NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Caper story

The caper story is a subgenre of Sherlock Holmes, pipe-puffing hero of crime fiction, confers with his colleague Dr. Watson; together these characters popularized the genre. Crime fiction is a genre of fiction that deals with crimes, their detection, criminals, and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science... crime fiction. The typical caper story involves one or more crimes (especially thefts, swindles, or occasionally kidnappings) perpetrated by the main characters in full view of the reader. The actions of police or detectives attempting to prevent or solve the crimes may also be chronicled, but are not the main focus of the story.

The caper story is distinguished from the straight crime story by elements of humor, adventure, or unusual cleverness or audacity. For instance, the Dortmunder stories of Donald Edwin Westlake, born on July 12th, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, still alive and kicking. Westlake didnt get more education than being a junior in Harpur College in Binghamton, New York, who would recently give him a doctorate in letters. He also spent two years in the USAF... Donald E. Westlake are highly comic tales involving unusual thefts by a gang of offbeat characters — in different stories Dortmunder's gang steals the same gem several times, steals an entire branch bank, and kidnaps someone from an asylum by driving a stolen train onto the property. By contrast, the same author's Donald E. Westlake character who appears in his Richard Stark-signed novels. Parker is the finest exponent of professional criminals. His first name is never mentioned in the novels he appears, and there are many details about him which remain unknown (like his tradition of waiting people sitting on sofas... Parker stories (published under the name Richard Stark) are grimly straightforward accounts of mundane crime — the criminal equivalent of the The police procedural is a sub-genre of the mystery story which tries to demonstrate the activities of a police force as they solve crimes. It can be difficult to distinguish between the police procedural and a detective novel in which the protagonist is a police officer. The principal distinction... police procedural.

A caper may appear as a subplot in a larger work. For example, For Tom Sawyer, British politician and trade unionist, see Tom Sawyer, Baron Sawyer Tom Sawyer is the protagonist of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and a character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, two Mark Twain novels. Spoiler warning: Tom Sawyer is a playful boy around the age of 10... Tom Sawyer's plot to steal Jim out of slavery in the last part of Huckleberry Finn is the protagonist of Mark Twains famous book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck also appears in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. A huckleberry is a type of plant that bears blueberry-like fruit. The main theme of this book, according to author Mark Twain, is sound... Huckleberry Finn is a classic caper.

Contents

1 Examples of the caper story

1.1 Fiction
1.2 Film

2 See also

Examples of the caper story

Fiction

The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), whose clever use of twist endings in his stories popularized the term O. Henry Ending. O. Henry was released from prison in Columbus, Ohio on July 24, 1901 after serving three years for... O. Henry — two kidnappers find that the little boy they're holding for ransom is more dangerous than the law
early stories of The Saint refers to the fictional character created by Leslie Charteris in one of the following contexts: Simon Templar, the character also known as The Saint (main Wikipedia article about this subject). The Saint, a TV series that ran from 1962 to 1969, starring Roger Moore as Simon Templar. The... the Saint by Leslie Charteris (May 12, 1907, Singapore–April 15, 1993) was born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, to a Chinese father and an English mother. His mother was a physician. Charteris was able to trace his lineage back to the emperors of the Shang Dynasty. The city of his birth was... Leslie Charteris
The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three by John Godey — a subway car is hijacked and held for ransom
the Cover of the first Modesty Blaise novel. Modesty Blaise is a character in a comic strip of the same name created by Peter ODonnell (writer) and Jim Holdaway (art) in 1962. The strip follows the adventures of Modesty Blaise, an exceptional young woman with many talents and a criminal... Modesty Blaise stories of Peter ODonnell (born 1920), British cartoon writer and author and creator of Modesty Blaise. ODonnell begun to write professionally prior to World War II at the age of 16. From 1938 and during the war he served as a NCO in mobile radio detachment of Royal Signal Corps... Peter O'Donnell
The Light of Day by Eric Ambler (28 June 1909 - 22 October 1998) was an influential English writer of spy novels who brought a level of realism to the field that had generally been absent in earlier works. Born in London England, Ambler also used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for books co-written with Charles... Eric Ambler (filmed as Topkapi (1964) is a film by U.S. director Jules Dassin based on Eric Amblers novel The Light of Day (1962). Set in 1960s Turkey, it stars Melina Mercouri (then Dassins wife), Maximilian Schell, Peter Ustinov and Robert Morley. Although Topkapi has been categorized as a caper movie... Topkapi)
novels by This article is about the Irish politician. For the author, see John Boland (author). John Boland (1945?-2001) was a senior Irish politician. Boland first ran for the D�il in 1969, however, he was unsuccessful. He was eventually elected to D�il �ireann on his third attempt in 1977... John Boland such as The League of Gentlemen and The Golden Fleece
the Dortmunder series and other novels by Donald E. Westlake
This article is about the tool; for other meanings of the word, see Sledgehammer (disambiguation). Categories: Stub ... Sledgehammer by Walter Wager was an American novelist born September 4, 1924, whose works included 58 Minutes, adapted to become the action film Die Hard 2 starring Bruce Willis. He also wrote a number of original novels based upon the TV series I Spy and Mission: Impossible in the 1960s under the... Walter Wager

