The Jokers

Michael Tremayne is booted out of Sandhurst, igniting rivalry with his brother David who is seen as the good son. They decide to pull a grand gesture to make their mark and plan a crime that would be a bold statement. The idea is to prove themselves by doing something unforgettable.

They take Inge on a tour of London, including the Tower of London, where a dinner party discussion reveals a key loophole: you cannot be charged with theft unless you intend to permanently deprive. This legal curiosity sparks their plan to exploit that loophole. The brothers begin to conceive a grand gesture theft.

They write and deliver letters at the outset, declaring their intention to steal yet not permanently deprive. The letters are intended to shield them with the legal loophole and generate a narrative for the public and police. The plan’s stage is set by these communications.

They plant a bomb at the Albert Memorial and observe police procedures as the alarm and response rhythms unfold. The act marks the start of a violent escalation in their grand gesture. It is not a success but demonstrates their willingness to provoke a dramatic incident.

A second attack targets the lion cage at London Zoo, continuing their pattern of conspicuous disruptions. The plan shows their commitment to creating a national spectacle and to leverage fear as part of the grand gesture. Police response begins to intensify.

They blow up a ladies' lavatory, expanding their violent publicity and demonstrating the attackers' disregard for collateral harm. The series of explosions raises the stakes and tightens police focus on the pair. The brothers justify the acts as part of their larger scheme.

They plant a bomb at the Stock Exchange while David heads to an army base, where he and a partner take the place of the disposal experts and record procedures on a tape recorder. The juxtaposition of financial and military targets underscores the breadth of their plan. The day-before-the-heist dynamics hint at the coordinated multisite assault.

Michael goes to the jewel room in the Tower of London and hides a bomb there, while David and Michael go to the army base and ride with the army to the Tower. They then take the place of the bomb disposal team. The plan is now fully in motion as they prepare to access the Crown Jewels.

Inside the Tower's jewel room, the pair knock out the bomb-line Colonel, disable alarms by exploiting vibration fears, and use a laser to cut into cabinets to steal the Crown Jewels. They set a small bomb and a smoke device, stagger out, and are transported by ambulance with the jewels.

A worldwide search unfolds as authorities scramble for the missing jewels and the letters are opened a week after the crime. The jewels have vanished from their hiding place, casting suspicion on the brothers. The public frenzy swells as the case captures headlines.

David is identified as the bomb expert and is arrested; Michael claims innocence and cannot be linked to the theft. Bail is refused for David, while Michael's party-alibi appears to stand. The police struggle to break down Michael's alibi despite mounting pressure.

As police surveillance tightens around Michael, he evades their gaze and digs up the jewels he buried at Stonehenge. The act demonstrates his agency and willingness to defy the authorities. The jewels are once again within his reach.

Michael uses a tapped phone line to announce the jewels will be returned at Trafalgar Square at 4 a.m., drawing police attention away from the actual move. He places the jewels in the scales of justice on top of the Old Bailey, attempting one final feint. The ruse culminates in the authorities realizing the true extent of the scheme as the net tightens.

The brothers end up imprisoned in the Tower of London, their scheme having failed to sustain their liberty. They sit together, plotting an escape as their sentence looms. The final tableau shows the brothers incarcerated but still strategizing.