Top 10 Robberies In Movies (Videos)
From: http://www.askmen.com/
The American film industry took a giant leap forward in 1903, with the release of The Great Train Robbery, a thrilling 11-minute movie about a Wild West holdup. The silent picture was the first “heist" film ever made and it has since inspired a legion of imitators who have gone on to tell bigger and better tales of cunning criminal capers and impossibly big scores. We’ve decided to pay tribute to this exhilarating genre by presenting a list of the top 10 most electrifying criminal schemes ever executed on film. Our selections are based upon the size of the score, the bravado of the criminals and the complexity of the job. We’ve also included corresponding movie clips for each of the highlighted films to allow you to watch the thievery unfold.
In and out and back again
The Thomas Crown Affair
The score: Monet’s San Giorgio Maggiore at dusk
Nearly any thief can steal a priceless piece of art, but it takes a criminal mastermind to return the item to the scene of the crime while everyone is watching. That’s precisely what wealthy socialite Thomas Crown does when he infiltrates a highly secure New York museum with a team of identically dressed accomplices. We won’t ruin the ending for you, but suffice it to say that the ensuing game of cat and mouse is nearly as priceless as the painting he pilfers.
The sky is falling
The Italian Job
The score: Gold bullion
The best scores are the ones that happen in broad daylight. That’s precisely what transpires in The Italian Job when a daring group of thieves use a little cunning and a whole lot of explosives to steal a safe right under the noses of three gun-wielding guards. The ensuing high-speed boat chase through Venice provides a welcome burst of adrenaline to offset the film’s slower moments.
The bottom line
Entrapment
The score: A priceless Chinese mask
Catherine Zeta-Jones proves that technology is no match for acrobatics as she bobs and weaves her way through a series of criss-crossing infrared security beams in order to steal a priceless Chinese mask. Her fabulous flexibility and remarkably sensual movements (illustrated in her famous practice run of the score, shown in the accompanying video) elevate this otherwise pedestrian heist film into a stunning work of art.
Gotham bank withdrawal
The Dark Knight
The score: Millions of dollars in mob money
The only thing more terrifying than clowns are clowns with grappling hooks and semi-automatic weapons. This frightening vision comes to life in the first six minutes of The Dark Knight as The Joker and his crew make an armed withdrawal at a Gotham bank. Although this bloody burglary lacks the elegance of some of the heists on our list, its dramatic execution and the eye-popping size of the score are more than enough to merit its inclusion.
Armored car robbery
Heat
The score: $1.6 million in bearer bonds
Even the most brilliantly conceived robberies don’t always go according to plan. Take Heat, for instance. Neil McCauley’s carefully planned armored car heist turns into a bloodbath when a new recruit murders a guard, thereby requiring McCauley and his men to execute the remaining witnesses. The scene is a harbinger of things to come as the group engages in another deadly shootout toward the film’s explosive conclusion.
Ex-presidents
Point Break
The score: Unspecified amount of money and bank bonds
Anyone can rob a bank while wearing a woolly balaclava, but it takes real chutzpah to hold one up while dressed as Ronald Reagan or Richard Nixon. The so-called “ex-presidents” gang makes it onto our list of the top 10 scores by injecting a bit of colorful bravado into the deadly business of burglarizing banks.
Customs house invasion
The Score
The score: A priceless French scepter
This film represents the first (and last) time Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro appeared in the same film, and watching the two Hollywood heavyweights together is a rare treat that every cinephile should indulge in. Moviegoers will also enjoy watching the film’s central con unfold as De Niro uses cutting-edge technology and good old-fashion cunning to break into Montreal’s heavily guarded customs house.
Inside job
Inside Man
The score: Nazi documentation
When is a bank robbery not a bank robbery? When it’s a brilliant diversion, of course. Master criminal Dalton Russell gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “inside man” when he stages an elaborate bank robbery allowing him to set up residence in the building’s basement completely undetected. The ensuing heist is all the more sweet thanks to the careful planning and remarkable patience that go into its execution.
Seismic shutdown
Ocean’s 13
The score: $500 million and Willy Bank’s beloved diamond necklaces
In Ocean's 13, 3 minutes and 20 seconds turns into a lifetime for Vegas casino owner Willie Banks when Danny Ocean and his crew momentarily disable his security system by simulating an earthquake. The security breach costs Banks a cool $500 million, making it far and away the biggest heist in our list of the top 10 scores. Sure, it’s a bit far-fetched, but the film is so stylish and fun that you barely even notice.
The wire game
The StingThe score: Mob boss Lonnegan’s loot
The Sting claims first place on our list of the top 10 scores for having the most elegant scheme. Gondorff (Paul Newman) and Hooker (Robert Redford) manage to swindle Chicago crime boss Doyle Lonnegan when they organize a wire game, an elaborate scam in which a sizable group of con artists create a simulated wire store where the results from horse races are received by telegram and posted on a large board. The results, of course, are determined in advance by the con men, who in turn give their marks a number of surefire betting tips to build up their confidence before bilking them for a large sum of money on a piece of carefully calculated misinformation. Gondorff and Hooker execute the con to perfection and even add an unexpected twist at the end to ensure they’ll never again have to worry about Lonnegan or his goons.
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