The Best '70s Heist Movies

Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The Best '70s Heist Movies
Voting Rules
Vote up the best heist movies that were released in the '70s.

These are the best ‘70s heist movies. Fans of the genre know that The Sting with Paul Newman and Robert Redford has to be considered one of the best caper films from the seventies. You’ll also find that ‘70s heist movies are sophisticated in their storytelling and cinematic techniques. Watch these movies if you want to root for the thieves but also be warned that not all of the heist films from the seventies show that crime pays. Even so, they are certainly fun to watch. With famous actors such as Walter Matthau in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon, ‘70s heist movies set the blueprint for some of the most memorable modern heist movies and franchises.

Other great heist movies from the seventies include the comical caper films The Return of the Pink Panther and The Pink Panther Strikes Again.

Now it’s time to determine the greatest 1970s heist movies. Vote up the good ‘70s heist movies to make sure that the right film makes its way to the top of the list. Don’t see your favorite 1970s heist movie? Feel free to add it to the list.

Ranked by
  • Dog Day Afternoon
    1
    Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning
    9 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Sidney Lumet
    Dog Day Afternoon is a gripping drama film that unravels the tense reality of a botched bank robbery. Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino), an inexperienced criminal, leads the desperate heist alongside his partner Sal (John Cazale). The duo finds themselves trapped in an escalating situation, surrounded by police and media frenzy. As the day wears on, secrets are revealed, including Sonny's unexpected motivation for the robbery. Directed by Sidney Lumet, this critically acclaimed movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and offered Pacino a memorable role that cemented his place in Hollywood.

    Available On:

    subscription

  • Le Cercle Rouge
    2

    Le Cercle Rouge

    Alain Delon, Bourvil, Yves Montand
    6 votes
    • Released: 1970
    • Directed by: Jean-Pierre Melville
    Le Cercle Rouge is a 1970 Franco-Italian crime film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. After leaving prison, master thief Corey (Alain Delon) crosses paths with a notorious escapee and an alcoholic former policeman.
  • The Sting
    3
    Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw
    6 votes
    • Released: 1973
    • Directed by: George Roy Hill
    In the 1973 caper classic The Sting, Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) team up to swindle a fortune from a crime boss. The plot unfolds in 1930s Chicago, with Hooker playing the small-time grifter who seeks revenge for his partner's murder. He finds an ally in Gondorff, an experienced con man lying low after a big score. The duo devises an intricate scheme, 'the sting', involving poker games, fake bookies, and FBI agents. This film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, showcasing the crafty brilliance of its protagonists in a world where deception is the name of the game.

    Available On:

  • Straight Time
    4
    Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey
    5 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Ulu Grosbard
    A career criminal, Max Dembo (Dustin Hoffman) is determined to go straight after his latest stint in prison. He takes a mindless job in a cannery, patiently endures the abuse of his pompous parole officer, Earl (M. Emmet Walsh), and begins a romance with a sympathetic girl from the employment office, Jenny (Theresa Russell). But when Earl erroneously busts Jack for drug abuse, the ex-con cracks, assaulting Earl and setting off on a reckless crime spree.

    Available On:

  • The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
    5
    Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam
    10 votes
    • Released: 1974
    • Directed by: Joseph Sargent
    In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless "Mr. Blue" (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

    Available On:

    subscription

    free

  • Charley Varrick
    6
    Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, Felicia Farr
    7 votes
    • Released: 1973
    • Directed by: Don Siegel
    When small-time criminal Charley Varrick (Walter Matthau) leads a crew to rob a bank, things don't exactly go according to plan. Not only are there casualties, but also, he and his surviving cohort, Harman Sullivan (Andy Robinson), discover that they've snagged far more cash than they were expecting --and it's money that belongs to the mob. Hunted by both the police and a ruthless killer named Molly (Joe Don Baker), Charley and Harman may not live long enough to enjoy their small fortune.

    Available On: