The original Italian Job: Review

Never mind the so-called 'remake' - this is the real Italian Job

A few years ago, a movie was released called The Italian Job. It claimed to be, or was hailed as, being a remake of the 1969 version. I have to say, Britishly, that that is bloody nonsense. The two films bear only the slightest resemblance and I'm sorry, 2003 version, but you just ripped off a few ideas. Now I've got that off my chest....

See the real Italian Job

The real thing is clever, entertaining, a true adventure and highly funny. It couldn't fail when it had:

• Michael Caine as the leader of a gang of gold robbers
• Noel Coward, whose character masterminded the scheme from his jail cell
• Benny Hill as the eccentric professor who liked his women BIG
• Car chases that were amazing, years before the Bluesmobile was even thought of
• Real British Mini Coopers
• Music by Quincy Jones

You can't go wrong

If you've seen the 'remake' and decided it's not your cup of tea, I don't blame you. It's not mine either. But don't think that there is any resemblance between this classic British comedy / adventure and the more recent film of the same name. They might have nicked a few ideas but other that they are as different as chalk and cheese.

The ending

In his autobiography, Michael Caine says that a sequel was planned to explain the cliffhanger at the end of the film. He recalls that the film was a huge success in the UK as a family comedy. In the USA however, the first thing he saw when he went over to promote the film was a totally unsuitable poster showing a group of evil looking gangsters with a bikini-clad, gun-toting girl in the foreground. This did NOT represent the movie at all.

I imagine that the USA wasn't familiar with British humour at that time, unlike now, so without the funds from an American success, the sequel was never made.

This however didn't stop people speculating how the boys should get out of their predicament and even the Royal Chemistry Society ran a competition for the best solution.

I imagine that everyone who has seen the film - from 1969 to today - has their own theory. I know I do...

You have to watch this trailer.

The writer of this story was named Troy Kennedy Martin.I have always imagined - or hoped - that he made more money from the story of this super crime than he would have done had he actually committed it.

Michael Caine's character, Charlie, is an appealing London criminal who, onrelease from jail, is virtually handed the scheme on a plate. What is this plan? It is to steal an enormous amount of gold from Turin, in Italy and then escape with the loot over the border to Italy.

He can't resist this.

First, he has to find someone to finance the operation, which he does.(Noel Coward playing Mr Bridger).

Then he has to assemble his team of experts and meticulously plan and rehearse the heist. The plan means creating chaos in the entire city of Turin and charlie needs expert stunt drivers, explosives experts, computer whiz kids and more. This needs a highly trained, huge team.

In Italy everything goes according to plan.Because the team have spent ages perfecting their roles, everything goes smoothly. The gang has got away with four million pounds worth of gold.

All they have to do now is escape over the border to Switzerland. Now that should be the easy part, right?

Video

This video was a deleted scene, it was not actually used in the film. What a shame. I can see why - it would have interrupted the action - but how wonderful it is. A 'ballet' of the Italian police cars and the gang's Minis they are chasing.