the hot potato (2011)

"You can never trust a man from Munchen."
It's the East End of London in 1969 and Danny (Jack Huston) comes across a sealed metal box, that looks expensive, so obviously he nicks it. He takes it to Kenny (Ray Winstone) to discover what it is. Kenny doesn't know what it is, so sends some for analysis, and is shocked to find out it's uranium. So what's a couple of Eastend wideboys to do? Obvious really; try and flog it, but how do you go about selling some hot radioactive material? Enter Harry (Colm Meaney). Based on a true story, this caper twists and turns nicely, but never really lights up.

that sinking feeling (1979)

"You sure you've not got any cornflakes?"
A gang of unemployed teenagers come together under the direction of Ronnie (Robert Buchanan), who has a plan to make them all rich! They are going to rob a local warehouse of all its stainless steel sinks, but to do so will take, nerve, split second timing and some lipstick!
Forsyth brings together the kids of the Glasgow Youth Theatre, to produce an absurd, and wonderfully witty crime caper. Episodic at times, the film never looses sight of the need to make you laugh.

the league of gentlemen (1960)

"It's like being in school."
A redundent army veteran, Colonel Hyde (Jack Hawkins), annoyed at his treatment, recruits a some disgraced ex-collegues to pull off a bank robbery based on their military training.
Classic British caper comedy, with a subtle use of wit, well that is until Oliver Reed turns up as a very camp thespian!

the lavender hill mob (1951)

"By Jove, Holland, it's a good job we're both honest men."
The meek and mild bank clerk Henry Holland (Alec Guinness) hits on a plan for his retirement. To steal a shipment of gold bars and smuggle them out of the country disguised as souvenir Eiffel's Towers. To do so he enlists a team (including Stanley Holloway, Sid James and Alfie Bass), to hi-jack the bullion van, and then melt down the booty. Every plan has a flaw, and just when they think they've got away with it the unconceivable happens...
Ealing on a roll here, following its previous comedy hits with another comedy gem, with this caper movie.

crimewave (1985)

Vic Ajax (Reed Birney) is a nerdish character on his way to the electric chair recounts the events that led him there. It involves a pair of hitmen (Brion James & Paul L Smith) who kill the owner of a security company that Vic works for. Meanwhile Ajax is trying to impress Nancy (Sheree J Wilson) a woman who lives in the building he is a security guard for, but she only has eyes for Ronaldo (Bruce Campbell), an absolute heel. Soon their lives will intertwine when the hitmen notice someone in Vic's building has spotted their actions. A cartoonish and slapstick comedy horror co-written with the Coen Brothers. This merges the comedy of the Coens with the slapstick and horror of Raimi. The over the top gurning and slapstick does wear thin after a while, but this is still an enjoyable film, if watched in the right way.