowardBenny HillA comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.Michael Caine stars in this legendary British caper film. Caine is Charlie Croker, fresh out of jail and looking to rob a gold shipment from the Italian government. With the blessing of crime boss Noel Coward (from inside a prison) Charlie and his mottley crew (including Benny Hill as a computer expert with a rather large fetish) carry out a plan that involves a high speed chase, in Mini Coopers, through the streets and other parts of Turin. It blows the bloody doors off! Later remade with far less style, with Edward Norton and Mark Wahlberg. The surprise ending would later spawn a competition to devise a solution to the crook's dilemma.
- DirectorArnold LavenStarsBurt ReynoldsAngie DickinsonClint WalkerA widow hires an ex-gambler to retrieve gold bars from a sunken river boat in Colorado and discreetly return them to the Federal Mint, from where they had been stolen by her dead husband.Fun little Western caper film, with Burt Reynolds and Angie Dickinson. Angie wants Burt to help her recover gold her late husband stole and return it to the US Mint. I saw this when I was a child and loved it. It's a nice twist, in that the gang has to break into the mint to return the stolen material. The closest thing to it was Who's Minding the Mint?
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenJanet MargolinMarcel HillaireThe life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.Hilarious Woody Allen film about a hapless criminal. One of the best parts is a plot to rob a bank that ends up being the target of another gang, plus Allen's attempt to escape from prison with a gun carved out of soap. Unfortunately, he picked a night when rain is forecast, with hilarious consequences. One of Allen's funniest films.
- DirectorJean-Pierre MelvilleStarsAlain DelonBourvilGian Maria VolontèAfter leaving prison, master thief Corey crosses paths with a notorious escapee and an alcoholic former policeman. The trio proceed to plot an elaborate heist.Excellent French heist film, with much to recommend. Owes a debt to Rififi, like so many heist films.
- DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsClint EastwoodTelly SavalasDon RicklesA group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines in WWII France to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.Clint Eastwood leads a group of soldiers on their own mission behind the German lines, as they try to steal a bank vault-load of gold bullion from under the noses of both the Germans and the advancing US Army. The film is filled with great character actors, like Donald Sutherland, Harry Dean Stanton, Telly Savalas, and Don Rickles.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsRobert RedfordGeorge SegalRon LeibmanDortmunder and his pals plan to steal a huge diamond from a museum. But this turns out to be only the first time they have to steal it...Robert Redford stars in this adaptation of the Donald Westlake Dortmunder novel. Redford and george Segal try to steal a diamond, but find that they may have to do it more than once. Westlake's Dortmunder is a career criminal with bad luck and a favorite of mystery and crime readers, though they are far more humorous than his Parker novels.
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.Not so much a heist film as an elaborate con. Paul newman and Robert Redford set out to pull off a con of mobster Robert Shaw, in retaliation for the murder of a mutual friend and grifter. They assemble a team to pull of "The Wire." Meanwhile, Redford is dodging a mob hitman and a corrupt Bunco cop and the Feds want Newman for a stock swindle, involving a US Senator. This stylish film is loaded with great character actors, a smart script, and Marvin Hamlisch's interpretation of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer."
- DirectorGower ChampionStarsGeorge C. ScottJoanna CassidySorrell BookeA motley crew of criminals plans to rob a Los Angeles bank that's temporarily located in a mobile home during renovations.Geroge C Scott stars in this very light version of a Donald Westlake novel. A bank has been temporarily relocated to a trailer, while work is done on a new building. The thieves decide to steal the whole bank!
- DirectorBlake EdwardsStarsPeter SellersChristopher PlummerCatherine SchellInspector Jacques Clouseau is put on the case when the Pink Panther diamond is stolen, with the Phantom's trademark glove the only clue.Someone has stolen the Pink Panther Diamond again, and the MO points to the retired Sir Charles Lytton (Christopher Plummer). Lytton sets out to find the real thief, while Clouseau attempts to catch him. Meanwhile, Clouseau finds himself the target of an assassin. Along the way, we have hilarity in Swiss hotel rooms, wild chases in North Africa, and subtle and not so subtle homages to Casablanca. Very entertaining film.
