Getting away with it:
The Ultimate Movie Heists
The gang are assembled. The jobs dished out. The risks are huge, but the stakes are high.
And you wish you’d bought more popcorn in the foyer. Heist movies have been supremely popular since the early days of cinema and that shows no sign of slowing down - ever. From the thrill of the chase to the ultimate jewel robberies, there’s something about an onscreen crime caper that has us all hooked.
But what is it that makes for the perfect heist movie? Who are the serial safe crackers we can’t get enough of? Which actor pulled off the biggest sting? And maybe, just maybe – could modern home security tech have stopped them in their tracks?
Synchronise your watches. Keep your cool. We’re going in…
The masterplan
To uncover the greatest swindles in cinema, along with the top culprits, we took a deep dive into over 200 heist movies and flicked through more than 1,000 actors and directors, from the days of the silent screen to the present day.
What makes a good heist movie?
Got the tools? Got the talent? You’ll need all of that and more if your heist movie is going to be a hit.
Check out our blueprint for the perfect cinematic crime caper.
Escapism – Thankfully, the majority of us spend our lives on the straight and narrow. But there’s a huge thrill to be had watching others putting themselves in danger to carry off a risky robbery.
High stakes – Why is the heist taking place? Is someone in danger? Does our hero need the cash to save his family from a corrupt criminal? The movie has to get us rooting for the main character.
The mob – A cluster of crims to carry off the heist. Each with their own special skill, from the mastermind to the getaway driver, these lovable rogues drive the story. Don’t forget to throw in a sneaky double-crosser to keep everyone guessing.
Perfect plotting – A quick smash n’ grab won’t cut it – we want to see an elaborate, risky and glamourous scheme full of potential pitfalls, sexy strategies and gadgets aplenty.
The loot – What are we swiping? From vaults of gold and royal jewels to cases of cash and world changing secret government documents, it’s all about the score.
The chase – Can’t have everything going smoothly, can we? Somebody knows the gang are up to no good. Cue a desperate dash with diving helicopters, speeding motorbikes and the burn of rubber as our heroes hot-foot away with the spoils.
He looks the type
But for now, here are the guys who make up the top 6 in terms of heist movie appearances.
The top 6 heist actors of all time
The ringleaders
The top 2 heist movie directors of all time
2. Guy Ritchie
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) – gambling con/drugs/antique theft
Snatch (2000) – diamond robbery
RocknRolla (2008) – art and real estate swindle
Wrath of Man (2021) – armoured truck robbery
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015) – uranium theft
1. Steven Soderbergh
Out of Sight (1998) – prison bust and mansion heist
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – Las Vegas casino heist
Ocean’s Twelve (2004) – European art and antique theft
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) – bank heist
Logan Lucky (2017) – sports vault heist
No Sudden Move (2021) – double-cross money heist
Wait, how much?
The biggest movie heist ever
Movie: Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
Director: Michael Mann
The heist: Steal $140 billion of gold bullion
The target: Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Criminal mastermind: Simon Gruber, head of an East German terrorist group
Played by: Jeremy Irons
Could smart security have stopped the heist?
Let’s be honest – if Michael Caine or George Clooney were to show up at your front door, you’d most likely have them in for tea and biscuits within seconds and be messaging your mates about how you’re hosting Hollywood royalty. Next thing you know, the family heirloom is gone. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
But could today’s smart home security thwart cinema’s craftiest crims?
Ring Alarm System vs. Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers (1955)
Poor old widow Mrs Wilberforce finds herself at the mercy of cheeky Cockney Harry Robinson and his nefarious pals, who disguise themselves as a sophisticated string quartet to cover their dastardly deeds. They rock up at her London home and make regular use of her rooms for their ‘rehearsals’ while planning a sophisticated van robbery.
A Ring doorbell wasn’t available to Mrs Wilberforce in 1955, but if it had been she could have saved herself a lot of bother by fixing it by her front door. That way she could have easily taken advantage of the 1536p HD video when the chime sounded, had a good look at Harry before he adopted his disguise, and sent him on his way. Better still, she could have used the 2-way talk feature to listen in on their plans at the doorstep before telling them to clear off – while a Ring alarm system would stop them in their tracks should they try and sneak back in.
Nest Thermostat vs. Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible (1996)
If you knew Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character was dropping in, you’d expect him to use the front door. But in the first film of the Mission: Impossible franchise, he has to do things the hard way by lowering himself down through the ceiling on a wire. He manages to thwart a temperature-controlled security system and heist some hot info from a supercomputer – but could he have been stopped by a Nest Thermostat?
The energy-saving Google thermostat not only keeps your house warm when you need it most, but also benefits from an auto switch-on facility as soon as you enter the room. As cool as Cruise is, the moment the smart radiator valves flick on he’d forget about his mission and settle down on your cosy sofa to relax and watch TV instead. He wouldn’t even be halfway through Top Gun by the time the cops arrive to nick him.
Security cameras vs. Daisy the Dog in Snatch (2000)
Bare-knuckle boxer Mickey O’Neil has to go down as one of Brad Pitt’s most memorable (and somewhat unlikely) portrayals in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch. Unlikelier still is the moment when Daisy, his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, swallows the priceless diamond that the crooks are after, prompting Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina) to ask Bullet-Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) to “look in the dog”.
Mayhem of course ensues, and Daisy makes a run for it under a hail of bullets before re-appearing at the end of the film when a vet extracts the jewel (don’t worry - Daisy was fine). Mind you, Daisy could have been located a good deal earlier had Cousin Avi installed smart security cameras. If he’d left his gun alone and instead focused on his smartphone, he’d have been able to monitor exactly where the clever canine got to, and save a lot of people a lot of bother (although it would have made for a much shorter movie).
If you’re seeking the ultimate happy ending, check out the huge range of smart home security systems at Currys. From security cameras to smart doorbells, we’ve got everything you need to protect your property.
Methodology
We compiled a list of over 200 heist movies considered by cinema fans to be the greatest, researching film score websites Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB and Metascore. From that list we were able to ascertain which actors and directors were the most prolific throughout heist movie history, and how much was stolen in each film.
