4. "The Sting" (1973)

"Luther said I could learn some things from you. I already know how to drink."

(Robert Redford as Johnny Hooker)

"The Sting" is perhaps the most well-known caper film of all time. It's two notable points are 1) the immense popularity of Scott Joplin's piano rag "The Entertainer" that accompanied the film and 2) the old-fashioned title cards dividing the film into distinct sections. It stars Robert Redford and Paul Newman as con men attempting to con a mob boss in 1930s Joliet, Illinois. The term "the sting" refers to the point in a con when the con man has finished the "play" and the mark is about to lose his money, though now it is mostly used in the context of law enforcement sting operations. The film won 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music, and Best Writing. Julia Philips was the first female producer to win the Best Picture category. "The Sting" also wins an American Cinema Editors Award, a David di Donatello Award (Italy), a Directors Guild of America Award, an Golden Screen Award (Germany), a Kinema Junpo Award (Japan), a National Board of Review Award, a PGA Award, and a People's Choice Award. It was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2005.

The Plot: Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) is a small-time grifter who teams up with seasoned con artist, Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to seek revenge on crime boss Doyle Lonnegan after Hooker's friend Luther is killed. They assemble a team of con men to come together for the ultimate con against Lonnegan. It's a story of double- and triple-crosses that is perhaps the father of all con films. It's a great film, but it's a classic - so be prepared for a slower pace and less action than more modern films.

The Criminal Justice System: The criminal justice system is only vaguely acknowledged in this film, with a crooked Joliet cop - Lt. Snyder - and an FBI agent - Agent Polk - filling the ranks of the stereotypical cop role: Dirty and corrupt. The film is predicated on the idea of "no honor amongst thieves," with con men trying to out-con and out-cheat each other for the big score.

3. "Sherlock Holmes" (2009)

"My mind rebels at stagnation; give me problems, give me work."

(Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes)

Sherlock Holmes is based on the fictional detective of the same name, first introduced to the world in 1887. The detective, penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is found in 4 novels and over 50 short stories. He is a "consulting detective," what would now be termed a private detective, and is well-known for his deductive reasoning, attention to minute details, and rather eccentric personal habits. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2010 (Art Direction and Music Score) and won an Art Directors Guild Award (USA), a Golden Globe Award (USA), an Empire Award (UK), an Irish Film and Television Award, two Teen Choice Awards, and a Visual Effects Society Award (USA).

The Plot: The film opens with Sherlock and his trusty sidekick, Dr. Watson, solving a case involving serial kidnappings and murders. An MP of the House of Lords (Lord Blackwood) is the perpetrator, and he is sentenced to death. Later, Lord Blackwood is seen alive and well, apparently resurrected from the grave. Several other murders take place, and Holmes and Watson seek to find out the truth regarding Lord Blackwell. Black magic and new-fangled technologies (namely, a time-bomb) are prominently displayed in the film, as are Holmes's eccentricities and famous deductive skills. Two plots of a more personal nature emerge, with Sherlock's old flame, Irene Adler, returning to London and antagonizing him, and Dr. Watson's impending marriage (which would sever the professional relationship between Watson and Holmes) also bothers Sherlock.

The Relevance: The Sherlock Holmes stories made detective novels famous. They were the first to look to private detectives, rather than the police, to solve crimes. The history of policing makes this a logical shift in literature. 1880's London police, while finally professional and organized (the Metropolitan Police Department and Scotland Yard were created in 1829 by Sir Robert Peele, which is why English policemen are known as "Bobbies"), were often corrupt and not well-trained. The stereotypical film attitude towards police is to portray them as stupid, inept, and useless; Sherlock Holmes is no different, but mostly because it was actually true at the time. Sherlock Holmes is the most well-known private detective in history, so no crime film blog would be complete without the film adaptation of the literary sensation.

2. "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967)

"This here's Miss Bonnie Parker. I'm Clyde Barrow. We rob banks."

(Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow)

The film "Bonnie and Clyde" depicts the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. It won two Academy Awards (Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Estelle Parsons [Blanche Barrow] and Best Cinematography) and was nominated for eight more, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Warren Beatty - Clyde Barrow), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Faye Dunaway - Bonnie Parker), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gene Hackman - Buck Barrow), Best Director (Arthur Penn) and Best Picture. It also won two BAFTA Awards (U.K.), one Bodil Award (Denmark), one David di Donatello Award (Italy), two Laurel Awards (USA), two Kinema Junpo Awards (Japan), one National Society of Film Critics' Award (USA), and one Kansas City Film Critics' Circle Award (USA). It was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1992. The car used at the end of the film (where they are ambushed) is currently housed in the National Museum for Crime and Punishment in Washington, D.C.