- DirectorVal GuestStarsTelly SavalasPeter FondaHugh O'BrianA five-man team of professionals undertake a daring robbery at a diamond mine.Peter Fonda is a security officer for a South African diamond mining operation. Someone has been attempting to infiltrate the compound and smuggle out diamonds. Fonda is tasked to go undercover and find out who's behind it; but ends up framed as a crook. He finds himself with a group of mercenaries who have been hired to infiltrate the grounds and break into the vault that holds the diamonds. The cast includes Telly Savalas, Maud Adams, Hugh O'Brian, OJ Simpson, Ian Yule, and the late Christopher Lee. It's a bit weak here and there; but, it's a pretty decent caper film.
- DirectorTed KotcheffStarsJane FondaGeorge SegalEd McMahonWhen a successful, middle-class couple finds themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.Delightful caper comedy, with Segal as a newly fired aerospace executive and Fonda as his wife. After attempts at finding legitimate work fail, the couple turns to crime, where they prove equally inept. However, they learn and get better, leading them to target the safe at his former place of work, which is filled with a slush fund for bribing prospective clients and politicians.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsPeter FalkPeter BoyleAllen GarfieldA fictional retelling of the infamous Boston Brink's Company robbery on January 17th, 1950, of $2.7M, and cost the American taxpayers $29M to apprehend the culprits with only $58,000 recovered.Peter Falk leads a mottley crew of crooks in an attempt to knock off a Brinks depot, based on a true story. The gang soon discovers that Brinks' reputation isn't what it seams. The film is a bit uneven, but has some fine actors. Currently available as a manufacture-on-demand dvd.
- DirectorMichael CrichtonStarsSean ConneryDonald SutherlandLesley-Anne DownEngland, 1850s. A master criminal aims to rob a train of a large sum of gold. Security is incredibly tight and the task seems an impossible one. However, he has a plan and just the right people to carry it out.Author Michael Crighton directs this adaptation of his novel, based on an actual Victorian robbery. Sean Connery is the crook, who is looking to steal a gold shipment to pay the British army in the Crimean War. Donald Sutherland is a safecracker and lockpick. Together, the plot to copy four separate keys to the train safe. Then, they have to figure how to get on the train, get into a locked baggage car, open the safe, remove the gold and escape. The robbery itself is an exciting affair, carried out on a moving train in Ireland. Tragedy nearly struck the production at a bridge.
- DirectorMartin BrestStarsGeorge BurnsArt CarneyLee StrasbergThree friends living on the dole decide to rob a bank.George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Srassberg star in this tale of three old pensioners who plot a robbery. Great fun from a cast of old pros.
- DirectorGeorge P. CosmatosStarsRoger MooreTelly SavalasDavid NivenA World War II adventure involving a group of Allied P.O.W.s, Nazis, black market priceless art treasures, Greek resistance, a Greek monastery, and a secret German rocket base.Minor film from George Cosmatos. A group of Allied POWs, in Greece, plot to keep artifacts from falling into German hands. they are eventually conned into trying to rip-off gold treasure, locked inside a monestary, with the help of the Greek resistance. There are secrets galore and the monastery holds more than the expected treasure. Lots of fun, with a decent cast.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsYasuo YamadaEiko MasuyamaKiyoshi KobayashiA dashing thief, his gang of desperadoes and an intrepid cop struggle to free a princess from an evil count, and learn the secret of a treasure that she holds part of the key to.Animated film based on the manga by Monkey Punch, which was also the basis for the hit tv series. Lupin is descended from the French thief Arsene Lupin. Cagliostro refers to Giuseppe Balsamo, a con artist who masqueraded as the Count of Cagliostro (an actual historical figure). He is the subject of a couple of lesser known Alexandre Dumas novels. His daughter, Josephine Balsamo, is a rival of Arsene Lupin, in the original French stories. The film is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli fame.
- DirectorDon SiegelPeter R. HuntRobert Ellis MillerStarsBurt ReynoldsLesley-Anne DownDavid NivenTwo sophisticated jewel thieves join forces to steal $30 million in uncut jewels. Despite a continuous exchange of quips they eventually become romantically involved.Burt Reynolds and Lesley Ann Down star in this tale of a kleptomaniac who is being blackmailed to get close to jewel thief Burt Reynolds. Reynolds is orchestrating the theft of a diamond shipment in Amsterdam, along with a jazz musician, a Nazi pilot, and a British support man. David Niven is a police inspector who is trying to catch him. Lots of fun and one of Burt's better films of this era.
