The Italian Job (1969)
November 4th, 2004 at 9:33 am (3 - Enjoyed it)
“Chaotic fun” is the phrase that comes to mind when trying to describe the original version of The Italian Job (1969) starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward. The movie is full of odd bits and pieces that barely seem to belong, continuity mistakes, and potential subplots that go nowhere (whatever happened to the Mafia boss trying to track Charlie down, or Charlie’s girlfriend?). The main plot is a simple as it appears: A team of British robbers steal a truck full of gold and drive it away through a traffic jam using mini coopers. The saving grace for The Italian Job is then the charisma of Caine and his co-stars and the fun and frantic pacing of the movie (kudos to editor John Trumper) as well as some pretty exciting stunt driving, even by today’s jacked up standards.
I must admit that I came to this film out of curiosity after seeing the recent remake, The Italian Job (2003) starring Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg and that in comparison I think the remake is the better of the two films. Both movies enjoy good screen chemistry among the principals and a pacing that makes the movies fun from start to finish, however the remake feels a lot more polished and coherent. Both however are worth watching.
Previously on Film Roar:
Film Roar: The Italian Job (2003)
carl steven tedstone said,
January 7, 2005 at 1:57 am
you cannot compare the latest version of the italian job with the classic as the latest version (2003) does not even follow the same plot!!!
lolita said,
January 19, 2005 at 4:58 pm
Hello folks nice blog youre running
Ted said,
February 11, 2005 at 8:36 am
Firstly Charlie’s girlfriend goes to geneva
Secondly the mafia boss does try to track Charlie down but loses them after the gold is transferred to the mini’s.
The re make is good but nowhere near as good as the original, the whole fun of the original is that the small time crooks land a big job. The cliffhanger at the end leaves it for the viewer to decide. the second film is all about revenge and its a bit mushy!
steve said,
February 11, 2005 at 11:05 am
the original is a all time classic, you cannot reproduce such a masterpiece. cos it will always blow its doors off. up the classics
Jim said,
May 24, 2005 at 4:11 am
It’s a shame that the 2003 film has the same name as the old classic, it does not even have the same plot. The 2003 film has nothing to do with the origianl film which is unsurpassable in every respect.
stu said,
May 31, 2005 at 11:00 am
Saw the original as a kid - rediscovered the original (in rental) with my kids. Enjoyed the remake, but my son is watching the original for the umpteenth time - I get to “listen” because I am “working”…. Both are good in their own rights, particularly for the coopers (which I now drive - cool!).
andrew said,
April 29, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Comparing the original with the alledged remake is like comparing the original Mini with the new MINI. It’s not a bad movie but it has lost the gentle humour and style of the original. Marky Mark is no Michael Cane. The origanal blows the doors off the “Remake”.
Larry said,
August 26, 2006 at 8:36 pm
What film were you watching? They never drove a truck full of gold through a traffic jam - they drove the Minis through the traffic jam - and other places as well. (”Be very careful!”)
Underpants model Marky Mark should stick to modeling. Where does he get the dough to produce so many ‘remakes’ (which never seem to follow the plot of the written stories OR the original films)?
I’ve shown this to my mates at work who (being much younger) dismissed the chase stunts until I informed them these were actually done - not created on computers like all the ones today (ala ‘fast and furious’?).
I’ve also yet to see cars leap and land in American films with the grace and accuracy Remy put-in these (real) Minis. (Notice how BMW’s pseudo-Minis nose-dived into the concrete on exiting that pipe?)
Too bad the American TV people didn’t show a bit of this when televising the Winter Olympics. I kept looking for the various locations but I have found some of them by using ‘Google Earth’ - and could actually trace the escape route! (”Look for that bloody exit. We can’t go around here all night!”)