The Bold Bank Robbery (1904)

The Bold Bank Robbery Review

The Bold Bank Robbery is a 1904 silent short film directed by Jack Frawley. It is a rather underrated flick.

The movie follows a successful bank heist and in its plot and approach it resembles the iconic ‘Great Train Robbery’ released the year prior. But I wouldn’t personally call the movie a rip-off as it’s different enough from that masterpiece, so it’s not fair to compare it as such. Yes, the beginning is somewhat rushed and difficult to follow, but the rest of it was excellent.

What I appreciated here was that last act that follows the criminal as he tries to escape from the two policemen. This section is superbly executed and so much fun. It stood the test of time and it’s still exhilarating action today. How a pond is utilized into action and eventually a train was quite ingenious. The cinematography is fantastic and the editing is quite strong.

The Bold Bank Robbery is certainly a familiar crime caper with a weak first half, but an excellent second half with a thrilling ending. It’s an underrated movie.

My Rating – 4