Going in Style

In a sun-drenched corner of Astoria, Queens, three aging gentlemen - Joe (George Burns), Al (Art Carney), and Willie (Lee Strasberg) - congregate in their humble apartment, seeking refuge from the drudgery of their daily routines. Their days are filled with the monotony of newspaper reading, pigeon feeding, and fending off rowdy children at the local park. Joe, a man worn down by the tedium, seizes an opportunity to shake things up when they visit their bank to collect their monthly social security checks. In a flash of inspiration, he proposes a brazen solution: why not pull off a daring stick-up? Al is immediately won over by the idea, while Willie's skepticism only adds fuel to Joe's determination.

As the trio ponders the feasibility of their plan, Al takes it upon himself to snoop around his nephew Pete's (Charles Hallahan) gun collection. Pete and his family - wracked with financial woes as they struggle to make ends meet - live just a stone's throw away from Al's apartment. With Pete eager to open his own furniture store, but stressed by the weight of mortgage payments and utility bills, Al sees an opportunity to help his nephew out financially by pilfering some pistols from the collection.

The next day, with their spirits reinvigorated by the prospect of adventure, Joe, Al, and Willie converge on Manhattan via subway. As they indulge in hot dogs and participate in a sidewalk drum performance, their excitement reaches a fever pitch. With guns secured and confidence soaring, Joe proposes robbing the Union Marine Bank at 36th Street and Broadway the very next day.

As Al pays a clandestine visit to Pete's abode, Joe and Willie are busy acquiring an arsenal of Groucho Marx-inspired spectacles, the perfect disguise for their impending escapade. Meanwhile, Al takes advantage of his nephew's departure for work to infiltrate the basement, where he liberates three pistols from the gun case and a cache of bullets. The next morning, after verifying which ammunition fits the firearms, the trio embarks on a bus ride to a neighboring Queens neighborhood, seeking to conceal their point of origin. From there, they hail an unlicensed taxi, which, as an added bonus, does not maintain records of fares. For a mere $30, the driver agrees to transport them into Manhattan and wait outside the bank while they ostensibly sign a will. As they enter the bank in disguise, Al takes the security guard hostage at gunpoint, while Joe orders the teller to relinquish the cash. When the bank manager fails to take their demands seriously, Joe fires a bullet at the wall, prompting everyone to scramble for cover on the floor. With their satchel overflowing with loot, the friends make a hasty exit, instructing the driver to drop them off at a subway station and return to Queens via train.

Upon tallying their ill-gotten gains, they discover that the total comes out to just over $35,000. Al suggests stashing the loot in his old suitcase, stored at Pete's house, a plan that the others enthusiastically endorse. Later, as they sit on their usual park bench and eavesdrop on a radio report detailing the crime, Willie suffers a fatal heart attack and meets his untimely demise. With no regard for expense, Joe makes funeral arrangements, ensuring that Willie receives a befitting sendoff.

As they gather to pay their respects during the memorial service, Joe and Al decide to bestow upon Pete $25,000 of their spoils, in recognition of his tireless efforts to support his family through two grueling jobs. Pete is left speechless as Joe explains that he and Al have inherited a $25,000 life insurance policy from Willie, but they have no use for the money. In exchange for this windfall, Joe proposes that Pete provide them with a weekly stipend of $20 to supplement their fixed income. Following the funeral, the two friends decide to splurge on a spontaneous vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada. Without making reservations, they hail a cab to Kennedy Airport, purchase tickets, and board their first plane flight, leaving their worries behind in the wake of Willie's passing.

As the sun dipped below the neon-lit horizon, Joe and Al ventured into the casino hotel, seeking a chance to spin their luck at the craps table. Unfamiliar with the game's intricacies, Al relied on Joe's guidance, following his instructions to roll the dice while he expertly placed bets. The pair's inexperience proved to be an unexpected advantage, as they raked in a staggering $73,000 by the end of the night. However, their newfound wealth would soon become a liability, making them vulnerable to the prying eyes of thieves and authorities alike. Joe wisely suggested they collect their winnings and beat a hasty retreat back to New York that very night.

Exhausted from their whirlwind escapade, they stumbled into their apartment, collapsing onto the couch in a heap of fatigue. As the hours ticked by, Joe's exhaustion gave way to concern when he tuned into the radio, catching a report that hinted at a breakthrough in the amateur bank robbery case. Al was nowhere to be found, but Joe tried to rouse his friend with the news, only to discover his worst fears realized: Al had passed away during the night.

Gathering his thoughts and emotions, Joe made his way to Pete's doorstep, burdened by the weight of their $107,000 windfall and the crushing loss of his uncle. As he revealed the details of their Vegas exploits and Al's untimely demise, Joe implored Pete's help in hiding the money in a safety deposit box, sensing the authorities closing in on them like a noose. Pete, torn between grief for his fallen friend and loyalty to Joe, reluctantly agreed to aid him.

The next morning, as Joe prepared to attend Al's funeral, he donned a somber expression and combed his hair with precision. But just as he was about to depart the apartment, two FBI agents appeared at the door, their handcuffs snapping shut around his wrists like cold, unforgiving shackles. During the ensuing interrogation, Joe remained resolute, refusing to betray Al's trust by revealing the location of their ill-gotten gains.

As Pete steps into the state prison, he delivers an ultimatum to Joe (played by [actor name]): return the stolen funds or face severe consequences. Joe's nonchalant response suggests that he has given up on life outside these walls. He reveals that his friends Al and Willie would never want him to give back the loot, implying a sense of loyalty and camaraderie that transcends conventional morality. For years, Joe has felt imprisoned by the monotony of his existence, and now, he finds himself in a peculiar predicament - being treated like royalty behind bars.

In this peculiar reversal of fortunes, Joe trades in the drudgery of daily life for the comfort and security of prison life. Gone are the days of cooking and cleaning for oneself; instead, three square meals a day are served on a silver platter, and Joe is indulged with a level of luxury he never knew possible. As Pete prepares to bid farewell, Joe cautions him not to darken his doorstep again, lest suspicion falls upon him in connection with the bank robbery.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Joe bids Pete farewell, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he invites him to "enjoy his inheritance" - a life of indulgence and excess made possible by the spoils of their illicit adventure. As the camera pans out, we see Joe being escorted back to his cell, his expression a masterclass in defiance, his tone a whispered promise that no institution, no matter how secure, can truly contain him: "besides... no tin-horn joint like this could ever hold me!"