Finding Steve McQueen

In 1980, Harry James Barber tells his story about the California bank robbery he committed eight years ago to his girlfriend Molly Murphy, whose relationship is at strain after discovering his secret. In 1972, Harry lives next to a refurbished theater house in Pennsylvania and is a big fan of actor Steve McQueen. Harry had agreed to the plan led by the handler Enzo Rotella of robbing the bank supposedly containing the illegal slush fund of President Richard Nixon. The team is being joined by Paul Callahan, Raymond Darrow, and Harry’s brother Tommy Barber – a Vietnam War veteran. The gang travels to California and rents a vacation house not far away from the bank. Few days before the robbery, Harry meets the widow Molly Murphy at the bar, whose husband was killed in a vehicular accident. Harry and Molly happily developed their relationship, but he hides his secret about his scheme from Molly throughout the relationship. At night, the gang infiltrates the bank and disabling the alarm system. After three days of burglary, they successfully looted $12 million overall; however, Harry receives only a share of $10,000. Five days after the burglary, the bank robbery has become the public knowledge and FBI agents Howard Lambert and Sharon Price take the case. After a thorough investigation, they eventually locate the vacation house linked to the robbery and managed to identify the culprits through the fingerprints left in the unwashed utensils. All members of the gang were subsequently arrested by the authorities, except Harry who escapes and goes on the run for eight years. In 1980, Harry tells to Molly that he is done running from the law and he had called her father, a sheriff, to arrest him. As they get out from the diner, Howard and the local sheriffs arrive and Harry kisses her goodbye before being brought to the detention. The epilogue states that Harry was sentenced to seven years in prison but is reduced to three years after the letter from the Sheriff was signed by the townspeople to testified Harry’s character.