- DirectorPeter MaxwellStarsWendy HughesChantal ContouriCarmen DuncanTouch and Go is a 1980 Australian heist film starring Wendy Hughes.In this lightweight Australian comedy, a group of suburban women pull off a series of heists to support a school. They stumble across an island resort as a target big enough to make a huge score and cover the necessary finances for their charities. They assemble additional women, including a self defense expert and a communications expert. They first case the island, then launch their mission, while their gender is hidden by wetsuits and a pre-recorded male voice with commands. They open the resort's bank vault, but then things start to go wrong. A mildly amusing but filled with massive plot holes.
- DirectorJim HensonStarsJim HensonFrank OzDave GoelzKermit the Frog, The Great Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear are reporters who travel to Britain to interview a rich victim of jewel thieves and help her along with her secretary, Miss Piggy.The second Muppet movie features a series of crimes and a jewel heist at the climax. Along the way, Kermit falls for Miss Piggy, while she is enamored of shadey Charles Grodin. Diana Rigg is the target of the theft and there are cameos from John Cleese and Peter Ustinov, as well as Oscar the Grouch. Loads of fun! It appears that the film is inspiring the sequel to The Muppets.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsJames CaanTuesday WeldWillie NelsonAn ace safe cracker wants to do one last big heist for the mob before going straight.James Caan stars as a professional safecracker who finds himself under the thumb of a criminal boss, while also finding love. Excellent film full of accuracte detail, from director Michael Mann. Dennis Farina, who was still a full time cop, plays a crook, while a professional safecracker plays a corrupt cop. Incidently, in the commentary, Mann relates an occurance during filming, where the safecracker's wife relates to Mann her anger that her husband has pulled a job, despite the money he has received for honest work in the film.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodFreddie JonesDavid HuffmanA pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by a neuralink.Clint Eastwood is a former Air Force agressor squadron pilot, who is suffering from PTSD, from experiences in Vietnam. he has been tapped to steal an advanced Soviet fighter plane, the Firefox, and fly it out of the USSR. The film follows the cat and mouse game to get to the secret airfield and steal the plane, then continues as he tries to escape. Very well done, with a fine cast of (mostly) British character actors, including Nigel Hawthorne (Madness of King George, Yes Minister), Kenneth Colley (Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi), and Warren Clarke (Clockwork Orange, Dalziel & Pascoe).
- DirectorRoger YoungStarsTom SelleckJane SeymourLauren HuttonA handsome jewel thief is arrested and in order to avoid prison, must break into the heavily guarded German Embassy to steal millions in gems.Tom Selleck plays a pre-war jewel thief in London, who is blackmailed into helping US intelligence and the British government into stealing a jeweled necklace from the German Embassy, befroe it can be used to finance operations for German spies. Lassiter has some ideas of his own, as far as the necklace goes. A nice little film with a decent, if unspectacular cast, with Selleck and Bob Hoskins as the standouts. Selleck had missed out on playing Indiana Jones and made this film and High Road to China, based on his tv success and near miss at playing the swashbuckling period adventurer.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsSean ConneryDustin HoffmanMatthew BroderickAn ex professor offers Adam $1,000,000 to "get" some plasma from a high tech company's lab. Adam asks his criminal grandpa for help. Can they convince Adam's now honest dad to join?Matthew Broderick is the son of Dustin Hoffman and grandson of career criminal Sean Connery. That bit of unlikely casting ends up being the best part of the film, which focuses more on the family relationship than the caper, but the film isn't much to write home about.
- DirectorGene QuintanoStarsChristopher LambertKim GreistChristopher LloydA jewel thief steals a sacred ruby which sets off a chase by the police, the Turkish government, nutty American terrorists, and the C.I.A.This is another caper comedy, based on a Donald Westlake novel. A thief steals a sacred jewel and launches a chase that involves everyone from the CIA to American tourists.
