The Hot Rock (1972)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Donald E. Westlake (novel)
William Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 January 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

How many times does it take to steal the same diamond?

Plot:

Dortmunder and his pals plan to steal a huge diamond from a museum. But this turns out to be only the first time they have to steal it...

Plot Keywords:

Heist | Locksmith | Recruiting | Police Station | Prison Escape

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Dortmunder
George Segal	...	Kelp
Ron Leibman	...	Murch
Paul Sand	...	Greenberg
Moses Gunn	...	Dr. Amusa
William Redfield	...	Lt. Hoover
Topo Swope	...	Sis
Charlotte Rae	...	Ma Murch
Graham Jarvis	...	Warden (as Graham P. Jarvis)
Harry Bellaver	...	Rollo the Bartender
Seth Allen	...	Happy Hippie
Robert Levine	...	Cop at Police Station
Lee Wallace	...	Dr. Strauss
Robert Weil	...	Albert
Lynne Gordon	...	Miasmo

Also Known As:

How to Steal a Diamond (UK) (informal title)
How to Steal a Diamond in Four Uneasy Lessons (UK)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:U | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1972) | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Landers-Roberts Productions

Trivia:

In the Dortmunder novels by Donald Westlake, Kelp always steals cars owned by medical doctors. In the movie, the license plates of the stolen cars have the letters "MD" as part of the plate number. (Kelp's reason is that doctors get to use "no parking" zones when they might be making emergency visits.)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Abe Greenberg has a conversation with his son using the monitored visitor telephones. As his son's attorney, they would have been entitled to a private conversation.

Quotes:

Warden: [as he is being released from prison] No matter what institution I'm in, sooner or later I got you inside it. You couldn't, um, really go straight?
Dortmunder: [after a thoughtful pause and an exhale] My heart wouldn't be in it, Frank.

Soundtrack:

When You Believe

This may be the movie that hooked me on caper films.

I saw this film for the first time when I was a kid of about 4th grade age. It hooked me then and has stuck with me ever since as an enjoyable, fun, light caper movie. Granted it is not deep, serious or complicated. You do, however, "get your money's worth" because there is more than one caper that gets pulled for the good guys to finally come out ahead. If you are looking for fun adventure with the 70's charm and very little violence and virtually no adult language, give this movie a try.