I like crime films -- Oceans 11, The Thomas Crown Affair, Heist, etc. My question is not which crime film is the best -- The Sting would win hands-down -- but what was the most ingeneous crime in cinematic history?

The heist at the beginning of Quick Change (also Hold-Up, another film based on the same novel).

In addition to the ones mentioned above, the beginning of The Italian Job (2003). I never did see the original.

The original The Italian Job.

Not only the heist itself, but all the planning...

"You were only supposed to blow the bloody DOORS off!"

I'll vote against Vinny and Sol's attempted heist of Brick Top's bookie establishment.

"It won't open, because it's a security door!"

From Snatch., of course.

I vote for Topkapi by Jules Dassin.

Topkapi, The Italian Job (original) and The Hot Rock had my favorite heists.

Come to think of it, the movie, Heist, was pretty ingenious as well.

Rififi (but it didn't work)...

Thomas Crown Affair(the new one) and Usual Suspects..........though Usual Suspects wasn't exactly the best heist ever. but Thomas Crown Affair was good:

Heat
Thief
Heist

Paper Moon - that Ryan O'Neal fooled 'em into buying bibles!

such trechery

What was the most ingeneous crime in cinematic history?


Getting us to chalk up $7 for STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENCACE.

Yeah, when I think about it, Thomas Crown was cool.

Woody Allen's Small Time Crooks.

But seriously...the bank job in Sexy Beast was tres cool.

Not a heist but still a crime, John Malkovich's major planning to assassinate the president in In the Line of Fire.

Honk!

The greatest heist would have to be Bean. Those fools had no idea that it wasnt the real painting.