Yesterday saw the release of The Town on Blu-Ray a thriller that sees a group of Charlestown thieves rob a bank and take the manager hostage a typical heist film that combines action and suspense in abundance. Films about robbers have been a staple of cinema for nearly 100 years, in fact the gangster film was an early success genre in Hollywood during the days of Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney. Although the basic heist film narrative has proved to be popular worldwide, it has particularly flourished in the UK and France in particular, with a number of notable productions coming out of these countries. Below are ten heist films that combine the best elements of this sub genre, as we pit the U.S., U.K. and France against each other in a quest to find the best heist film out there!
10. THE DAY THEY ROBBED THE BANK OF ENGLAND (1960)
In 1901, Norgate (Aldo Ray) is the ringleader of a band of thieves out to steal all the gold from the Bank of England. Norgate is also an avid supporter of the Irish Home Rule and the robbery is a mission that will help fund Irish independence. Gathering together a crew to assist him, he discovers that a forgotten sewer system runs directly under the banks vault. What the gang doesnt count on is that bank security guard Captain Fitch (Peter OToole) may not be as inept as he initially seems Loosely based on a true attempt to rob the Bank of England, this low budget British thriller is a fun, if implausible entry into the sub genre and adds a unique twist to the standard bank robbery plot by situating it in a period setting. A super solid entry into Great Britains canon of heist capers with its cynical approach to politics and its generation of suspense as the thieves race against the military, who have caught on to their scheme!
09. BANDE PART (1964)
Franz (Sami Frey) meets Odile (Anna Karina) in an English class. Becoming friendly, she reveals that she lives in Joinville and is to inherit a fortune. She also lets slip that one of her wealthy benefactors keeps a pile of 10,000 franc notes unlocked in his room. Franz passes this on to his friend Arthur, whose uncle is pressing him for money. Arthur and Franz, who have a love for old American B-movies and constantly try to mimic the tough guys, decide to case Odile's house and pressurise her into assisting them with the theft. Throughout, both Franz and Arthur make passes at her, which she occasionally welcomes and sometimes rejects. Will they pull off the heist? Directed by John Luc Godard, Bande à Part is an excellent example of French New Wave cinema. With its frequent jump cuts, long rambling dialogue and documentary like footage; its a highly stylised and innovative film where the heist plot is pushed well and truly in the background as the narrative deals with life, love and existentialism (as much New Wave cinema does). However, the influence of American crime drama and pulp literary fiction is evident and Bande à Part stands as a European parody of the mainstream U.S. crime films that penetrate all Western countries. The film is not as fast paced as the other films on this list, but its distinct style and underwhelming performances lend it a unique charm.
08. OCEANS ELEVEN (2001)
Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is looking to pull off the biggest heist in history. He calls on eleven colleagues to form an elite team that will target The Bellagio, the Mirage and the MGM Grand casinos and simultaneously rob them. These casinos have been specifically targeted as their owner, ruthless entrepreneur Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) just happens to be the new love of Dannys ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts). It becomes clear that Dannys ultimately out for revenge, not money. It's going to prove a challenge, as they plan to get in and out again secretly during a popular boxing match with $150 million Oceans Eleven combines a great narrative and dialogue with excellent special effects and suspenseful plot twists. With a cast of Hollywood leads, the acting is accomplished and Clooney brings his usual charm to the screen, relishing the role of the antihero. What makes the film so engaging however, is the sheer implausibility of the task ahead of them and how, in as cool a manner as Steven Sodebergh's breezy direction, they get away with their audacious plan! The camaraderie between the group is evident and it makes a change to watch a heist movie that doesnt pit each thief against each other through a series of deceptions and double-crosses. As with some of the other films on this list, the heist acts as a backdrop for other plot developments, including the possible rekindling of Danny and Tesss relationship.
07. LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998)
Four London lads find themselves in serious debt after losing a crooked card game. With the gangsters on their back to get £500,000 within a week the guys overhear their neighbours plotting to hold up a group of clueless drug-dealers. Deciding to stitch up the robbers, an intricate and complex plot evolves. However, confusion abounds when a pair of antique double-barrel shotguns go missing in an unrelated robbery Lock, Stock is a testament to British cinema with its entertaining, comical and suspenseful narrative. Director Guy Ritchies bold style has often been compared to that of Quentin Tarantino, however there is a distinctly British element to his filmography that works particularly well in this sub genre of cinema. The quintessential cockney lad performances lend well to humour and whilst the film is extremely violent in places, it never strays far from humour. As the various plots collide during the climax of the film, youre left thinking that you need to watch it again!
06. HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)
When Nicole (Audrey Hepburn) learns that her father an art forger has loaned his Cellini Venus to a prominent Parisian museum, shes mortified! You see, the Cellini Venus is a fake sculpted by her grandfather! When Nicole learns that the museum is to run tests on the statues age which will definitively prove that its a fake she enlists the help of society cat burglar Simon Dermott (Peter OToole) to get it back More of a vanity project for the effortlessly beautiful Audrey Hepburn, How to Steal a Million proves a fun but throwaway watch. Whilst the predominant portion of the plot is concerned with the hilarious retrieval of the Cellini Venus, it is the burgeoning relationship between Nicole and Simon that is what director William Wyler is really concerned with. Aesthetically, the film is wonderful with its rich colour and stunning costume (Hepburn is elegantly decked out in her usual Givenchy) and these elements combine to give the film a more accomplished feel than the script alone does. Hepburn and OToole bounce off each other with their witty banter, which is reminiscent of the popular screwball comedies of the 1930s. This may not be to everyones taste, as it certainly airs more towards the romantic comedy genre, but its an entertaining watch with a comical heist nevertheless!
05. THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1954)
Doc Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is a criminal mastermind freshly released from a prison sentence. He plots to pull off a million dollar heist with the help of some associates. The gang pull off their burglary, but in the aftermath an accumulation of slip-ups proves each man has his own weakness that will eventually prove his downfall One of the best examples of the film noir genre, John Hustons gritty crime drama plays out against an equally grimy urban backdrop. With a cast of characters that are extremely well played, the narrative is thoroughly engaging and fiercely explores the relationship between friendship and deception. The influence of Hustons classic can be felt in a number of other films, including very prominently in Riffifi (1955) and Reservoir Dogs (1992) both of which are here on this list. The Asphalt Jungle is also noteworthy for introducing audiences to Marilyn Monroe, who appears in a brief but crucial role.
04. THE BANK JOB (2008)
Struggling car dealer Terry Leather (Jason Statham) is married with kids and worries about money. Enter the beautiful Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), a former model who holds a torch for Terry and has a plan. She suggests that they break into a Baker Street banks safe deposit box room whilst the alarm system is temporarily disabled. What Terry doesnt realise is that Martine has an ulterior motive and what they stumble upon is much bigger than any of them could have imagined With a cast of likeable antiheroes, The Bank Job is an exciting watch that remains intriguing throughout due to an incessant series of plot twists. Whilst the overall narrative is relatively straightforward, the film manages to be engaging and suspenseful, as well as giving Jason Statham an opportunity to act more rather than simply leaping through the air with a hand gun! Some of you may question whether this is a good thing, but he proves here that he can be competent and affable within a role that is less about him being a character with little substance other than his ability to perform action-packed stunts. Saffron Burrows Martine is reminiscent of the femme fatales that were in abundance in 1940s/50s film noir and she remains an enigma throughout. The Bank Job is another well produced British heist movie, proving us Brits can challenge the Yanks and the French when it comes to this sub genre!
03. RIFFIFI (1955)
Returning from a 5-year stint inside, Tony le Stéphanois (Jean Servais) returns to his old ways when he finds that his former girlfriend is now with the gangster owner of the L Age D Or nightclub. Teaming up with his former associates, they hatch the perfect plot to rob 240,000,000 francs worth of gems from a local jewellery store. However, things take a wrong turn when the owner of L Age D Or finds out and plans to keep the gems for himself Brilliantly combining a suspenseful and thrilling narrative with an artistic film noir aesthetic, Riffifi is a thoroughly accomplished piece of cinema. Rather than being solely focused on whether the group of protagonists will successfully pull off their heist, the film is equally engrossed in relaying the human drama surrounding the robbery. The film also includes a 28-minute scene without any dialogue, when the group performs the robbery. Despite no conversation, this is one of the most suspenseful sequences and illustrates the power of the lead cast. Bearing a lot of resemblance to the old gangster films of 1930s Hollywood, Riffifi will appeal to fans of American crime cinema with its similar visuals and dramatic plot.
02. RESERVOIR DOGS (1992)
Six criminals, who have never previously met, are hired by a crime lord to carry out a diamond robbery. Given false names to ensure that they don't become too friendly and concentrate on the job, they meticulously plan the robbery and believe in its success. However, the plan unravels when the police arrive at the site of the robbery precisely as the group are about to begin. As the group members panic, one of them is killed in a shootout with the police, as well as policemen and civilians. When the remaining criminals reassemble, they begin to suspect that one of them is an undercover cop Director Quentin Tarantinos opus transcends the boundaries of a typical heist narrative and finds its focus on the aftermath of the botched robbery rather than the planning and enactment of the crime itself. Therefore, slightly different than most of the offerings on this list, Reservoir Dogs embodies a rather unique narrative that is equally built upon suspense but relies on less action. Not typical of Hollywoods output, the film is driven far more by dialogue than over the top action. Having said this, it is also an extremely violent film. However, this violence isnt glorified the way that it is in many action blockbusters and Reservoir Dogs comes off as a much more realistic film than many American crime films do. Not for the feint hearted, Tarantinos first directorial offering gives fans of this sub genre of cinema a unique glimpse of a heist gone wrong
01. THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)
Fresh out of prison, Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) takes over a high-risk heist job from a friend. With the help of three Mini Coopers, Croker plans to bring traffic to a standstill in Turin and steal a shipment of gold right from under the noses of the Mafia! The Italian Job must be the most iconic heist film ever! With its successful mix of comedy and suspense, the film is full of excitement and some of the best car chase scenes ever committed to celluloid. With an equally iconic and often imitated performance from the legendary Michael Caine (I mean, come on, who hasnt uttered the famous Youre only supposed to blow the bloody doors off! line in some context before!?), the film ticks all the boxes. Plus any film that can make a Mini Cooper appear cool through a series of impossible looking stunts surely deserves the top spot right? We should also be honest, that American remake, whilst starring the fantastic looking Charlize Theron, wasnt a patch on this originalsuggesting that us Brits know what were doing when it comes to a heist caper! So there you havethe U.K. are the heist cinema champions! Any other suggestions? Drop a comment below