The Great Bank Hoax (1978)

The officers (Richard Basehart, Ned Beatty, Burgess Meredith) of a small town bank discover that money has been embezzled shortly before an audit is to be performed. They devise a scheme to have a fake robbery to explain the missing money. But instead of ending the situation, it only serves to throw a wide net of corruption involving other bank employees and citizens. Directed by Joseph Jacoby, this is an anemic slow moving heist comedy that has been done better elsewhere. It offers up nothing new but I wouldn't have minded if it had only had some style or wit. Although released theatrically, it feels like a TV movie. There is a nice performance by Burgess Meredith who gives his bank vice president a nice reptilian quality that I enjoyed but the other actors seem to be walking through their parts. With Paul Sand, Michael Murphy, Arthur Godfrey, Constance Forslund, Charlene Dallas and Bibi Osterwald.