Continuity mistake: As Dalton stands inside the bank vault staring at the cash, the scene jumps from a wide, distant shot, to medium, to close-in, just outside the cage. Another robber stands just outside and between jumps his gun position shifts from relaxed to raised to relaxed again.
Inside Man (2006)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: Spike Lee
Starring: Christopher Plummer, Denzel Washington, Willem Dafoe, Jodie Foster, Clive Owen
The bank robbers, minus the head honcho Dalton (Clive Owen), blended in with the hostages so they could appear as hostages and then confuse the cops during the interrogations of the hostages after the bank robbery (for example: the bank robber Stevie with big breasts, the "hostage" who took his mask off and got dragged on the floor and the Armenian guy). The bank robbers placed a microphone inside the drawer thing with the message that was given to the police so they could hear what the police were saying. By listening to what the police were saying, they could prepare themselves moments before the police would enter the bank. When the police enter the bank, the robbers (minus Dalton) blend in with the hostages (because everyone is dressed the same) and exit the bank. Everyone who exits the bank is asked their name and has their picture taken; why? because since everyone is dressed the same, everyone's a suspect. The police search the bank and realize that: no money was stolen, the guns the robbers were using are fake and the execution they witnessed was fake. Now, here's the big surprise: the reason why the robbery took so long and no money was stolen is because Dalton and his colleagues were building a fake wall so that Dalton could hide behind it for a few days. What Dalton and his colleagues stole was the contents of the bank chairman's (Christopher Plummer) box: an important document that links him to the Nazis (he made a lot of money during WWII) and some diamonds. Dalton left a Cartier diamond ring in the box for Frazier (Denzel Washington) to find with a note that says "Follow the ring"; another reason why he left the ring in the box is out of respect for the previous owners of the ring, who died in a concentration camp. Frazier investigates on the ring and figures out that it's linked to the bank chairman. He talks with the chairman but gets no answers about what he had inside the box. After a few days, Dalton comes out of hiding behind the fake wall of the storage room and exits the bank. On his way out, he bumps into Frazier. Later that night, Frazier finds a little diamond in his pocket and realizes that the man he bumped into at the bank was the head of the bank robbers. Dalton slipped a diamond in Frazier's pocket because during their conversations, Frazier mentioned that he's "too broke to be engaged."
Alex
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Suggested correction: Whilst this is true, I don't think it is a continuity mistake. It looks to me like it is intended to suggest the passage of time between each of the three shots.
Detective Frazier: Everybody, relax. Calm down. Calm down. Calm the fuck down!
Question: After the robbery and once the dust settled (business was back-to-normal at the bank, etc.) why did the bank president not immediately go to open the safety deposit box and see what happened to its contents? He knew it was the target of the robbery. Reason would dictate that one of the first things he would have done would be to open the box and see what was there... Not leave it to the NYPD to open it and discover a mostly empty box except for the big ring, chewing gum and note.
Answer: The aforementioned answer fails to keep in mind he is the owner of the bank and could've have done this hours before the bank was opened and or hours after the bank was opened. Dalton spent 3 days behind the wall. Mr Case had a special fixer, and she had the mayor in her pocket. It is a reasonable assumption that a billionaire like Aruthur Case would be able to have the contents of his safety deposit box removed with little to no problem. One way is "yes Mr. Mayor I will be giving you a blank check for your reelection campaign." The issue is this was a major plot hole that almost ruined a otherwise great and well thought out movie.
Answer: Arthur Case did not want anyone to know about the safe deposit box or what was in it. In fact, the box's number had been left off the bank records. The police did not immediately know if anything had been stolen during the robbery. Case going to the bank to check on the box, would only have drawn attention to it. The contents, the diamonds, were a link to Case's criminal Nazi past that he wanted kept hidden. It was only by chance that Detective Frazier discovered the box and the clues that had been left inside it by Dalton Russell.
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