I love the genre of heist movies. The action revolves around a singular goal—stealing a diamond, breaking out of prison, tunneling into a bank, switching out a priceless painting—but its success relies on brains, not brawn. It’s a quest, and it requires the characters to collect a crew perfect for the job, train for the heist, follow the plan, and, inevitably, think on their feet when something goes awry. A good heist movie combines tense moments with ingenuity. A great heist movie reveals that the audience was also a victim of the caper the whole time.
Nine Queens (2000)
Nueve reinas — Argentina
Two small-time con men come together on a fake postage stamp scheme. The counterfeit stamps, the famous “Nine Queens,” pose a chance for them to make a quick profit and fund their desperation. The plan goes sour when the fake stamps are stolen from them and they are left with nothing to fence. The film was made for only $1.3 million, but has earned critical and audience acclaim. It’s now considered a classic in Argentina. Instead of fancy pyrotechnics, the film relies on great acting, superb writing, and simple, effective camera work.
The Aura (2005)
El aura — Argentina
From the same director and lead actor as Nueve reinas, this neo-noir thriller is not a typical heist story. Instead of plotting a slick theft, the lead character is obsessed with committing the perfect crime. When the opportunity to complete someone else’s heist presents itself, he cannot resist. In a sort of heist in reverse, the film traces his steps as he plants each clue. Rather than the casual urban setting of many heist films, this one takes place in the secluded and beautiful Patagonian forest.
Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
Ascenseur pour l’échafaud — France
The debut film of legendary New Wave director Louis Malle is a slow unraveling of a doomed heist. Black-and-white photography, sad trumpet jazz, lazy drags on cheap cigarettes, lonely walks in the rain—it has all the hallmarks of that brand of French cool. When a man’s perfect plan to murder his boss, take his money, run off with his wife, and make it look like a suicide are foiled by one tiny detail, it sets in motion a series of missed connections that jeopardizes the entire scheme.
Rififi (1955)
Du rififi chez les hommes — France
A quintessential heist film that straddles the line between gritty urban noir and mod cat burglar New Wave, Rififi is probably best known for its 30-minute sequence without dialogue as the criminals pull off their caper. The movie also gives a fair amount of screen time to the aftermath of the heist. The black-and-white deep focus cinematography is so rich that you can read the headline on the newspaper across the street. It’s beautiful to look at and elevates the film above a typical gangster flick.