A female executive and a night janitor conspire to commit a daring diamond heist from their mutual employer, The London Diamond Corporation.
Demi Moore
Laura Quinn
Michael Caine
Mr. Hobbs
Lambert Wilson
Finch
Nathaniel Parker
Ollie
Shaughan Seymour
Eaton
Nicholas Jones
Jameson
Joss Ackland
Milton Kendrick Ashtoncroft
Silas Carson
Reece
Derren Nesbitt
Sinclair
Kate Maravan
Trudy
Rosalind March
Penelope
Kevan Willis
Lewis
Stanley Townsend
Henry
Jonathan Aris
Boyle
Ben Righton
Bryan
Natalie Dormer
Cassie
Claire Thill
Secretary
Violaine Miller
Ballroom Quartet
Carole Bruere
Ballroom Quartet
Roya Zargar
Trudy's Friend
David Barrass
Fenton
Director
Michael Radford
Writer
Edward Anderson
June 2, 2024
6
"Laura" (Demi Moore) is the first woman manager at the London Diamond Corporation but regardless of her obvious skills, it's clear that she has reached the peak of her career. Continually passed over for promotion by mediocre men with carnations in their button holes, she becomes a bit despondent and the ideal executive target for the cleaner "Hobbs" (Sir Michael Caine) who's long nurtured a cunning plan. The film doesn't really dwell on the heist itself, suffice to say that when they open their vault door one morning, the powers that be have conniptions and boss "Ashtoncroft" (Joss Ackland) certainly needs his early morning brandy! They draft in "Finch" (Lambert Wilson) to investigate and pretty quickly he is drawn to the nervous "Laura" as she is also surprised by the scale of the crime. Things is - where did all the stones all go? It's quite an interesting premiss not unlike "11 Harrowhouse" (1974) but the pace is really quite slow and the pairing of Moore and Caine doesn't really catch fire. It does take a bit of a swipe at the venal, corporate incompetence, sexism and patronage and shines a light on crooked industrial and insurance arrangements that smack very much of emperor's new clothes, but it's just a bit under-written and lacklustre conclusion of this film rather sums it all up. Watchable, but entirely forgettable.