The big news, actually the only big news, on DVD this week is the Two-Disc Special Edition of The Bank Job, a juicy, fact-based caper movie that drew a decent cult following when it was released in February. For you slackers, here's a chance to catch up. In 1971, a robbery took place at Lloyds Bank in London that involved a royal sex scandal. The thieves, played here by Brit athlete and model turned credible actor Jason Statham, seductive Saffron Burrows and the cream of Brit character actors, are hustled into robbing the place by higher-ups who are using them just to get their hands on incriminating photos in a deposit box. Director Roger Donaldson keeps the suspense crackling. In my original review, I wrote that after seeing this movie you'll want to know more about the bank job that literally did shake the empire. Thanks to DVD my wish has come true. On both the standard DVD and Blu-ray editions, you get a fifteen-minute (it's not enough) featurette that focuses on the real-life crime, using historical footage and comments from historians and the original cops on the case. Yes, the movie exaggerates, but it's too much fun to bitch about. And watching it again got me thinking of my favorite bank robbery movies. Here's my Top 5. Let me know if you disagree or if I've left anything out, and whether you think The Bank Job belongs in their classy, larcenous company.
Heat 1995 Directed by Michael Mann, this near classic showcases a pip of a bank job and an ensuing shootout that serves as a model of the form.
Inside Man 2006 Directed by Spike Lee, this tense, twisted spellbinder concerns a bank heist planned by a masked robber (Clive Owen) with such precision that only Denzel Washington, as a detective, could mess with its perfection.
Dog Day Afternoon 1975 Directed by Sidney Lumet, this true-crime story puts Al Pacino and his crew inside a Brooklyn bank where he threatens to kill hostages if he doesn't get the money for his boyfriend's sex-change operation. Lumet creates an atmosphere of hothouse tension that has been imitated but never equaled.
Point Break 1991 Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, this may be the only bank heist flick that combines robbery with surfing. Keanu Reeves stars as the F.B.I. agent who goes undercover to catch the boarders who rob banks wearing the masks of former US presidents. Exciting? Dude, believe it.
Charley Varrick 1973 Directed by Don Siegel, this gem is the best bank job movie you probably never heard of. Walter Matthau is sensational as Charley, a crop duster who robs banks on the side. The opening scene, cutting from the robbery taking place inside a New Mexico bank to the getaway car outside, will have your palms sweating.
Share
Email
AIM
Del.icio.us
DiggThis
Fark It!
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
Get RS Mobile
RSS
cortez | August 5, 2008 3:09 AM
Not a bad bunch. I agree Heat, Dog Day Afternoon and Charley Varrick are classics. Would have to throw in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. One of my all time favourites though, and it's not bank but it may as well be: The Italian Job (both versions)!!
Me | July 31, 2008 10:59 PM
Heat a "near classic"? It's classic through and through, much better than Travers' recent best of the year darlings as The Departed and the horrible Gangs of NY. And for Newton who said Heat is "one-dimensional* characters, borderline misogynistic, poorly written and utterly predictable", you're the only one who sees that and are way off in interpretation.
*no dash needed
tyler | July 30, 2008 9:51 PM
Reservoir Dogs - you people embarrass me
Rogelio | July 23, 2008 8:19 PM
Not exactly a bank heist picture--it's the US Mint instead--but I remember really liking "Who's Minding the Mint" when I saw it many years ago. Alas, not yet on DVD.
lawson | July 22, 2008 12:16 AM
anyone like the thomas crown affair? not really a bank job but still a good heist
pat | July 21, 2008 12:12 AM
road to perdition is all about robbing banks; obviously you havnt seen the movie. the lookout SUCKED
dungbeetle | July 19, 2008 9:00 PM
What about "Quick Change"?
robbie k | July 18, 2008 2:02 PM
Two words: THE LOOKOUT
Jon | July 18, 2008 9:54 AM
anyone mention Mcqueen's "The Getaway"? Totally awesome!