- DirectorPhil Alden RobinsonStarsRobert RedfordDan AykroydSidney PoitierA security pro finds his past returning to haunt him when he and his unique team are tasked with retrieving a particularly important item.Robert Redford leads a group of security experts, who are hired to re-steal a code machine that is the hands of a mathematician. However, as is usually the case, things are not what they seem and secrets abound. The film is loads of fun and the cast includes Dan Akroyd, David Straithairn, Mary McDonald, Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, and Ben Kingsley.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroVal KilmerA group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.Michael mann directs Al Pacino, Robert Deniro, Tom Sizemore, and Val Kilmer in a tale of a crew of thieves with precision planning and execution. Deniro leads the crew while Pacino is the cop chasing him. The film climaxes in a bank robbery that leads to a running gun battle with the police. Excellent performances and stylish directing.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsTom CruiseJon VoightEmmanuelle BéartAn American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.First of a series of films with Tom Cruise. The intrigue isn't quite up to the levels of the early days of the series, but it works fairly well here. The series comes to rely more on spectacle as they progress, rather than plots. I'll skip the rest, if you don't mind.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason FlemyngDexter FletcherNick MoranEddy persuades his three pals to pool money for a vital poker game against a powerful local mobster, Hatchet Harry. Eddy loses, after which Harry gives him a week to pay back 500,000 pounds.Stylish crime film that made the careers of Jason Statham and director Guy Ritchie. A crooked card game leads the gang to plan a robbery of a violent thug, who in turn are looking to steal money and marijuana from some naive growers. There are twists and turns galore.
- DirectorJon AmielStarsSean ConneryCatherine Zeta-JonesVing RhamesAn insurance agent is sent by her employer to track down and help capture an art thief.The center of this film is a romance between Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones, which elevates the less than stellar script.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsGeorge ClooneyMark WahlbergIce CubeIn the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, four soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.In the spirit of Kelly's Heroes, a group of US soldiers, during the first Gulf War, plot to steal gold from Iraq and bring it out. Of course, nothing goes right. The film also highlights the broken promises of the US government and the cynicism that arose after the war, despite the overwhelming victory.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsPierce BrosnanRene RussoDenis LearyA very rich and successful playboy amuses himself by stealing artwork, but may have met his match in a seductive detective.Remake of the 60s classic, with Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, and Dennis Leary. Livelier than the original, but not quite as stylish. The caper has more twists and turns than the original, though. Really, it is less a remake than a reimagining. Stands well on its own merit.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerStarsRay WinstoneBen KingsleyIan McShaneBrutal gangster Don Logan recruits "retired" safecracker Gal for one last job, but it goes badly for both of them.Ray Winstone is a thief who has retired to Spain. he finds himself being bullied into a job by a psychotic crook, played by Ben Kingsley. The job is the robbery of a security deposit vault, via a turkish bath next door. This is a very black comedy, but it is achieved with great style.
- DirectorFabián BielinskyStarsRicardo DarínGastón PaulsGraciela TenenbaumTwo con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps (the "nine queens").Outstanding Aregntinian crime film, about a pair of con artists who try to run a a scam, involving counterfeit rare stamps. Highly regarded by critics. Later remade as Criminal, in the US.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenTracey UllmanHugh GrantA loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.An inept group of crooks reopne a neighborhood pizza place as a front for tunnelling into a bank. However, the business takes off, thanks to spectacular cookies. Meanwhile, the tunneling efforts take a ludicrous turn. This was one of Woody Allen's lesser films, but features more pure comedy than some of his other work in this era.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsGeorge ClooneyBrad PittJulia RobertsDanny Ocean and his ten accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.Stephen Soderbergh's remake of the Rat Pack classic. George Clooney is at the center of things and he recruits a rag-tag group of experts to help him pull off a casino heist. Andy Garcia is suitably dangerous as the casino owner.
- DirectorDavid MametStarsGene HackmanRebecca PidgeonDanny DeVitoA career jewel thief finds himself at tense odds with his longtime partner, a crime boss who sends his nephew to keep watch.Gene Hackman stars in this film from David Mamet. Great actors and crisp dialogue.
- DirectorFrank OzStarsRobert De NiroEdward NortonMarlon BrandoAn aging thief hopes to retire and live off his ill-gotten wealth with his lover when a young kid convinces him into doing one last heist that comes with a large payout.Robert Deniro, Edward Norton, and Marlon Brando star in this tale of an attempt to steal a pricelss scepter froma customs house, after it has been discovered in an attempted smuggling caper.
