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 | heist | statue | security guard | veteran | 

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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:

Yari Film Group (YFG),Revelations Entertainment,Paris Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the script, 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

At the end of the movie they are supposed to be on Miami Beach, but the background clearly shows hills and geography that is not Florida.

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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

L'Avocado
(FMG)
Written by Jonathan Tunick
Performed by Jonathan Tunick
Courtesy of Yari Music Group, LLC

User Reviews

Interpreting Maiden Heist

9 out of 10 for what I perceive this film is expressing.

There is something really special, unique even, about this film, whatever you think about story or acting, that follows at the end below.

How to show the extraordinary in the ordinariness of people's lives? And present it in an interesting and entertaining way, without being judgmental? First, choose three of the most accomplished actors of the past half-century. Then make the story about good guys being naughty, sorta in the anti-hero vein. Finally, add feelings of genuine affection, friendship and love.

This is an actors movie, and will be especially gratifying for those who appreciate consummate acting. But there's more to it. Many years back I read an article in the NYT Magazine discussing the work of Glenda Jackson. They described her as an "honest" actor. Honesty is a quality of every great actor. Honesty comes from innocence, perhaps being totally honest with oneself. These three (actually four considering Harden) actors are so accomplished that they need not convince us – they *are* their characters. What acting is about. Just like life. We each find something interesting in our lives, and this not only connects us with others but provides a way to express ourselves and find friendship, even love, but most certainly, the possibility of a kindness within that is particularly human. The quotes below touch on this.

kosmasp - And is it a bad thing, that this movie works mainly because of the three main actors?

skunkgyrl - THE MAIDEN HEIST (there is a more to the title than you might think) is like getting together with old friends for a chuckle. . . .the results are a fun film that has some gentle hidden messages about friendship, relationships, and loving your job. . . It is a pleasure to see three fine actors such as Freeman, Walken and Macy pull off this comedy, aided by the absurd character Marcia Gay Harden inhabits. It is well-scripted full and it is very obvious that these actors are having a great time with the film.

dexteruk - Anything can take a persons fancy, and become an obsession, a piece of string, how mundane it is to some, could be someones obsession, and they could know all manner of things about it.

So here it is. What is truly special about this film is its ending, or the plural, "endingS." Endings are extremely important to any story, and especially in film because of its immediacy and closeness to everyday reality (and notice how many novels have an epilogue). Dysfunctional endings in films (and I'm not talking about endings that leave things hanging, as these can be quite an effective device to involve us in the story) that come to mind (and ruined fine stories) are The Temp and January Man. Dontya want an ending that provides a new beginning, or at least gets you to ponder further? This film has four, yes, four endings. The test of this perception is to view the film from when Christopher Walken is snorkeling in the ocean on to the end, first discovering each of the four endings, ending the film in your mind after each of them, and using your imagination to find out if each would work in terms of the story. Really. There are four endings. What the artist creates is not always conscious. They are each a channel. And so I don't think that the four endings were by design. But they are there. And wonderfully refreshing.