The Italian Job (1969)

Director:

Peter Collinson

Writer:

Troy Kennedy-Martin (written by)

Release Date:

3 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Introducing the plans for a new business venture: "The Italian Job."

Plot:

Comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Gold | Sewer | Car Chase | Mini Cooper

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Charlie Croker
Noel Coward	...	Mr. Bridger (as Noël Coward)
Benny Hill	...	Professor Simon Peach
Raf Vallone	...	Altabani
Tony Beckley	...	Freddie
Rossano Brazzi	...	Beckerman
Margaret Blye	...	Lorna (as Maggie Blye)
Irene Handl	...	Miss Peach
John Le Mesurier	...	Governor (as John le Mesurier)
Fred Emney	...	Birkinshaw
John Clive	...	Garage Manager
Graham Payn	...	Keats
Michael Standing	...	Arthur
Stanley Caine	...	Coco
Barry Cox	...	Chris

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

South Korea:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-12 (original rating) | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (cinema version) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:U (original rating) | USA:G | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Alembic House - 93 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, England, UK

Company:

Oakhurst Productions

Trivia:

Noel Coward was director Peter Collinson's godfather in real life. The part was in part a recognition of the role he played in giving the director, who had grown up unhappy in an orphanage, his start.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the race around the Fiat test track, a police motorcycle manages to pass in front of the Minis. But in the next shots, the police are all still behind chasing.

Quotes:

[Lorna picks Charlie up from prison]
Charlie Croker: This car belongs to the Pakistani ambassador!
Lorna: It does?
Charlie Croker: Typical, isn't it? I've been out of jail five minutes, and already I'm in a hot car.
Lorna: Charlie, I just wanted you to come out in style, baby.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ben 10: Midnight Madness (#3.2)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The British Grenadiers

Hang on lads, I've got a great idea for a film

A film remembered very much for its quirky ending and amazing car stunts in the middle of Turin, Italy, The Italian Job does a half-decent job to entertain us with light hearted comedy, thrills, spills and average story.

However, I rather think the film would've disappeared had it not been for the charismatic weightiness of the relatively new British actor, Michael Caine. Already well known in the UK from previous films such as Zulu & Alfie, and it particular for his portrayal of Harry Palmer in a succession of spy movies (Ipcress File and Funeral In Berlin) Caine was still largely an unknown on the internation circuit, particularly in Hollywood.

The Italian Job offered Caine the opportunity to shine across the world and move him into super stardom as the cheeky Cockney with a heart of gold and roguish character. Caine has a very interesting presence on screen, a kind of British version of Robert Redford. He looks very self assured, perhaps a touch arrogant but he has the capabilities of either lifting a poor film into a competent one or dragging a goood film down to an average one based purely on his own strengths & weaknesses.

The Italian Job, therefore, is very much an average film even if one includes the stunts & chases. But Caine's marvellous character lifts the movies to a more pleasing one because his character is so large & rounded that even though we know he is very much a dodgy criminal by nature he isn't really a nasty evil man and so we can relate to him and cheer him on all the way through the movie.

I didn't really like Noel Coward's role at all as the Mr Bridger, the highly respected prisoner/criminal overlord that even the prison Governor has to respect. To me it was an embarressment and only served to distract the viewer and slow the pace of the film right down. Coward is far too pompous & boorish and added nothing to the movie at all.

Some of the supporting characters, Benny Hill, Robert Powell, Irene Handl & John Le Measurier are quite familiar to the great majority of UK tv viewers but don't really do themselves much justice in this film, with the possible exception of Hill and his passion for "large" ladies, which would in future years develop into his own TV show "Benny Hill Show".

Although the story is ok it soon becomes bogged down with too many distractions & seems to take for ever to get moving. And of course because this is primarily a British made film with a lot of UK actors the largely Cockney accent from most of the cast does irritate, even to other UK ears.

But again Caine's presence makes us forget about these little faults and all of a sudden the film becomes interesting again. But really this film is far too dependent on those car chases and "that" ending to really make for an enjoyable experience.

What the 2003 version of this film will look like I have no idea, but I suspect it will fall flat on its face very much in the same way the Hollywood remake of another British classic, Get Carter, died a quiet death two years ago.

The Italian Job is ok for a boring Sunday afternoon viewing, but take away Caine and you don't have much to think about.

**/*****