Welcome to the Layman's Review, where we give you a simple overview and a rating of some of history's most famous films. We're here to entertain you with facts and trivia, and to help you decide if any of these films are worth your time and interest. For a full list of movies on review, check out my previous post 'The Very Sciency Science Behind Film Choices'.
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Film: The Italian Job
Director: Peter Collinson
Year: 1969
Running Time: 99 minutes
Big Names
Michael Caine - Charlie Croker
Noel Coward - Mr. Bridger
Benny Hill - Professor Simon Peach
Raf Vallone - Altabani
Margaret Blye - Lorna
Rossano Brazzi - Beckerman
Plot Summary
Upon his release from prison, Charlie Croker is given a very important - and very dangerous - job. Croker’s task is to steal $4 million worth of gold from an escorted van in the piazza in Turin, Italy. To do so, Croker and his team must evade cameras and the police, as well as the Italian mafia, which has already killed Croker’s predecessor Roger Beckerman. With the backing of the rich and powerful Mr. Bridger, Croker begins to put Beckerman’s ‘Italian Job’ scheme into action.
Top Quotes
“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”
- Croker
“Camp Freddie: everyone in the world is bent.”
- Mr. Bridger
“It’s a long walk back to England, Mr. Croker. And it’s THAT way.”
- Altabani
“Keats? I think we’d better arrange a funeral.”
- Mr. Bridger
“You wouldn’t hit a man with no trousers on, would you?”
- Croker
“Are they big? I like ‘em big!”
- Professor Simon Peach
“Hang on, lads; I’ve got a great idea.”
Fun Trivia
- Michael Caine couldn’t drive at the time of filming, so his character is rarely seen behind the wheel of a car. When Croker arrives at the hotel, Caine steps out of a stationary Aston Martin; during the heist itself, Croker is always a passenger.
- In an ironic twist, the actual Italian mafia helped cause traffic jams all around Turin in order to allow production to continue. Authorities had refused the filmmakers use of the city streets, and the traffic jam in the film is real.
- “Camp”, meaning effeminate or gay, is now a common phrase in the United Kingdom, but might have originated in ‘The Italian Job’. Mr. Bridger refers to his deputy as “Camp Freddie” (Tony Beckley), insinuating that his character is homosexual.
- The car that Lorna says belongs to the ambassador of Pakistan actually belonged to the High Commissioner of Pakistan.
- Robert Redford was considered for the role of Charlie.
- Noel Coward is Peter Collinson’s godfather, and the character of Mr. Bridger was re-written to better suit Coward’s demeanor.
- Fiat donated dozens of vehicles to the film, but the British Motor Corporation refused to contribute the Minis for free.
- Director Peter Collinson and his wife both make cameos in the film; Hazel Collinson has appeared every one of her husband’s films for good luck.
Ratings
Jessica’s Rating:
I really enjoyed this film! It’s a classic that you hear about all the time, especially since the remake appeared in 2003, but I had just never gotten around to it. Well worth the wait! Very funny, fast-paced, extremely quotable and a brilliant ending.
I really enjoyed this film! It’s a classic that you hear about all the time, especially since the remake appeared in 2003, but I had just never gotten around to it. Well worth the wait! Very funny, fast-paced, extremely quotable and a brilliant ending.
Jeni’s Rating:
Classic Michael Caine, classic 60s/70s British film genre and still very quotable. It has mostly stood the test of time. I did find the blatant sexism no longer entertaining to my 21st-century palate, but the complex heist and escape, followed by the cliffhanger (that I always know is coming, but love watching again and again) still left me with a grin on my face and humming to the tune of ‘Self Preservation Society’.
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