Plot: Frank is the owner of the Rocket used car dealership and the Green Mill cocktail lounge. These businesses, however, are just a front for how he makes most of his money, which is through high stakes jewelry heists. He has a small, dedicated team, but he insists everything in his life, including the capers, be done on his own terms, often bucking criminal convention. He wants to make enough money to get out of the life so that he can settle down into what he considers normalcy with his new wife, Jessie. Believing he can achieve that goal immediately through this offer, he reluctantly agrees to do one last jewelry heist for Leo, a high level fence. That reluctance is primarily because he can't be his own boss and doesn't want Leo's criminal ego and high profile to interfere with the actual business of robbing and fencing the merchandise. Beyond the complexities of the job itself, Frank has added pressure in doing the job right. These pressures include: trying to eke out a regular life with Jessie, the two who want to adopt a baby; trying to get the release from prison of his ailing friend and mentor Okla, who doesn't want to die in prison; and dealing with a bunch of crooked cops on the take, who know that Frank is up to something big that they want their cut from for looking the other way. Leo tries to help Frank out with many of these matters, but Frank is unaware of at what cost.
Alternative Plot: A highly skilled jewel thief, Frank (James Caan) longs to leave his dangerous trade and settle down with his girlfriend, Jessie (Tuesday Weld). Eager to make one last big score in order to begin living a legitimate life, Frank reluctantly associates with Leo (Robert Prosky), a powerful gangster. Unfortunately for Frank, Leo wants to keep him in his employ, resulting in a tense showdown when he finally tries to give up his criminal activities once and for all.
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