Atraco a las tres

This caper comedy follows a bumbling group of bank workers who hatch an elaborate scheme to steal a fortune from the vault. Great comic performances and a fantastic jazz score propel a somewhat predictable get-rich-quick plot, typical of the era.

The film is considered a gem of 1960s Spanish film comedy. Its status as a classic derives from the wonderful and iconic early-1960s cast, good directing, and -- for viewers today -- nostalgia for a simpler, more naive era of entertainment. The movie is great fun, though perhaps the last 20 minutes could have been tightened a bit.

"Stickup at 3 O'Clock" reached a new generation of viewers in Spain circa 2002- 2003 via a well-promoted DVD release (distributed initially as part of a film- classics series issued by a major daily newspaper). Additional interest was generated later through a 2003 remake, "Stickup at 3:30."