Trev | July 18, 2008 5:48 AM
Let us not forget "Raising Arizona"
Orgo | July 17, 2008 9:39 PM
"Sexy Beast" is one of the most overrated movies I've ever seen.I've tried to like it but have come away disappointed every time I've seen it
VEGASJACK | July 17, 2008 2:57 PM
CONGRATS ORGO I FORGOT THE WONDERFUL SILENT PARTNER WITH ELLIOT GOULD AND CHRIS PLUMMER A MARVELOUS FILM ALL AROUND!!
the duck of death | July 17, 2008 9:31 AM
I am really surprised that no one has mentioned "Sexy Beast".
Great cast: Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone. Ian McShane.... Sir Ben's character, Don Logan, is one of the baddest asses in cinema history.
Orgo | July 17, 2008 4:44 AM
Another gem that's been forgotten-
"The Silent Partner"
Joe | July 17, 2008 2:42 AM
One that nobody has mentioned yet is "the Great St. Louis Bank Robbery" with a very young Steve McQueen. Is it as good as The Killing or Dog Day Afternoon? No, but check it out.
Brendan P. Riley | July 17, 2008 1:15 AM
Top Five? At least from what I've seen, I would have to add:
1) The Brink's Job (I know a treasury warehouse not a bank)
2) The Taking of Pelham, One Two Three (a subway car not a bank)
3) Oh, Brother Where Art Thou (has possibly the most hilarious bank robbing sequences ever filmed)
4) I would agree with Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (when the bunnies come out of the trunk is one of the greatest moments/images in American Cinema.
Orgo | July 17, 2008 12:38 AM
A couple more Aussie films worth a mention(and these ones DO involve bank robberies!)-
"Malcolm"
"Idiot Box"
and what about "Heist" and "Straight Time"?
Kramer | July 17, 2008 12:36 AM
Yowza!
Bill | July 17, 2008 12:06 AM
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot?
I mean c'mon. It's got it all. Eastwood, Bridges and a red headed sweating and swearing George Kennedy.
Anonymous | July 16, 2008 11:53 PM
Point Break is a guilty pleasure...much like Roadhouse. But to put it in your top 5 is insane.
C'mon, man.
TG | July 16, 2008 11:36 PM
If we're now including armoured vans, as in Palookaville, then surely the original 1960s Italian Job has to be in there. Come on! All together now (adopt mockney accent): "YOUR ONLY SUPPOSED TO BLOW THE BLOODY DOORS OFF!!"
Also in top five for best ending ever, and #1 in the top three for original films Mark Walhberg has butchered with unnecessary remakes.
Joker77 | July 16, 2008 10:08 PM
It is. I cant stand anything with Keanu Reeves. That can leave the list. This movie rocks, points for making "Heat" #1. That movie is great.
pete, bra? | July 16, 2008 9:00 PM
point blank? really?
remember that scene in "hot fuzz?"
Frisco Kid | July 16, 2008 7:42 PM
"The Lookout" was deacent, nothing amazing. I don't think it belongs on a top five list of anything. Gordan-Levitt is a rising actor but I dispise (am I alone here) "Brick."
Grand Champ | July 16, 2008 7:21 PM
Rififi?
The Red Circle?
I mean Point Break is great and all, but c'mon.
o yea | July 16, 2008 7:03 PM
perfect list, except that the bank job ought be number five in my opinion. and for the guy who said that heat was terrible, you are positivly ridiculous.
Newton | July 16, 2008 6:41 PM
Am I really the only person out there who thinks "Heat" was a terrible film? One-dimensional characters, borderline misogynistic, poorly written and utterly predictable... in other words, a Michael Mann film... That aside, "Dog Day Afternoon" has to top my list of bank heist films, and I'll also join the chorus of love for "The Lookout." And if we're going to include jewelry store heists as well, then "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" deserves props.
