The Best Heist Scenes In TV And Film

There is nothing quite like a really good heist scene in a film in terms of excitement, fun and blood-pumping exhilaration.

Regardless of the target of the theft, you can be sure that the tension and drama will elevate the moment and create unforgettable viewing experiences.

Although there are thousands of different heist moments, all with their own particularities and merits, below are a few scenes that we have identified as especially exciting, fun and notable.

These are the best heist scenes in TV and Film

Read more: When Will Money Heist Season 5’s Release Date Be On Netflix?

Ocean’s Eleven

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

For anyone who has seen Ocean’s Eleven, it is no surprise that an entire franchise has built up around the film.

Most recently, Ocean’s 8 followed an all-female team of thieves who rob the Met Gala and a museum of jewellery.

Although Ocean’s 8 was not particularly well-received – most people can root for a bank robber but struggle to support someone robbing historical treasures from a public museum – it opened up a new moment in the genre.

However, regardless of how many different films and television spin-offs are created in the Ocean’s franchise, Ocean’s Eleven has stood the test of time as one of the best films in the genre.

Rififi

Rififi is perhaps the most famous heist film ever made.

This cinema classic is a study in maximization, as what begins as a quick theft snowballs into an uncontrolled jewel heist of epic proportions.

Tony, a recently released criminal, realises that his former girlfriend has gotten together with a mobster while he was in jail.

The film is not an easy watch and involves scenes of domestic violence, which make it a difficult film to sit through.

However, it is worth watching if only for the infamous silent, half-hour long heist that is packed with tension and excitement.

21

Credit: Columbia Pictures

The film 21 is inspired by the real-life MIT Blackjack Team.

A group of smart, talented and capable students at MIT – one of the top universities in America – learned how to effectively count cards and formed the MIT Blackjack Team.

The club members traveled throughout the United States visiting casinos, counting cards and winning big in blackjack.

Unsurprisingly, they were eventually found to be counting cards and were banned from most casinos around the world – although that has not stopped some of them from continuing to try to sneak into casinos.

The film 21 features a rather more glamorous and rambunctious cast than the actual MIT Blackjack Team, but it certainly makes for a fun viewing experience.

Players who want to enjoy the fun and excitement of the casino from the comfort of their own homes can now do so, thanks in part to live dealer casino games.

Many online casino platforms and digital gambling apps offer various live dealer games that allow players to virtually join other gamblers, chat with the dealer and play cards.

Betspin.com lists all of the best online live dealer casinos, along with each casino’s bonus offers, ranking and games library.

Bottle Rocket

Many of Wes Anderson’s fans look back to Bottle Rocket and wonder where it all went wrong.

Bottle Rocket was Anderson’s first feature-length film, following a short of the same name, and arguably his best production.

Bottle Rocket has the heart, character development and plot of Anderson’s best films, without the slavish obsession with twee aesthetics and mannerisms that have characterised his later films.

Bottle Rocket is an iconic, lazy summer drama, featuring some of the worst-planned and most bizarre heists imaginable, and it is not just cotton candy fluff.

The consequences for failed heists are real, painful and memorable.

The Italian Job

Credit: Paramount Pictures

This film is an enduring classic for a reason.

Trendy 70s style, car chases featuring Mini Coopers, and Michael Caine’s deadpan delivery of side-splitting lines – there really is something for everyone in The Italian Job.

The 1969 film follows Michael Caine’s Charlie, who has just been released from jail after a failed heist in Italy.

The mafia has begun to sniff around and Charlie decides that it is time for him to finish the job for himself.

The Italian Job was remade in 2003 but like most things in life, the original is undoubtedly the superior film.

This enduring classic is worth re-watching, especially if you enjoy a good cliff-hanger.

The Thomas Crown Affair

This oft-overlooked 1968 film featuring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway is an elegant and slick heist film.

The film follows a chic banking executive who believes he has pulled off the best bank heist ever, but has he actually hidden his tracks?

Although this is one of the greatest heist movies, the fashion alone makes this film worth a watch.

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