- CreatorTony JordanStarsRobert GlenisterRobert VaughnRob JarvisA motley group of London con artists pulls off a series of daring and intricate stings.Excellent British series about a crew of grifters who pull cons on criminals and the corrupt. The series was, at one point, co-produced by AMC, who wanted it to be shot in the US, leading to one season set here, though with so-so results. The production eventually broke with AMC and continued in the UK. The first few series are the best, but there are excellent episodes throughout. My favorite involves a challenge between the leader of the crew and the young upstart. Both are dropped into the middle of Trafalgar Square, with no clothes or money and must grift their way back home, with the person who accumulates the most money declared the victor and leader. There were several episodes that revolved around elaborate theft capers.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsGeorge ClooneyBrad PittJulia RobertsDaniel Ocean recruits one more team member so he can pull off three major European heists in this sequel to Ocean's Eleven (2001).A sequel was inevitable, if not quite up to the same standard. This one is set in Europe.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTom HanksMarlon WayansIrma P. HallAn eccentric, if not charming Southern professor and his crew pose as a classical ensemble in order to rob a casino, all under the nose of his unsuspecting but sharp old landlady.Coen Brothers remake of the Ealing classic. It's actually pretty darn funny, which made for a nice return to form for the Coens (not that their dramas are bad). This crew makes the originals look like the IMF team.
- DirectorGregory JacobsStarsJohn C. ReillyDiego LunaMaggie GyllenhaalTwo con artists try to swindle a currency collector by selling him a counterfeit copy of an extremely rare currency bill.Remake of Nine Queens. It had mostly positive reviews, though not up to the standards of the original.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsGeorge ClooneyBrad PittMatt DamonDanny Ocean rounds up the boys for a third heist after casino owner Willy Bank double-crosses one of the original eleven, Reuben Tishkoff.It's Hollywood, so we need a third. The cast is the main thing keeping these things going; not so much the plots. Andy Garcia returns for this one and Clooney is forced to work with him.
- DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsJason StathamSaffron BurrowsStephen Campbell MooreMartine offers Terry a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London's Baker Street. She targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry along with a treasure trove of dirty secrets.Loosely based on an actual bank robbery in 1970s Britain. The film presents the premise that the robbery is orchestrated by MI-5, in an attempt to recover compromising photos of Princess Margaret, which are in the hands of a drug dealer/militant activist. Also kept in safe deposit boxes are compromising ledgers belonging to a crime boss and blackmail photos that are the property of a madam, who runs a BDSM establishment that caters to the rich and powerful (including much of the government). There are twists and turns galore, but there is far more fantasy than historical reality to the film. It has a fine cast of actors, led by Jason Statham.
- CreatorChris DowneyJohn RogersStarsTimothy HuttonGina BellmanChristian KaneA crew of high-tech crooks attempt to steal from wealthy criminals and corrupt businessmen.Timothy Hutton stars in this American tv series that sounds a bit too close to the excellent Hustle.
- DirectorPeter HewittStarsChristopher WalkenJoseph McKennaWynn EverettA comedy centered on three museum security guards who devise a plan to steal back the artworks to which they have become attached after they are transferred to another museum.A group of museum workers plot to steal priceless works of art that are being sold by the museum. These aren't professional crooks, though, and age causes a major roadblock. Lots of great character fun from a fine cast of actors.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.A somewhat altered account of a plot to help American diplomats escape from revolutionary Iran, based on true events. The film captures a lot of the bizarre details, but fails to properly credit the Canadian government from pulling off most of it and incorrectly represents the British and New Zealand embassies as cowardly. At the heart of the plot is a fake movie, to provide a cover story for why western citizens would come to the chaotic Iran. The fictional film used remnants of an unrealized film adaptation of Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light novel. The film was to feature elaborate sets, desiged by comic book legend Jack Kirby, which would form the basis of a theme park. The money was never raised and project shelved. Makeup artist John Chambers (Planet of the Apes) aided the CIA in putting together the fake production offices and provided them with the unused script and Kirby designs.