The Big Caper

The Big Caper

Year: 1957

Runtime: 84 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Stevens

DramaThrillerCrime

The Big Money… $1,000,000 was up for grabs! A con artist moves into a small town to spearhead a payroll robbery.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Big Caper (1957)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Big Caper (1957). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

San Felipe, California, Camp Pendleton Marine Base

The action takes place in the California town of San Felipe and around the nearby Camp Pendleton Marine Base. The bank, a purchased gas station, a residential street, and community landmarks like the Loxleys’ home and a local high school provide the backdrop for a planned payroll robbery. The contrast between civilian everyday life and a high-stakes criminal operation drives the tension throughout the story.

🕵️ Mystery 💰 Heist 🏘️ Small-Town 🔥 Explosives

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:43

Main Characters – The Big Caper (1957)

Meet the key characters of The Big Caper (1957), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Falkenburg (Roscoe Ates)

A minor member of Flood's criminal operation, he participates in the scheme without being a central figure in the film's key moments. His presence signals the ensemble nature of the caper and suggests a seasoned but careful gang dynamic.

🧩 Supporting 🕵️‍♂️ Gang member

Zimmer (Robert Harris)

An explosives expert who is alcoholic and psychotically driven, making him a volatile wildcard in the plan. His pyrophiliac tendencies and professional skill escalate the danger at every stage of the heist.

🧪 Expert 🌀 volatile

Frank Harper (Rory Calhoun)

A resourceful, ambitious thief who threads between loyalty to Flood and his new relationship with Kay. He drives the heist's execution while weighing the cost of failure and the possibility of starting over after the score.

🧭 Planner 🛡️ Loyal yet pragmatic

Kay (Mary Costa)

Flood's moll who infiltrates the town as a homemaker, befriending Frank and forming the plan’s emotional core. She contemplates leaving the life after the job, signaling a potential turn toward a straight path.

💃 Deceptive persona 🌺 Ambitious

Flood (James Gregory)

The ruthless mastermind behind the operation, he orchestrates the crew and exerts control through fear and manipulation. His commands set the plan in motion and his willingness to eliminate threats keeps the operation dangerous.

🧠 Leader 💼 Calculating

Roy (Corey Allen)

Flood's self-involved gopher who handles menial tasks with a perverse edge. His loyalty wavers under pressure, and he participates in key violent decisions, reflecting the moral decline in pursuit of profit.

🏃‍♂️ Gopher 🔥 Impulsive

Harry (Paul Picerni)

Lookout and associate who brings his companion Doll to the operation. He functions as part of the surveillance and risk management network surrounding the heist.

🧭 Lookout 🧍‍♂️ Accomplice

Sam Loxley (Patrick McVey)

A banker and husband of Alice Loxley, he represents the legitimate, everyday financial world that the criminals target. His presence in the community underscores the collision between normalcy and crime.

💼 Banker 🕊️ Normal life

Doll (Roxanne Arlen)

A provocative associate whose demands for a cut precipitate trouble within the group. Her fate is sealed when she clashes with the crew, ultimately leading to her murder.

💃 Risk-taker ⚠️ Victim of crime

Dutch Paulmeyer (Florenz Ames)

A veteran safecracker recruited for the job, he is a crucial technical asset in breaking open the vault. His expertise anchors the execution of the plan.

🧰 Expert 🧪 Safecracker

Alice Loxley (Louise Arthur)

The wife of Sam Loxley, she is part of the town’s social fabric and represents the community that becomes entangled in the criminals’ plans.

👩 Neighbor 🧭 Community

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:43

Major Themes – The Big Caper (1957)

Explore the central themes of The Big Caper (1957), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💰 Crime & Greed

The film centers on a meticulous heist and the pursuit of a large payday, exploring how greed motivates each participant. Loyalties are tested as personal desires collide with professional ambitions. The twists and turns of the plan reveal how money can corrupt even ordinary neighbors.

🕵️ Deception & Masks

Characters live double lives, posing as ordinary townspeople while orchestrating a sophisticated robbery. Kay's role as a homemaker contrasts with her secret involvement, illustrating how appearances can hide dangerous intentions. The community's trust becomes a fragile veneer in the face of crime.

💥 Danger & Violence

Explosives and high-risk decisions escalate the stakes, culminating in a fatal confrontation and the scrambling of loyalties. The plan's success hinges on timing, nerve, and the willingness to cross lines that may irreversibly alter the characters' lives. The threat of violence underscored by Zimmer and the gang keeps the tension relentless.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:43

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The Big Caper Summary

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The Big Caper Summary

The Big Caper Timeline

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The Big Caper Timeline

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