Die Alte, diese Räuber

Old Robbers (Russian: Старики́–разбо́йники , romanized: Stariki-razboyniki , lit. "elderly bandits") is a 1972 Soviet comedy-drama by Eldar Ryazanov, filmed on Mosfilm. The movie title resembles the name of a Russian children's traditional yard game Cossacks-Robbers (Russian: казаки–разбойники , romanized: kazaki-razboyniki ).

Old detective Nikolay Myachikov is being retired by his boss Fedyaev. The official version is that Myachikov has solved no crimes for the last two months, but the real reason is that Fedyaev's boss wants Myachikov's position to go to another man, Proskudin. Fedyaev gives Myachikov a month to show he should not lose his job. Myachikov's best friend, engineer Valentin Vorobyov, is also due to retire but wants to stay on. He suggests to Myachikov that they set up the biggest crime ever and then solve it together so they will be allowed to continue working. Their first idea is to steal a Rembrandt painting from a museum. The plan fails when no one notices that the canvas is missing, believing the note the thieves left saying it has been removed for restoration. With great difficulty, Myachikov and Vorobyov sneak the picture back. Their next plan is to enlist the help of Myachikov's neighbour, Anna Pavlovna, a bank employee. Their plan to stage a robbery and pretend to recover the loot goes away when an actual robber intervenes. The trio struggle to understand what has happened, how to make restitution, and return to their honest lives.