Many films in cinematic history have been based on a romanticized heist. Some are shite. The Bank Job was one that I was forced to watch on a plane ride back home recently, and I almost gagged at just how horrible and formulaic it was. On the other hand, there are others that are done quite well, and they sometimes have the potential to become classics (think Reservoir Dogs and Ocean's 11, the original one).

Stone of Destiny goes a small step further with the classic caper genre and integrates a little Scottish nationalism in the mix. The film, based on the memoirs of Ian Hamilton, recreates the story of four exuberant Scottish youth who, on Christmas day in 1950, travel by car south to Westminster Abbey in London and successfully steal the Stone of Scone (referred to in this movie as the Stone of Destiny). The theft, although futile as the stone was returned to the Abbey shortly thereafter, created a large stir amongst Scots all over the world and helped to reinvigorate Scottish national pride within the population. This eventually led to the official return of the stone back to Scotland decades later in 1996 (with the stipulation that the symbol be transported back to England for any future coronation ceremonies).

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