The Film: The movie was made in 1967, and the acting and effects make that clear. However, the story is one of legends, and transcends any "cheesiness" due to the age of the film. Unlike films of the current age - and something that, in my opinion, many films nowadays are severely lacking - "Bonnie and Clyde" tells the story of the people, not just the crimes. While there are several "shoot-em-up" scenes, there are also scenes that tell of Bonnie's immense loneliness and Clyde's desperation to be someone worthwhile. It brings the humanity of people to the forefront rather than relying on special effects and drawn-out action scenes to bring people to the theater.

The History: Historically, it is unknown exactly how they met, though most reputable stories imply it was through mutual friends. Bonnie Parker was a waitress in Cement City, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). She had married a high school sweetheart when she was 16, but they parted ways three years later in 1929. She met Clyde Barrow in January 1920. Clyde Barrow was born in Ellis County, Texas, just south of Dallas. He had several brushes with the law for offenses such as stealing cars, cracking safes, and stealing (his first real arrest was for stealing turkeys with his brother, Buck).

Bonnie and Clyde's criminal spree lasted from 1930 until their ambush in 1934. During that time they picked up Barrow family friend D. W. Jones as an accomplice (who also served as a sort of Judas of the group, giving up information to law enforcement that would later be used against the Barrow gang in the grand jury) and Clyde's brother Buck and his wife Blanche. The gang committed several murders, kidnappings, robberies, and car thefts. Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed by a posse of Texas Rangers and Louisiana law enforcement officers on May 23, 1934 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

The real Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow

Criminal Justice History: The story of Bonnie and Clyde is one of several in the "Public Enemy Era" of criminal justice. This is the same era that brought such legends as John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson. One historian notes that Bonnie and Clyde would not have been famous had it not been for the infamous Joplin (MO) photographs depicting their arsenal of weapons and Bonnie's sex appeal. Bonnie and Clyde, like many Public Enemies, took advantage of the pre-FBI rule that law enforcement officers cannot cross state lines. As such, criminals could move from state to state without worry of being captured by another state's law enforcement. The formation of the FBI (and the institution of a federal law that made bank robbery and kidnapping federal offenses, and thus the jurisdiction of the FBI) brought the Public Enemy Era to an end. In fact, both John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson were shot and killed mere months after the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde.

During their criminal spree, Bonnie Parker wrote several poems. One, entitled "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde," can be found here.

1. Ocean's 11 (2001)

Ocean's 11 is one of the premiere heist films of our time. The original, made in 1960, starred the Rat Pack; the remake also brought together an all-star cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts. The film was nominated for 17 awards worldwide, winning 3 - the ALMA Awards (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture - Andy Garcia), BMI Film and TV Awards in Great Britain (BMI Film Music Award - David Holmes), and Bogey Awards in Germany (Bogey Award in Gold - Warner Bros. Motion Pictures).

PLOT: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) brings together 11 friends to pull off one more heist after he is released from prison on parole. He wants to steal $150 million in one night from the MGM Grand, the Bellagio, and the Mirage - all casinos owned by Terry Benedict, his arch-nemesis. Danny and his friends use several techniques to steal the cash, including making a duplicate of the entire Bellagio vault and a fake security film.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: This film does not directly deal with the criminal justice system, except from the perspective of the perpetrator. It does highlight very well two important aspects of crime: 1) Criminals use whatever technology is available to them when committing crimes and 2) the role of private security in protecting private property and ventures. Criminals are often portrayed in films and television shows as stupid and disorganized. While some offenders are exactly that, many are quite organized, highly intelligent, and extremely methodical when planning and executing their crimes. Just as Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) plan their heist to the nth degree, so too do most criminals working high-stakes crimes like robberies of upscale businesses. Secondly, the private policing (a.k.a. private security) business is typically viewed by the public as inept, or "riff-raff." The security team at the Benedict casinos, which should be one of the best in the world, is caught completely off-guard and surprised by the heist and has no idea what to do when presented with the problem. Considering the large amounts of money that are kept in casinos at any given time, this is either incredibly depressing or the polar opposite of the truth.

New Hobby

For several months, I've felt that I have a deficiency in the realm of crime films. I have seen many, but I have gaping holes in my repertoire... for example, I have never seen "Silence of the Lambs" or "Serpico." Don't even get me started on "The Godfather" (any of them). So, to rectify this travesty, I had an idea earlier this month that I would watch crime movies and blog about them... reviews plus my thoughts on their relevance and critique of the criminal justice system. I decided to review 52 movies over the course of a year, which is about one a week. I would obviously have to play a bit of catch-up, but that's the plan.

Anyway, I hope you choose to join me on this adventure. I'll be watching classics, new favorites, and everything in between. I am anticipating copious amounts of popcorn consumption and a great dialogue on the American experience (and social changes) relating to the criminal justice system. I'll add noteworthy points, such as awards won, when appropriate.

So as they say in the movie business... lights, camera, ACTION!