HEIST

US, 2001, 109 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Danny de Vito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Rebecca Pigeon, Ricky Jay.
Directed by David Mamet.

The reason for seeing Heist is that it was written by David Mamet and directed by him. Mamet had made a big impression on the American theatre with such plays as American Buffalo and Speed the Plow. He moved into screenwriting and specialised on thrillers such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Verdict. He began to direct films in the early 1990s especially with the excellent Homicide. Heist is in the vein of his other film about crime, The Spanish Prisoner.

The other great strength of the film is the cast led by Gene Hackman and with Danny de Vito as a fence who sends his nephew, Sam Rockwell, along to a heist in order to make sure that the proceeds are divided honestly. However, there are various twists, especially in loyalties, which make the film something of a puzzle.

The film resembles many other films of its kind and the Mamet signature is the main reason for seeing this.

1. An interesting crime drama? The staging of the robberies? The characters of the criminals? Their interactions, betrayals?

2. The work of David Mamet as playwright, as screenwriter, as film director? A successful combination of these talents?

3. The title, its bluntness, the two robbery sequences, the characters and their dedication to criminal life and heists?

4. The opening: the setting up of the crime, seeing the characters move into action, Fran at the bar, the eye drop without liquid, putting the liquid in the coffees, sending the coffees to the staff of the jewellers? Joe and Bobby moving into action? Pinky and his setting up the explosion? The confusion in the street, the men entering the building, the irony of the woman who didn't drink the coffee and her being knocked out after being urged to ring for the police, the television monitor and Joe's face being captured? The getting of the jewels, their leaving, the successful robbery? The reaction to his face on the surveillance camera by Joe?

5. Bergman and his henchmen, his refusing to give the percentage to Joe, demanding that they do 'a Swiss job'? Bergman having set up the heist? His money deals, investment in crime? His demand that his nephew Jimmy Silk be part of the Swiss job? Motivation - supervising Joe, Silk getting experience?

6. Joe and his decisions about the Swiss job, his work with the boats, his relationship with Fran? The wealthy man wanting to buy his boat, his not wanting to sell it, the pressures - with the Mafia overtones for the boat buyer?

7. Joe and his acceptance of the situation, Bobby and Pinky and Fran being part of the job? His dislike of Jimmy Silk, questions, humiliating him? Jimmy Silk and his violent reactions to Joe? Joe trying to bluff Silk about the riskiness of the job? Joe getting Fran to play along with Silk, the sexual relationship, Silk's infatuation, the consequences for Fran's later action?

8. The rehearsals for the job, on the road, the roadblock, the police interrogation, Silk's anxiety in the car, Bobby keeping him calm? Moore and his smooth-talking the police, and their going free?

9. The details of the Swiss job at the airport? Joe and his shrewdness about the coffee and getting them inside the airport undetected? The gold bullion in the hold of the plane, pretending that they were searching for a bomb? Silk and his attack on Joe, leaving with the van and Fran? Their bluffs to get out of the airport talking about the tractor equipment? The nerviness, the crash? The irony that the truck was full of pig-iron?

10. Joe and Bobby and their going to the plane, posing as businessmen, getting the bullion off the plane, taking it to the boathouse? The return of Fran, of Silk? The continued bluffs? The gold hidden on the boat, but Joe having hidden gold in his vehicle?

11. The discussions with Bergman, his feeling that he was being double-crossed, his henchmen kidnapping Pinky's daughter, abducting Pinky? The torture, Pinky telling the truth and revealing where Joe was? His being killed after seeing his daughter?

12. At the docks, Bergman and his stance, Silk taking Fran with him? The shootout, Bergman being shot - and the ironic joke about hearing his last words, "You just said them"? The survival of Bobby and Joe?

13. Back at the boathouse, Bobby and his going off with his girlfriend? The finishing of his work and friendship with Joe? Silk turning up, pulling the gun, taking the gold? Fran and her decision to leave Joe? Joe driving away, ironically with some of the gold?

14. The portrait of Joe, age, experience, master criminal, boat-builder, his relationship with Fran, yet willing to use her, the attacks on Bergman and the double-crosses, the skills in the heist, his dependence on Bobby and Pincus? Regret that Pincus was killed? His future?

15. Bobby, friendship with Joe, participation in the heists, his calm, words of advice? The set-up to ward off Silk, the pretence, Pinky's improvisation and acting? Their being able to deceive Silk?

16. Bergman, small, greedy, brutal and violent? His henchmen? His using Silk?

17. Silk and Fran, Fran and her participation, feeling that she was being used, attracted to Silk - or not? Silk as violent, a thug, learning from the professionals, adept in double-dealing, betrayal, taking Fran?

18. An authentic picture of criminals, heists, the bamboozlement of the authorities - who seem to be absent rather than present? The background of boat-building, the ordinary characters contrasting with the focus on the criminals?