Savon | July 16, 2008 6:17 PM
Three cheers for Heat! The #1 ranking is well deserved. Thanks also to the cheering section for The Lookout. I gladly join your ranks. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was also excellent in Stop-Loss and Brick, and I look forward to seeing The Lookout's Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder in the film version of Brideshead Revisited later this summer.
james | July 16, 2008 4:05 PM
Palookaville is great. That got me thinking, Vincent Gallo is really good.
vegas jack | July 16, 2008 2:10 PM
topkapi was a museum heist not a bank but is a great film none the less thief is a jewel robbery, my fave is heat and the bank job
Jay | July 16, 2008 12:14 PM
Not really a bank heist flick but Ocean's Eleven is the best heist thriller I've seen. The George Clooney one
Ron | July 16, 2008 7:16 AM
Not really a bank but an armored car and in my opinion a classic; Palookaville
M w | July 16, 2008 5:55 AM
Not bad of a list, but I am thinkin that Point Break has gotta go for some obvious reasons. I was also confused about the criteria, The Bank Job involved one bank robbery and the lead up and its consequences. So having said that I will have to add Thief, another Michael Mann. Sam Peckinpah one of the greatest american film directors made The Getaway, slightly better that Point Break. Bonnie and Clyde did a little bank robbing in a great 1967 film of the same name.
That's all I have for now, just replace your list with films between '67-'80 and you'll be good to go. Oh I remembered The Wild Bunch and I see someone mentioned Butch Cassidy...good one...
MF | July 16, 2008 5:45 AM
How about The Score?
SeattleMoviegoer | July 16, 2008 4:14 AM
so, Travers never saw TOPKAPI?
where's he been for the last 40 years?
Matt | July 16, 2008 1:56 AM
I would say Kelly's Heroes is one of my favorite bank robbery flicks. There's nothing like watching Clint Eastwood steal a boat load of gold from Nazi stooges. Donald Sutherland is also hilarious a hippie who travels back in time to drive Sherman tanks around Europe.
Orgo | July 16, 2008 1:05 AM
I'm with you on "Heat","Dog Day Afternoon" and "Charley Varrick"
Did think of a couple that involve robberies but don't take place in banks though deserve a mention-
"Money Movers"(still the best Aussie crime flick)
"The Anderson Tapes"
"Robbery"
Been wanting to see "The Lookout" for some time-must check it out soon
Robert | July 16, 2008 12:31 AM
I really only want to comment to echo everyone else's sentiment that The Lookout was a great movie. Solid all away around. And Point Break..really Travers? Whats number six, the Great Muppet Caper?
Right here. | July 15, 2008 10:09 PM
I agree, The Lookout is an amazing film and Joseph G-L is phenomenal in it.
I'm also a big fan of Inside Man. Every time I watch it I always notice something new.
saad | July 15, 2008 10:05 PM
nice list...heat is definetely a criminally...no pun intended...underappreciated film...
Movie Mike | July 15, 2008 4:46 PM
2007's The Lookout with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels. Real solid.
Gordan-Levitt is going to be huge in the near future, I don't care if he's the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun. He's going to be Cobra Commander in next Summer's GI-Joe...and...well...that's really neat.
(Check out the movie "Brick")
Bo | July 15, 2008 4:41 PM
I would probably keep these three on my list: Heat, Dog Day Afternoon and Point Break. And then I would add Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid just because of the great comradeship and bank moments, including the first train robbery. My next would be Kubrick's The Killing, I always pay attention and have good time watching because of great directing.
@Brian B: not true, remember how Tom Hanks and his son are first getting their money and "punish" their enemies?
nick | July 15, 2008 4:31 PM
not really a bank robbing movie (its a jewel they are robbing from) but Resevoir Dogs
Alex Blackwell | July 15, 2008 4:01 PM
A good list, Mr. Travers.
I might include "The Getaway," the 1972 version with Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. While "the getaway" is the focus of the movie, the planning and carrying out of the initial bank robbery was well done by director Sam Peckinpah.
Mr. Minimac | July 15, 2008 2:31 PM
Sounds like a great opportunity to plug the criminally ignored 2007 flick The Lookout. A ripping good yarn that deserves a much larger audience.
Brian B | July 15, 2008 1:58 PM
Road to Perdition has nothing to do with a bank robbery, or any other sort of robbery for that matter.
Ben | July 15, 2008 1:53 PM
I agree with the first four. Havent seen Charley Varrick, so in its place i would have to put Road to Perdition.