Heist (2001)

A career jewel thief finds himself at tense odds with his longtime partner, a crime boss who sends his nephew to keep watch.

Director:

David Mamet

Writer:

David Mamet

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Danny DeVito

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Joe Moore
Danny DeVito	...	Mickey Bergman (as Danny Devito)
Delroy Lindo	...	Bobby 'Bob' Blane
Sam Rockwell	...	Jimmy Silk
Rebecca Pidgeon	...	Fran Moore
Ricky Jay	...	Don 'Pinky' Pincus
Patti LuPone	...	Betty Croft (as Patti Lupone)
Alan Bilzerian	...	Fast Food Customer
Richard L. Friedman	...	Counterman
Robert Lussier	...	Fast Food Cook
Mark Camacho	...	Jewelry Store Guard
Michelle Sweeney	...	Waitress
Elyzabeth Walling	...	Jewelry Saleswoman
Mike Tsar	...	Coffee Cart Man (as Mike Tsarouchas)
Jim Frangione	...	D.A. Freccia

Storyline

David Mamet takes this story of thieves along many twists and turns, some of which work and some of which don't. Gene Hackman plays the brilliant leader of a gang (Delroy Lindo, Ricky Jay & Rebecca Pigeon as Hackman's youngish wife), which pulls off complex heists for a despicable fence (Danny DeVito). After stiffing the gang on a jewelry robbery, DeVito forces the gang to go after a Swiss gold shipment and to use his nephew (Sam Rockwell) in the crime. No one trusts anyone and every step is shaded with the unexpected.

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | gang | heist | wife's sexual pretence | one word title | 

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Taglines:

It isn't love that makes the world go round.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Best Hollywood [Hungary] Warner Bros. [United States]

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heist - Der letzte Coup

Filming Locations:

Mirabel, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$39,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,823,521, 11 November 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$47,239, 22 November 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morgan Creek Entertainment, Franchise Pictures, Indelible Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Production designer David Wasco's muted color scheme seeped through to the set dressing and props, as well as the sets themselves. "We were going for a restrained look," Wasco explained. "'Heist' is set in present day, but [writer-director] David [Mamet] likes to give a non-specific date to his movies. Even with the cars, we tried to go mostly with big 1970s and 1980s American cars, physically big with no bright colors."

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Goofs

A shot of the PanGeneve 727 sitting on the "runway" during the gold heist clearly shows that it is sitting not on a runway, but on a taxiway instead. This is due to the edge lights shown being blue, which are taxiway lights. Runway edge lights are white for the majority of the runway, becoming alternating red and white, and finally solid red, as you approach the end.

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Quotes

Jimmy: What do you say we stop for a drink?
Fran Moore: It's a long road. Let's get to the meet.
Jimmy: Yeah, that's difficult. You want me to tell you why? There is no meet.
Fran Moore: Joe wouldn't like that.
Jimmy: We left Joe at the airport. There is no meet, you know that. Your guy went out, got his picture on a postage stamp. He got old. Let's cut the shucking and the jiving. What kind of man sends you to me, sends his wife to me? To distract me? Oh, surprise, I was all taken in. How about that? What a fool I am. Would I do that to ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The opening Warner Bros., Morgan Creek, and Franchise Pictures logos are in black and white.

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Connections

References The Conversation (1974)

User Reviews

Middling Mamet

Does exactly what it says on the tin, with perhaps a slight overload on the double-crosses and some surprisingly cringeworthy dialogue from such a practised ear:

"Everybody needs money - that's why they call it money" spouts Danny DeVito. Uh? Am I missing something or is this utter nonsense? Maybe it looked good on the page, but it stinks when it's out in the open.

Nowhere near as tight and entertaining as 'House Of Games' or 'The Spanish Prisoner', but then even an average Mamet thriller is worth a look.