The Italian Job (1969)
Introducing the plans for a new business venture
Starring: Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley, Rossano Brazzi, Maggie Blye, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, Fred Emney, John Clive, Graham Payn, Robert Powell
Director: Peter Collinson
Running Time: 96 minutes
US MPAA rating: GUK BBFC rating: PG
Action, Comedy, Crime
On DVD When you see Michael Caine waist-deep in Dick Dastardly-style car chases, immortal one-liners and light-hearted xenophobia, it's easy to see why there's a temptation to pass off 'The Italian Job' as the crowning glory of his career. When you think of today's Caine caricature, you immediately think of the Cockney crim Charlie Croker, pulling off heists and bedding beauties. It's iconic Caine. It's classic Caine. It's also a tad-overrated.
This isn't a bad film. In fact, it's pretty good fun. But the simple plot-line of Croker and his gang of likely lads stealing $4million-worth of gold bullion and getting one over on the mafia in the process is hardly gold itself. In fact, it probably owes its cult status predominantly to two or three superb lines delivered to deadpan perfection by Caine ('you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off', etc), than any sort of major comic consistency or outstanding action sequences.
Most of this enjoyable nonsense takes place in the streets of Turin, where our cheeky rapscallions use the passing crowds of England football fans to help cover their naughty wrong-doings. Being made in 1969, it's all a bit dated, of course - for example, where are all the skinheads jumping up and down on top of bus shelters and trashing pavement cafes?
There's a long line of familiar British faces among the cast, most notably Noel Coward in his last film acting role as the prison inmate lording it over fellow prisoners and staff alike. Benny Hill takes third billing, though with the high-speed-chases-set-to-silly-music left to the cars, there seems very little for him to actually do. John Le Mesurier, Irene Handl and Robert Powell are also in there somewhere if you know where you're looking.
DVD Extras: A great range of features for a film so old - including an audio commentary, deleted scenes, three documentaries ('The Great Idea', 'The Self Preservation Society' and 'Get A Bloomin Move On') and a theatrical trailer.
It's Got: A cliff-hanger ending - literally.
It Needs: To 'get a bloomin' move on' during the slightly over-long car chase sequence.
Alternatives: The Italian Job (2003), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Actors
Summary: Mildly entertaining tripe.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 2nd September 2003
External Links
The Italian Job at the IMDB
Comments1 Comment |
| Much better than the remake. It is a light hearted British Film about a Jack the Lad bank robber who outwits the Mafia and the Italian Police. The real stars are the Minis which outrun & out manoevre the chasing Caraboneri. Benny Hill is great as the socially retarded but brilliant computer hacker who ties up the Turin traffic light systems, and he gets the best Joke about doing rude things to a net - (Annette actually who turns out to be a 300lb monster). Remake is OK but it lacks the humor of Caine and Hill. Not sure if the reviewer saw it recently or when it came out originally over 30 years ago (or both) but I saw it way back in the late 60s/early 70s and thought it excellent at the time and still remember much of it - so in that respect it must have been special. |
| Comment by:- Gordon Crawford | | 22 February 2004 | ip: logged |
