The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery (1959) in Color — Starring Steve McQueen & Crahan Denton

The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery (1959) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery, the 1959 heist film directed by Charles Guggenheim and starring Steve McQueen, now available as a professionally colorized version. Based on the actual 1953 bank robbery attempt of Southwest Bank in St. Louis, this gritty crime drama was shot on location in 1958 featuring real St. Louis Police Department personnel, local residents, and bank employees reenacting their roles during the actual robbery attempt. Aging criminal mastermind John Egan plans to rob St. Louis’ Southwest Bank to retire to Mexico with his longtime minion Willy. Their accomplice Gino recruits George Fowler, a former collegiate football star with no criminal history, as the getaway driver. The meticulously planned heist goes tragically wrong when George’s ex-girlfriend Ann discovers their scheme, leading to betrayal and violence. This heist film combines documentary-style realism with dramatic tension, capturing the raw authenticity of 1950s St. Louis. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Aging criminal mastermind John Egan decides to rob St. Louis’ Southwest Bank, then use the loot to retire to Mexico with his longtime minion Willy. Their accomplice, Gino, is an ex-convict terrified of returning to prison, and wants money to pay for his defense in an upcoming criminal trial. The gang needs a driver for the getaway car. Gino recruits his sister Ann’s old boyfriend, George Fowler, a former collegiate football star with no criminal history. Egan takes a liking to George, much to Willy’s displeasure.

The gang meticulously gathers information on the bank to help Egan draw up his plans. In order to pay for a hotel room, Gino convinces George to borrow money from Ann. The transaction is the first meeting between the young couple since an unspecified action by George got them both expelled from college. George and Gino keep the incident hidden from Egan, who refuses to have women even tangentially involved in his work; he drunkenly confesses to George that his misogyny comes from experiences with his abusive mother, whom he eventually murdered by pushing her down a flight of stairs.

Ann sees George and Gino watching the bank, and deduces that they are planning a robbery. She confronts George, who claims that he will use the money to return to school and straighten out his life. Ann still feels too much affection for George to notify the police, but she goes to the Southwest Bank at night and writes a warning about the impending robbery on its window. Willy saw George and Ann together, enabling Egan to trace the source of the message. The gang invades Ann’s apartment, with Egan demanding that she leave town until the heist has been completed. Both Gino and George fail to stand up for Ann, letting Egan and Willy carry her away. As the three leave the apartment building, Egan has a flashback to his mother’s murder and throws Ann to her death off the fire escape.

Feeling personally betrayed by George, Egan orders him to participate directly in the robbery while Willy drives the car. They neglected to bring a police-frequency scanner and are unaware that the bank had relocated a switchboard from the lobby, elements that foil key aspects of their plan. An employee triggers the silent alarm, and police swarm the bank exterior. Willy flees in the car, leaving the other robbers stranded. As the gang try to work out their next move, Egan inadvertently reveals that he killed Ann. He forces his way out of the bank, using a teller as a human shield, but is shot down by the police. Gino dies by suicide in the basement vault.

George, wounded by a shot in the leg, takes a young woman hostage. Her husband tries to intervene, and the woman warns him that George is a vicious criminal who will show them no mercy. Already shaken by Ann’s death, George breaks down and begins protesting that he is not really a criminal. He releases the woman and lets himself be captured by the police. Driven away in a paddy wagon, he sees the world receding behind metal bars.

Cast & Crew

Director: Charles Guggenheim

Stars: Steve McQueen, Crahan Denton, David Clarke, James Dukas, Molly McCarthy, Martha Gable, Larry Gerst

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery was originally filmed in black and white, with cinematography that captured the gritty realism of 1950s St. Louis and the documentary-style authenticity of its on-location shooting. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the meticulous planning sequences to the tense bank robbery climax. The colorized version reveals new visual richness in the film’s settings, where the period-accurate 1950s St. Louis streets, bank interiors, and urban locations gain authenticity that transports viewers to the world of post-war American crime cinema. Steve McQueen’s early screen presence gains additional dimension in color, his performance conveying both the vulnerability of George Fowler’s descent into crime and the moral conflict that defines his character. The film’s unique production history—featuring actual St. Louis Police Department personnel and local residents reenacting their real roles—becomes even more vivid in color, blurring the line between fiction and documentary. Now also available in colour.

Buy The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1959, The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery represents a unique hybrid of fiction and documentary filmmaking in late 1950s American cinema. Based on the actual 1953 bank robbery attempt of Southwest Bank in St. Louis, the film was shot on location in 1958 with remarkable authenticity, featuring real St. Louis Police Department personnel, local residents, and bank employees reenacting their roles during the actual robbery attempt. This approach gave the film an unprecedented level of realism that distinguished it from typical Hollywood crime dramas of the era.

The film captures Steve McQueen in one of his early leading roles, filmed before his breakout success as Josh Randall in the TV series “Wanted Dead or Alive” made him a national star. McQueen’s performance as George Fowler demonstrates the actor’s ability to convey complex moral conflict and vulnerability, qualities that would define his later iconic roles. The film’s documentary-style approach influenced later crime films that sought authenticity through on-location shooting and the use of non-professional actors.

The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery reflects the post-war American fascination with true crime and the psychological complexities of criminal behavior. Unlike many crime films of its era that glamorized criminal enterprises, this film presents a stark, unflinching look at the consequences of criminal actions. The tragic fate of each gang member—Egan’s death by police, Gino’s suicide, Willy’s abandonment of his partners, and George’s psychological collapse—serves as a moral commentary on the destructive nature of crime. Through modern colorization, this unique crime drama reaches new audiences who can appreciate its historical authenticity, Steve McQueen’s early performance, and its place in the evolution of American crime cinema. Now also available en couleur.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: English original mono
• Runtime: 89 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who stars in The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery?
A: Steve McQueen stars as George Fowler, with supporting performances by Crahan Denton, David Clarke, James Dukas, Molly McCarthy, Martha Gable, and Larry Gerst.

Q: Is The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery based on a true story?
A: Yes, the film is based on the actual 1953 bank robbery attempt of Southwest Bank in St. Louis and was shot on location with real participants.

Q: What is the plot of The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery?
A: An aging criminal mastermind plans a bank robbery to retire to Mexico, recruiting a former college athlete as getaway driver, but the heist goes tragically wrong when betrayal and violence erupt within the gang.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

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