The Italian Job (1969)

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

It's a funny thing with Blu-ray, well Blu-ray discs and me, anyway. I always find that the cars, the buses and coaches, the truck and lorries and the airplanes all look sensational in the increased quality of picture but that the actors look worse. It must be to do with the use of make-up intended to be seen on the old 35mm projection and that doesn't quite cut it with the new technology. In any event the vehicles look great, as do the snow capped mountains and Caine gives an endearing performance in a slickly produced film from Peter Collinson. Its not really to my taste, I prefer the Italians own rather more exploitative and rough versions or even the earlier and more realistic British films like Robbery although it has to be said that the final chase is full on and very effective. I've no idea why Fiat were so co-operative when it was our own cars that stole the show and I also think it was a good idea to have the film end the way it does. Oh, and a very bad idea to have that terrible jingoistic song given so much exposure and to have allowed Noel Coward to appear so stupid - but then we all used to love the criminal class then - or were supposed to.

Each time I watch "The Italian Job", I become increasingly aware of the film's defects. Almost all of the characters are forgettable and sometimes unnecessary. Can anyone tell me why a shrill American girlfriend was required in swinging 60's London? Benny Hill's character seems obvious, forced and just not fun or funny. Even Noel Coward's role lends little to the film. The film also takes way too long to get to the heist. The Mafia intervention conceit is never really integrated into the heist section. And there is some very dodgy camera work even by the standard of the day.So why do I watch the film? Michael Caine, Michael Caine, Michael Caine. He holds the whole film together. Well, him, the cars and the music.

I don't know where to begin with this movie. It's full of flaws and weaknesses. I can only barely give it a 6 because Michael Caine is cool, Benny Hill was funny (but pointlessly underused) and the heist and car chase were generally creative and exciting. It was vaguely amusing (and sometimes very funny) the way Caine kept shouting at his team, who really were like a bunch of kids, so immature and selfish. Caine's character's general attitude is so care-free, he has no doubts about who he is or what he does. It's just his thing: attractive women, stealing cars or money and getting into trouble.But then we're left with the countless weaknesses. Some of the editing was very tacky. One bit with a woman complaining was sped up. It didn't work. Most of the comedy misses. Maybe you have to be British. Or live in the 60s. But then I've enjoyed comedy from all over the world, new and old, so it must just be weak. Caine was funnier in Golmember. Just before Caine's famous line about "the bloody doors", which was very funny for the 5 seconds of screen-time it took, the camera keeps zooming in as he counts down. It's completely unnecessary and very typical for the time. The music was also very dated. Actually pretty unpleasant to listen to, it adds nothing, almost anything else would have been better. The point is, it's not timeless or appropriate but is instead strongly attached to the time and place it was made. It was the latest fashion, a fad which now shows decades of age. This applies to multiple aspects of this film and many others.One of the worst mistakes in chase scenes is where they have the camera moving in the opposite direction to the action, as if to create more speed or velocity. It's a terrible idea. It's been used in Transformers, Big Hero 6 and countless other movies. It always looks awful. The best way to capture speed or action is a smooth, loose, long shot that stays with the moving vehicles. You feel the air, the road, everything moving past. Or you hold the camera still and let them whiz past. No sudden movements. No rapid cuts. The camera should always be roughly from someone's point of view. Trust me. Movies which have far better chase scenes include: Nolan's Batman trilogy, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Bullitt, the Star Wars movies (yes, all of them), the first two Terminator movies, most James Bond movies and most Pixar movies. The list goes on. This isn't an exaggeration.The chase here is fun but only mildly so. We don't see the natural flow from one place to another, there's no meaningful sequence, no build- up in tension, no anticipation or exhilaration. Just a random series of stunts. It could be shown in any order and make the same amount of sense. They seem to be getting followed by only one police car at a time. Their tricks are gimmicky and predictable and nothing more than gags. There is sense of danger or risk. Plus, they're dicks. They cause so much destruction and they don't deserve the money. They're not underdogs, just idiots.The cliff hanger ending is cringe-worthy. It's frustrating, not funny. This movie has no morals, no heart. That would be fine if it was hilarious and action-packed. But it is neither. It's tepid. It's like a soft drink that's gone flat. The characters are stupid and arbitrarily succeed or fail based on what the script decides.The Italian Job glorifies theft. These guys are jerks. They're not likable. Ocean's Eleven (2001) was also overrated. It had mild comedy and a convenient heist made possible through the magic of movies, not logic. It placed all its bets on its coolness, of which it had very little. A classic flaw in circular logic - "being cool" doesn't make you cool. This movie is very similar, overly confident and cocky but with little work or detail or depth put into it.They discuss their plans seemingly in public, in front of so many other people. There are no twists or betrayals. This seems highly unrealistic. With that many people, how does the information not leak? The mafia seem completely unnecessary in the movie. Many parts of the movie were difficult to follow. One character gets cheered in jail. So they knew he was behind the crime? Why do they care? Is it a rebellious act against rich people who we all apparently hate? When they get the minis into the bus, why do they keep the bus moving? Stopping would get them all on in seconds after which they can drive as fast as they want.If you watch this movie, have low expectations. This is not a clever crime thriller. Think of it as a silly, immature movie that's trying to be funny which has some nice stunt and chase parts. Maybe it'll help if you're drunk or haven't seen a good movie before.

This movie is all about its 'comic elements'.The robbery theme and the characters are all focused on delivering the 'comic elements' that make for a brilliant comedy movie.The complete focus on the robbery plot makes for a classic caper movie, as well !The remake focuses on the robbery plot as the mainstay of the movie and badly tries to add certain 'comic elements' to it.The original focuses on the 'comedy drama' as the mainstay of the movie and as a superb platform for the robbery plot.Even the 'end' of the robbery plot is a 'comic twist' on the comedy tale.The focus on the serious business of a robbery, and the seriousness of the characters who plot the robbery and those who would thwart it, serve to make the audience take the 'comedy' quite seriously. And enjoy the 'comic elements' as a part of a 'serious plot'.This 'unique perspective' of the movie is ably handled by Michael Caine, and this is what makes him the great actor that he is.