The Italian Job

 

For years, I have been meaning to sit down and watch The Italian Job (1969) and last night I finally did.

The story centers around Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) who wants to steal four million dollars in gold from Turin, Italy. Aided by Mr. Bridger (Noel Coward), the kingpin big boss of British crime, Charlie puts together a crew which includes Professor Peach (Benny Hill) and they start practicing the heist. This leads to the very famous quote “You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”

The Italian Job is a pretty odd movie if I'm honest. To start with, it is a crime/action/comedy and the comedy is British 60's humor which is a thing all on its own. I'm pretty sure there is a lot of subtext that I simply don't get, but most of what was supposed to be funny wasn't. At least not to me.

The action and crime parts are really good though, no complaints there.

The script was originally supposed to be a TV-series which shows. Unfortunately, British TV at the time didn't have the resources to pull off something this ambitious so it was made as a film. There are lots of small scenes that come and go out of nowhere and really need more context that you never get. The heist crew is huge but beyond Caine, Coward and Hill's characters, you don't really know anything about them, which is a shame. They complain a lot and that's about it.

It is in the second half that The Italian Job really starts to shine. Where the first half is a bit disjointed, the second half is poetry in motion. The crew creates a brutal gridlock and escape with the gold in three Mini's, driving through back alleys, down stairs, jump roofs and race through tunnels. This part is not only amazing, it's justifiably famous. It is in fact so good that it justifies watching the movie even if the rest holds no interest for you.

A few interesting facts:

1. The city of Turin really did have the most advanced computerized traffic system in the world at the time, which is why they set the movie there.

2. British Motor Corp. refused to support the movie with cars. Fiat on the other hand offered unlimited cars, filming space etc.

3. The gridlock is real. The film crew and the Mafia really did create a huge traffic jam and most of the angry drivers were also real, having no idea that a movie was being made.

4. The three getaway Mini's are painted red, white and blue respectively to represent the British colors. They were in fact driven by a French stunt team which still works as the colors of the French flag are also red, white and blue.

5. Charlie's girlfriend steals the Pakistani ambassadors car to pick him up from jail. Pakistan at the time didn't have an ambassador in the UK, but a High Commissioner. It really was his car though.

Do I recommend The Italian Job? Yes I do. It is an odd bird to be sure, but I was entertained all the way through. The car scenes are absolute gold and a must see.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great and safe week!