The Jokers – 1966 | 94 mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Engaging comedy-thriller oozing with anarchistic joy about two young rogues who hatch a plan to steal the Crown Jewels – and then give them back. It’s a quintessential British crime romp written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and directed by Michael Winner during his fruitful “Swinging London period. Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed are perfect as the amateur thieves, and there’s also splendid support from Harry Andrews, James Donald and Michael Hordern.

When Michael Tremayne (Michael Crawford) is discharged from Sandhurst for cheating at war games, with the assistance of architect sibling David (Oliver Reed), the misfit brothers attempt to put their ingenuity to good use by stealing the Crown Jewels just for the heck of it. After a campaign of bomb scares around London to evaluate the workings of the Bomb Disposal Unit and Scotland Yard in such circumstances, they hide a bomb in the Tower Of London’s Jewel Room and then call the authorities. They then send deferred confessional letters to their bank manager and solicitor that are not to be opened until after the robbery – proving the brothers never intended to keep the jewels.

Next, they impersonate two Royal Engineers and slip into the heavily guarded room with the Bomb Disposal Unit commander; incompetent Colonel Gurney-Simms (James Donald). As soon as they are inside, they chloroform the Colonel, steal the jewels, drench themselves in fake blood, detonate an incendiary device and tear gas, and then run from the scene of the crime to a nearby ambulance looking like injured soldiers. It’s the “crime of the century,” and the whole country is both stunned and in awe of their bravado. David hides the crown’s, orb and sceptre are hidden beneath the floorboards of David’s Kensington flat, but when it comes to the day of their bank manage opening their confessional letters – the jewels have disappeared.

The police arrest the brothers. David’s letter is handed to the police and he duly confesses, but Michael doubled-crossed his brother by never sending his letter and denies all knowledge of the robbery. After years of being patronised by his superior brother, Michael revels in the infamy of the having ‘got away with it’ and having the last laugh on his brother. Unfortunately neither David’s girlfriend, Eve (Gabriella Licudi), nor Scotland Yard detective Marryatt (Harry Andrews) believe him, and he is permanently under the surveillance of Sgt. Catchpole (Brian Wilde).