The Italian Job by Troy Kennedy-Martin - 8 out of 10

The Italian Job by Troy Kennedy-Martin
8 out of 10


The recent remake of the 1969  action film has better special effects, seeing as they have progressed so much over the decades.

Notwithstanding that, the original seems to be so much better, if we disregard a few aspects that appear somewhat hard to believe.
However, even the elements in the plot that flirt with the impossible can be accepted, given that this is also a comedy.

Besides, the ending may be one of the best, in its complexity, puzzling outcome and invitation to wonder about what will happen next...after the end of the motion picture so to say.

English criminals have set their their eyes on a large quantity of gold.
Italian, hence the name of the feature.

This does not make the natives happy and the ones to take issue are the members of the Mafia.
In the first place,the authorities would play a role later.

The legendary God of British cinema Noel Coward is Mister Bridger, the head of the English syndicate who would be acclaimed when the operation seems to be successful.
One of the wonderful scenes in the film has the whole prison cheering for the head of the mob.

Again, it looks like they have won - but this is not a spoiler alert given that the finale is very complicated - and the inmates take it as a victory for England.
And they all sing together:

England, England!

While a majestic Noel Coward descends the stairs with the grace of a sovereign and the panache of the aristocratic lord of the screen that he has been.

Leading the operation in the field is Michael Caine, another cinematic deity, as Charlie Croker.
He is helped by the famous comedian Benny Hill aka the eccentric professor Simon Peach and other expert criminals,some of them funny, others excellent drivers, with perhaps one exception...
The bus driver.

As they descend upon Italy, the British robbers are met by the Italian team, led by Altabani aka the formidable Raf Vallone.
The first game is excruciating, for Altabani wants to send the message to Mr. Bridger and that is he cannot hope to lead such a heist from a prison cell.

In order to make his point ever more subtle, the Italian Goodfella has brought a large excavation truck and he destroys the splendid, expensive convertible Austin Martin and two other exquisite cars which are sent over the cliff, into the precipice.

Round one for Italy.
The second game in the World Series is won by the English though.

Perhaps the most astonishing part of this film is the car chase.
The Mini cars are maybe the real stars of the movie.

These Super Machines work in water, tunnels, on roofs, above buildings, on stairs...you name the challenge and it is there.

It looks like Fast and Furious and any other motion picture made after The Italian Job has not added a thing to the car chasing spectacle.

One little bit of criticism- the vain effort made by the Carabinieri to open a door with a truck...
It looked preposterous, I mean come on, a truck cannot open a door!?

But then even this was easily taken in, for the officer in charge of the operation is pained by the futile efforts.
First one car from falls then another.

It is a sardonic take on the incompetence of authorities and rather efficient.