Is The Bank Job a True Story? Bank Job Plot, Cast, and More
by Priyanka P
Updated Aug 01, 2023
Is the Bank Job a True Story?
Yes, "The Bank Job" is based on a true story, known as the Baker Street Robbery, which took place in 1971 in London. The movie depicts the events of the heist and its aftermath, but it also takes creative liberties to add drama and narrative flair. In the film, the robbery is masterminded by Martine Love, an ex-model in a romantic relationship with British Security Services Agent Tim Everett.
The group is convinced to rob a bank containing a safe deposit box owned by black militant Michael X, allegedly containing compromising photographs of Princess Margaret.However, the accuracy of the movie is not entirely reliable, as the true details of the Baker Street Robbery remain shrouded in mystery.
The actual value of the stolen goods and the true purpose of the heist are unknown to this day. Some elements in the movie, such as the portrayal of the character Anthony Gavin, who planned the heist, are fictionalized.
The documentary "Greatest Heists With Pierce Brosnan" delves into the real events of the robbery, showcasing the intriguing cat-and-mouse game between the thieves and the police. Despite some creative liberties taken in "The Bank Job," the true story continues to be surrounded by rumors and misinformation, making it a subject of fascination for crime history enthusiasts.
The Bank Job Movie
"The Bank Job" is a 2008 heist thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. The movie is based on the true events of the Baker Street bank heist that occurred in 1971, where a group of criminals successfully broke into the safety deposit boxes of Lloyds Bank in London.
The plot revolves around Martine Love, portrayed by Saffron Burrows, an ex-model romantically involved with MI5 agent Tim Everett, played by Richard Lintern.
Martine is caught smuggling drugs into the country at Heathrow Airport, and to avoid jail time, she makes a deal with the authorities to retrieve compromising photos of Princess Margaret, which are stored in a safety deposit box owned by Michael X, a black militant gangster played by Peter De Jersey. The photos serve as insurance to keep the British authorities from interfering with Michael's criminal activities.
To carry out the heist, Martine approaches her friend Terry Leather, played by Jason Statham, a struggling East London car salesman with connections to the criminal underworld. She convinces Terry to assemble a team to rob the bank, promising them a generous reward without revealing the true nature of the loot.
Terry recruits a group of individuals, including his employee Eddie (Michael Jibson), Dave (Daniel Mays), Kevin (Stephen Campbell Moore), Bambas (Alki David), and Guy Singer (James Faulkner). The gang sets up a leather goods shop near the bank and tunnels underneath the vault. Using a thermal lance, they break through the floor into the vault and successfully loot the safety deposit boxes.
However, during the heist, Terry discovers Martine's interest in a specific box, numbered 118, and eventually finds the compromising photos of Princess Margaret inside it. Meanwhile, a ham radio operator overhears the gang's walkie-talkie communications and alerts the police about the robbery. By the time the police arrive at the bank, the gang has already escaped.
The aftermath of the robbery becomes increasingly complicated as the stolen photos attract the attention of various important figures, including Lew Vogel, a local gangster portrayed by David Suchet, who has a ledger of police payoffs. The gang also comes under suspicion, leading to dangerous consequences for some of its members.
The film weaves together the events of the heist, the impact it has on the characters involved, and the subsequent fallout in the criminal and law enforcement circles. It explores the tensions between the criminals, the police, and the British authorities as they try to recover the stolen loot and the sensitive photographs.
While "The Bank Job" is based on true events, it incorporates significant fictional elements to add drama and suspense. The movie delves into the intriguing chase between the police and the robbers, highlighting the mix of truth and speculation surrounding the actual heist.
"The Bank Job" received positive reviews from critics and was praised for its engaging storytelling, solid performances, and its ability to captivate audiences with the real-life mystery of the Baker Street bank robbery. The film's blend of fact and fiction adds to the intrigue, making it an entertaining heist movie with a connection to a fascinating historical event.
The Bank Job Cast
Jason Statham
Terry Leather
Saffron Burrows
Martine Love
Richard Lintern
Tim Everett
Keeley Hawes
Wendy Leather
Stephen Campbell Moore
Kevin Swain
Michael Jibson
Eddie Burton
Georgia Taylor
Ingrid Burton
Daniel Mays
Dave Shilling
David Suchet
Lew Vogel
Peter de Jersey
Michael Abdul Malik / Michael X
Gerard Horan
Det. Sgt. Roy Given
Don Gallagher
Det. Con. Gerald Pyke
Craig Fairbrass
Det. Con. Nick Barton
Peter Bowles
MI5 Executive Director Miles Urquhart
James Faulkner
"Major" Guy Arthur Singer
Alki David
Bambas
Colin Salmon
Hakim Jamal
Hattie Morahan
Gale Benson
Robert Whitelock
Alfie Hook
Julian Lewis Jones
Agent Snow
Andrew Brooke
Agent Quinn
Sharon Maughan
Sonia Bern
Alistair Petrie
Philip Lisle
Rupert Frazer
Lord Drysdale
Christopher Owen
Lord Mountbatten
Angus Wright
Eric Addey
Rupert Vansittart
Sir Leonard Plugge
Taelor Samways
Catherine Leather
Kasey Baterip
Julie Leather
Trevor Coppola
Leonard
Bronson Webb
Chicken Inn waiter
Julian Firth
Lawyer
Mick Jagger
Bank Safe Deposit employee (uncredited)
The Bank Job Plot
"The Bank Job" is a 2008 heist thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. The plot revolves around Terry Leather (played by Jason Statham), a struggling East London car salesman with criminal contacts, who is approached by his ex-model girlfriend, Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), to rob a Lloyds Bank branch on Baker Street.
Unbeknownst to Terry, the bank contains a safety deposit box belonging to a black militant gangster, Michael X, holding compromising photographs of Princess Margaret. As Terry and his team execute the heist, they become entangled in a web of conspiracies involving MI5, corrupt police, and high-profile government officials, leading to a wild ride of heists, betrayals, and dangerous encounters.
The Bank Job Trailer
Is The Bank Job A True Story? - FAQs
Yes, "The Bank Job" is based on a true story, known as the Baker Street Robbery, which took place in 1971 in London.
The producers allege that a D-Notice was issued in 1971 to protect a prominent member of the British royal family, but this claim is disputed and remains unclear.
Yes, Michael X was a real figure, and the safety deposit box in the film reportedly contained compromising photos of Princess Margaret, acting as insurance for Michael X.
Martine Love is a fictional character created for the movie, not a real person connected to the actual robbery.
The real purpose of the Baker Street heist, as well as the contents of the safety deposit boxes, remain unknown and have been surrounded by rumors and misinformation.