Last Friday's brilliant scenario notwithstanding, I'm not usually much of a fan of the heist genre, finding most examples of it too slick and formulaic. But maybe James Clavell's movie Where's Jack? doesn't count, as it doesn't much concern itself with the procedural details of thievery. The movie is hard to find these days -- surprising, given that Clavell is still famous for Shogun and the writers, David and Rafe Newhouse, also penned John Boorman's classic Point Blank.
Set in the early 1700s, Where's Jack? dramatizes the story of Jack Sheppard (Georgian London's Billy the Kid) and the thief-taker Jonathan Wild. I think roleplayers will enjoy it. There's smart storytelling, interesting characterization, and it moves along with unflagging pace. (As a bonus for followers of Dirk the Dice on The Grognard Files, there's a cameo appearance by Caroline Munro.)
If something like Where's Jack? were made today it wouldn't be half as good. You want diversity, one way to get it is to look at how the filmmakers of half a century ago saw our shared past. Watch the movie while it's still up there (ad-free) on YouTube.
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