The Silent Partner

On the eve of Christmas in Toronto, Miles Cullen, a bored bank teller at a mall branch, discovers a note that signals an imminent robbery. The finding plunges him into a tense wait as he weighs the risk of warning colleagues or letting events unfold. Rather than flee, Miles becomes covertly involved, using his routine to influence the plan and live with the consequences. The intruder, kept cool under pressure, toys with Miles's choices while a wary mutual attraction develops with a coworker, complicating the moral math of what to do next. The mall and city feel claustrophobic as the threat closes in.

Directed by Daryl Duke, The Silent Partner is adapted from a novel by Anders Bodelsen with screenplay input from Curtis Hanson. Released in 1978, this Canadian thriller relocates the European premise to a chilly urban setting.

Critics at the time credited the film for its tight pacing and strong performances from Elliott Gould and Christopher Plummer, turning a simple heist into a psychological duel. The film probes greed, fear, and the uneasy ethics that emerge under pressure.

The Silent Partner is remembered as a brisk Canadian thriller that brought a European source story into North American cinema without losing its chilly mood. It is often cited for a compact premise that still resonates in later bank robbery dramas.