The Maiden Heist (2009)

A comedy centered on three museum security guards who devise a plan to steal back the artworks to which they have become attached after they are transferred to another museum.

Director:

Peter Hewitt

Writer:

Michael LeSieur

Stars:

Christopher Walken, Joseph McKenna, Wynn Everett

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Walken	...	Roger Barlow
Joseph McKenna	...	Lead Villain
Wynn Everett	...	Docent
Patricia B. Till	...	Rude Museum Patron
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Rose Barlow
Bhavesh Patel	...	Donnie (as Bhavesh R. Patel)
Todd Weeks	...	Curator
Philip Dorn Hebert	...	Needlebaum
Morgan Freeman	...	Charles Peterson
William H. Macy	...	George McLendon
Jim Chiros	...	Sculptor
Breckin Meyer	...	Starving Artist
Stephen Stapinski	...	Bob
Bates Wilder	...	Warehouse Foreman
Anthony Cascio	...	Tony (as Anthony M. Cascio)

Storyline

Three middle-age guards learn that their museum has sold a wing of art to a Danish museum. Each has a favorite in that collection, and none can imagine life without the peace and completion it brings. Though mere acquaintances, they plot a theft of the three pieces between the time they are packed and the time they're loaded onto a plane. First each must obtain a forgery; then, they have to smuggle the forgeries into the museum and find a way to make the switches. The heist is complicated by Roger's intrusive wife - he's promised her a trip to Florida for their anniversary - and George's proclivity for taking his clothes off when standing in front of the warrior statue he loves.

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Plot Keywords:

forgery | statue | security guard | heist | locker | 

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Taglines:

They're not bad guys. Just bad thieves.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, nudity and brief fantasy violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2010 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

The Lonely Maiden

Filming Locations:

Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dog Pond Productions, Paris Film, Revelations Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script for the scene of George first stowing away in the crate ended where he gets back out of it. The remainder of the scene was ad-libbed by William H. Macy and Christopher Walken. Walken does indeed have arthritis in his hands.

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Goofs

During the end beach scene at the end of the movie Rose's hand position changes between camera angles. Her hand is by her face, then elsewhere, then by her face again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lead Villain: I sincerely apologize for disturbing your afternoon. If you relax, and stay calm, you will all be here alive. We have come only for the girl.

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Connections

Features Wheel of Fortune (1983)

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Soundtracks

"The Halls of Montezuma"
(aka "The Marines Hymn")
Music by Jacques Offenbach (uncredited)
Written by M.L. Lake (as Mayhew Lake)
Courtesy of APM Music LLC

User Reviews

Try it...really...please...

I loved this movie. Hubby brought it home for my birthday pizza-movie night and it was wonderful. The characters are different from what you would normally see these fine actors playing and it seems like they enjoyed it! The performances were uniformly excellent. The story was lovely.

And I, at least, believed that these pieces were THAT important to these characters. I think if you stand in the presence of art for hours...days...months...years...you could easily find in it the source for what you feel you are missing.

Some of the reviews say it is slow, but I think sometimes it is so nice to take a little time to get to know the characters in a story rather than having their life story shoved down your throat in 90 seconds so that the explosions can begin...give it a try...please...