Film

This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an article link referred you here, you might want to go back and fix it to point directly to the intended page. Topkapi is Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey... Topkapi ( 1964 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 - Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the... 1964)
Rififi ( 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday. Events January-April January 2 - Panama president Jose Antonio Remon is assassinated. January 19 - The Scrabble board game debuts. February 8 - Nikolai Bulganin ousts Georgi Malenkov February 13 - Israel obtains 4 of the 7 Dead Sea scrolls. February 23 - First meeting of... 1955)
Oceans Eleven is the name of two American crime movies: the original of 1960, and the remake of 2001. The similar Oceans Twelve is a sequel to the remake. Spoiler warning: Oceans Eleven (1960) The original Oceans Eleven was directed by Lewis Milestone and starred five... Ocean's Eleven, novel and screenplay by George Clayton Johnson is a science fiction writer most famous for his novel and screenplay Logans Run but also known for his work in television, writing screenplays for such noted series as The Twilight Zone and Star Trek. Born in a barn in Cheyenne, Wyoming on July 10, 1929... George Clayton Johnson and Jack Golden Russell ( 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-February January - State of emergency is lifted in Kenya - Mau Mau Rebellion is officially over January 1 - Independence of Cameroon January 9 - Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt January 14 - Ralph Chubb, the... 1960, remade 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. By strict interpretation of the Gregorian Calendar, 2001 is also the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millenium. Popular culture, however, often views the year 2000 as holding this distinction. 2001 is also the year... 2001)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1968 film starring Steve McQueen as Thomas Crown and Faye Dunaway as Vicki Anderson. It is also a 1999 film starring Pierce Brosnan as Thomas Crown, and Rene Russo as Catherine Banning. 1968 film Thomas Crown, a young, handsome millionaire, pulls off the perfect... The Thomas Crown Affair, screenplay by Alan Trustman ( 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is... 1968, remade 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. Events Kosovo War Shooting in Littleton, Colorado, United States, leaves several high school students dead. Y2K preparation was a major event in 1999 both in... 1999)
The Italian Job is a British comedy caper film, directed by Peter Collinson and written by Troy Kennedy Martin. It was released in 1969 and was a substantial hit, not least because of the prescence of Michael Caine; subsequent television showings and outings on video have established it as something... The Italian Job ( 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 - Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January... 1969, remade 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. Pascal Couchepin becomes President of the Confederation in... 2003)
Movie poster for Kellys Heroes Kellys Heroes is an offbeat 1970 film starring Clint Eastwood and Donald Sutherland about a group of renegade U.S. Army soldiers who attempt to steal a cache of gold from behind the German lines during World War II. The screenplay was written... Kelly's Heroes, screenplay by Troy Kennedy Martin (born 1932; sometimes credited as Troy Kennedy-Martin) is a British film and television scripwriter. His best known work in the cinema is the screenplay for the original version of The Italian Job, and in television he was responsible for creating the long-running BBC police series... Troy Kennedy-Martin ( 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. Events January-February January 1 - Construction begins on Arcosanti, by Paolo Soleri, in Mayer, Arizona, located 65, miles north of Phoenix, Arizona. January 1 - Unix epoch at 00:00:00 UTC. January 12 - Biafra capitulates, ending the Nigerian civil war. January 15... 1970)
The Sting was a 1973 film (theatrical release on December 23, 1973) directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Robert Shaw. Hill had previously directed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), which also starred Newman and Redford. Categories: Movie stubs | 1973 films | Best Picture... The Sting, screenplay by David S. Ward ( 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union. January 3 - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led by George... 1973)
Bank Shot, screenplay by Wendell Mayes from the novel by Donald Edwin Westlake, born on July 12th, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, still alive and kicking. Westlake didnt get more education than being a junior in Harpur College in Binghamton, New York, who would recently give him a doctorate in letters. He also spent two years in the USAF... Donald E. Westlake ( 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 - Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 3 - Prisoners Riot in Bathurst jail Riots much of jail destoyed by fire February 4 - Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph... 1974)
The Hot Rock, screenplay by This article is about the novelist. For the mathematician, see William Goldman (professor). William Goldman (born August 12, 1931) is an American novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He grew up in Highland Park, Illinois and obtained a BA degree at Oberlin College in 1952 and an MA degree at Columbia University... William Goldman from the novel by Donald Edwin Westlake, born on July 12th, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, still alive and kicking. Westlake didnt get more education than being a junior in Harpur College in Binghamton, New York, who would recently give him a doctorate in letters. He also spent two years in the USAF... Donald E. Westlake ( 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. Events January January 2 - the Pierre Hotel Heist - Six men rob the safety deposit boxes of the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Loot is at least $4 million January 5 - President of the United States Richard Nixon orders the... 1972)
Hudson Hawk is a 1991 film, directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote the story. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Richard E. Grant, and Sandra Bernhard are also featured. The film makes heavy use of... Hudson Hawk, story and screenplay by Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 as Walter Bruce Willis) is an American actor. Born at a military base in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, he was raised in Penns Grove, New Jersey and moved to New York to become an actor. He first found fame with his starring role in the... Bruce Willis, Robert K. Kraft (born 1942) is an owner of Gillette Stadium as well as the teams that play there, the National Football Leagues New England Patriots and Major League Soccers New England Revolution. Kraft is a 1963 graduate of Columbia University and the Harvard Business School. He is... Robert Kraft, Steven E. de Souza, and Daniel Waters was an officer in the Continental Navy and in the United States Navy. He was born on 20 June 1731 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and was one of the minutemen who engaged the British at the onset of the American Revolutionary War. Later placed in charge of a small... Daniel Waters ( 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January 2 - Sharon Pratt Dixon is sworn in as mayor of Washington, DC becoming the first black woman to lead a city of that size and importance. January 4 - The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously... 1991)
Categories: Movie stubs | 1998 films | British films ... Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, written and directed by Guy Ritchie (born September 10, 1968) is a British film director. He dropped out of school at 15 (he is dyslexic), but went on to become an accomplished music video and film director. Ritchie directed a film in 1995 titled The Hard Case. His first truly successful feature was Lock... Guy Ritchie ( 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. Events January January 1998 - A massive ice storm, caused by El Niño, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to... 1998)

Examples of the caper story GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Fiction

Film

See also

Examples of the caper story