A classic British comedy of errors which has, if anything, become even cooler over the years than when it was first released, what with its swinging sixties setting and definitive performance from Michael Caine, which is both deadpan and at the same time hilarious. Indeed, this is the film that gave us one of his classic quotes ("You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!") and for the most part its Caine's film - without him, I don't believe it would work half as well. Made back in a time when the perfect popcorn film was lively, entertaining, well-acted, and immaculately made (like the early Bond films with Sean Connery) instead of the modern vacuous special effects outings we see in cinemas, this is a breath of fresh air and a film impossible to dislike.
The comedy comes from the misfortune our unusual leading characters find themselves in, as they attempt to carry out an elaborate robbery and find something going wrong at every turn. Despite this, they still manage to triumph through perseverance and plain luck, which makes their characters admirable despite being thieves. Our classic anti-heroes are made to look good through the intervention of the real bad guys of the film, i.e. the Italian Mafia, who think nothing of murder and destruction to keep the gold in their country. The film perfectly blends thrills with comedy and I was surprised how well it was shot and photographed all the way through; director Peter Collinson deserves recommendation.
The finale, which involves literally hundreds of motor vehicles involved in city-wide traffic jams and some classic chases involving three minis (red, white and blue, naturally) and the Italian police, is riveting stuff. The film also boasts the talents of noted British comedians Benny Hill, Irene Handl, and John Le Mesurier, all of whom have rather small roles, as well as Noel Coward in a scene-stealing part late in his career as Mr. Bridger, the big-time gangster who could wipe the floor with any of the would-be hard men of LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS. The actual robbery itself is tense, suspenseful and imaginatively staged. The Italian Job is a patriotic pleasure from a more innocent age long since gone.
The comedy comes from the misfortune our unusual leading characters find themselves in, as they attempt to carry out an elaborate robbery and find something going wrong at every turn. Despite this, they still manage to triumph through perseverance and plain luck, which makes their characters admirable despite being thieves. Our classic anti-heroes are made to look good through the intervention of the real bad guys of the film, i.e. the Italian Mafia, who think nothing of murder and destruction to keep the gold in their country. The film perfectly blends thrills with comedy and I was surprised how well it was shot and photographed all the way through; director Peter Collinson deserves recommendation.
The finale, which involves literally hundreds of motor vehicles involved in city-wide traffic jams and some classic chases involving three minis (red, white and blue, naturally) and the Italian police, is riveting stuff. The film also boasts the talents of noted British comedians Benny Hill, Irene Handl, and John Le Mesurier, all of whom have rather small roles, as well as Noel Coward in a scene-stealing part late in his career as Mr. Bridger, the big-time gangster who could wipe the floor with any of the would-be hard men of LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS. The actual robbery itself is tense, suspenseful and imaginatively staged. The Italian Job is a patriotic pleasure from a more innocent age long since gone.