{"id":7604,"date":"2024-08-17T15:24:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T19:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pattiphillipsbooks.com\/kerriansnotebook\/?p=7604"},"modified":"2024-08-17T15:26:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T19:26:22","slug":"kn-p-324-heist-what-if","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pattiphillipsbooks.com\/kerriansnotebook\/2024\/08\/kn-p-324-heist-what-if\/","title":{"rendered":"KN, p. 324 “Heist…What If?”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>If there are no paragraph separations in the article, please double click on the title.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Heist: <\/b><\/span>an individual (or group) plans and executes the theft of items of value.
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\nWhy do we enjoy hearing about a clever heist? What keeps us glued to the page or screen?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPortrait of a Thief,<\/strong>\u201d Grace D. Li\u2019s terrific debut novel, is an art heist book dealing wonderfully with Chinese influences and national art crimes. It was nominated for multiple awards, and explored revealing character studies of the participants who were in it only for the thrills, as well as those having a higher goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Israeli top spy\/art restorer, Gabriel Allon, would rather be working on a major art restoration in Italy, but a blackmailing member of the Italian Art Squad is able to persuade him to do otherwise. \u00a0In \u201cThe Heist<\/strong>,\u201d a corrupt British spy who had been selling stolen artwork to an anonymous art collector winds up dead and a famous painting is missing.\u00a0In order to get an art dealer friend cleared of suspicion for dealing in stolen goods, Gabriel must agree to a heist.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are entertaining, but nevertheless fictional accounts of plans for heists. Why did the characters do it? Money, blackmail, thrills, matching wits with law enforcement art squads, are a few of the motivations for crimes that could put the participants in jail for a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elements of a good heist movie or book<\/strong>: Heist films have a classic plot and follow the planning, execution, and aftermath of a big robbery. Millions of dollars are at stake, whether in cash, art, or jewels. Typically, banks, museums, private homes, and art galleries are the stages upon which the dramas are played out.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best ones have twists and turns, surprises throughout, the bad guys\/girls plot and scheme for weeks or months, and the audience is led along for the ride as the thieves train for the big day. With loads of money at stake, and criminals involved, there may be violence to keep wayward players in line, but mostly, the emphasis is placed on the double-crosses and the tricky parts of the scheme. There is a usually a race against time, because if there are several heists in short succession, law enforcement may be onto them and evasion from capture is key.<\/span><\/p>\n

Heist\/Caper Films: <\/strong>Here are five of the more popular heist movies:<\/span><\/p>\n