The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery

The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery is an American film starring Steve McQueen and is based on the 1953 bank robbery attempt of the Southwest Bank in St. Louis. Aging criminal mastermind John Egan (Crahan Denton) decides to rob St. Louis Southwest Bank and use the loot to retire to Mexico with his minion Willy (James Ducas). Their accomplice, Gino (David Clarke), is an ex-convict terrified of returning to prison, and wants money to pay his defense lawyer in an upcoming criminal trial. They select a driver for the getaway car which is Gino's sister Ann's old boyfriend. Ann, Gino's sister, sees George and Gino watching the bank, and deduces that they are planning a robbery. She confronts George, who claims he will use the money to return to school and straighten out his life, but Ann goes to the bank at night and leaves a written message about the impending robbery on it's window. Egan orders George to participate directly in the robbery while Willy drives the car. An employee triggers the alarm and police swarm the exterior of the building. Willy flees in the car, leaving the other robbers stranded. Egan forces his way out of the bank, using a teller as a human shield, but is shot down by the police. Gino dies by suicide in the basement vault. George is wounded in the leg and takes a young woman hostage. George eventually releases the woman and let's himself be captured by the police. As the paddy wagon drives away, he sees the world receding behind metal bars. (89 minutes - 1959 - black & white - 4:3)