The First Great Train Robbery (1979)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Based on the 1975 novel "The Great Train Robbery" by Michael Crichton who adapted it for the screen and directed the film, this is an enormously enjoyable caper film. The original was inspired by the Great Gold Robbery of 1855 in which William Pierce and his accomplices stole £12,000 worth of gold bullion (being used to finance the Crimean War) from a train on the London to Folkestone line. However, both the novel and the film were apparently highly fictionalised and owe little to the real event beyond the basics of the scheme. The film has an extremely clever and engaging script with a great undercurrent of wit, particularly in the first half. It is a beautiful looking film which Crichton directs with a real sense of style, flair and panache. It was filmed on location in Ireland and features several places that I recognised such as Heuston Station (where I was only yesterday), Bank of Ireland in College Green and Trinity College, which is featured in the wonderful final scene. The hugely impressive climactic train sequence was shot on the now closed Mullingar to Athlone line. Mullingar is only 25 miles from where I grew up and I went to secondary school in Athlone.The film stars Sean Connery in an excellent performance as Edward Pierce, who presents himself as being a "sharp businessman" and respectable, upstanding member of society but is really a gentleman master thief of the old mould. He plotted to get his hands on the £25,000 in gold for one plain and simple reason: he wanted the money. I like that as there really doesn't need to be anything more to it than that for the film to be entertaining. Crichton knew better than to bog the script down with uninteresting subplots about people trying to do the right thing or escape a life of crime. Pierce is a very interesting, world weary and cynical character but I sometimes got the feeling that we never really got to see the real him, even when he was in the company of his co-conspirators. After some hesitation, he tells his mistress Miriam, played very well by Lesley-Anne Down, that he intends for them to go to Paris with their share of the gold after the robbery but I'm not entirely convinced that he was telling the truth. Pierce plays his cards close to his chest and it is often hard to tell exactly what he is thinking, which is certainly a useful character trait for someone in his line of work. However, I think that having Pierce arrange for Clean Willy to be murdered after he ratted to the police was a mistake as, while certainly realistic, it does not really fit in the film's rather light-hearted tone and the fact that Pierce is basically a lovable rogue.Donald Sutherland gives a great performance as Robert Agar, an expert pickpocket and safe-cracker (otherwise known as a "screwsman"). I have always thought that Sutherland is one of the best actors of his generation and, while he does not have the same opportunity to show that as in his more serious films like "Ordinary People" (for which he should have received an Oscar nomination incidentally), he is never less than completely entertaining on this occasion. I just love watching him and listening to that distinctive voice of his. Speaking of which, I don't know what nationality the real Agar was or the fictionalised one is supposed to be, more to the point, but there are small traces of an Irish accent here and there. Considering that his full blown Irish accent in "The Eagle Has Landed" was not great, it was probably for the best that he decided to reign it in here. Connery and Sutherland had fantastic chemistry and it is such a shame that this was their only film together as they made for a very entertaining duo.The film has a comparatively small but strong supporting cast. Alan Webb is very good as Edgar Trent, who holds one of the four vital keys used to unlock the safes storing the gold. In some respects, he is similar to Pierce as he is less reputable than he appears to the outside world, given his involvement in rat-baiting. Pamela Salem, later the Miss Moneypenny to Connery's James Bond in "Never Say Never Again", has a very entertaining cameo as Trent's considerably younger second wife Emily. One of my favourite scenes is Pierce and Emily's innuendo-laden conversation about a waterwheel and construction in general as the dialogue is razor sharp. It also features nice performances from Michael Elphick, Robert Lang and James Cossins with Malcolm Terris in the fairly prominent supporting role as Henry Fowler being the weakest link. This was the final film of two fantastic actors, André Morell and Peter Butterworth, both of whom sadly died shortly before it was released.Overall, this is enormous fun from start to finish. They don't make 'em like this anymore!

Great production values and great performances almost bring off Michael Crichton's thin plot in this 1978 film about an 1855 robbery caper. Sean Connery and Lesley Anne Down are both solid in their parts as the mastermind and his accomplice/mistress, but both are outshone by Donald Sutherland, who has the best part by far and he was never better. The film has the look and feel of mid 19th century England down pat, and if the story had leaned less on tired devices such as "the routine never varies", which is used over and over, the film would have benefited. Screenwriter/novelist Michael Crichton clearly needed a co-writer, but his stock was so high in Hollywood at the time he even persuaded United Artists to let him direct. The acrobatic moving train heist sequence is pretty spectacular, but would have been utterly impossible on a train in 1855. One other highlight is Jerry Goldsmith's score, which has to rate as one of this veteran composer's best.

Attractive picture written and directed by Michael Crichton who based his book and movie only loosely on the actual crime committed in 1855 about stealing shipment of gold from a moving train and destined to the Crimea for British soldiers who are there fighting the Russians . In Victorian England , a brilliant trio of crooks conspire to pull off a spectacular heist ; they are formed by an elegant master criminal called Edward Pierce (boastful Sean Connery spent several days running on top of a moving train) and his accomplices , a pickpocket cracksman called Agar (Donald Sutherland) and a beautiful mistress named Miriam (Lesley-Anne Down) make a elaborate plan to steal a shipment of gold from a moving train . But the gold is stored in two locked safes that requires four separate keys to be opened . Never have so few taken so much from so many . Based on a true incident , this intrigue-filled caper has been packed with suspense , thrills , action , stylish fun and hooks to keep interested . The film was entitled "The First Great Train Robbery" to distance it from a £2 million robbery from a mail train in 1963 which was known in the British press as "The Great Train Robbery" . The movie faithfully reflects some events of the Victorian era such as large differences of classes , public executions applauded by the assistants , carriage parades and many other things . Sensational trio protagonist who can steal your heart , as Sean Connery as a dashing mastermind , Donald Sutherland as a skill cracksman , and a gorgeous Lesly-Anne Down . Agreeable support cast such as Robert Lang , Michael Elphick , Alan Webb and Wayne Sleep ,one of Britain's premier ballet dancers, from The Royal Ballet Company , he actually did his own stunts, including scaling the Newgate prison walls, at the tremendous risk of falling and hurting himself . And it was the final film for both André Morell and Peter Butterworth, both of whom had died by the time that it was released . Thrilling and intriguing musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith , director Michael Crichton frequently hired Jerry Goldsmith to compose the scores for his films . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth , in fact , the picture is dedicated to his memory ; being marvelously photographed against gorgeous Irish countryside . The motion picture was well directed by Michael Crichton . After giving up medicine, Michael moved to Hollywood, California, in the early 1970s and began directing movies based on his books, his first big break being ¨Westworld¨ (1973) and subsequently wrote and directed other successes as ¨Coma¨, ¨Runaway¨ and ¨13º warrior¨ until his early death by cancer at 66 years old .

The First Great Train Robbery is directed by Michael Crichton who also writes the screenplay. It stars Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Lesley-Anne Down, Wayne Sleep, Robert Lang, Alan Webb and Andre Morell. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Geoffrey Unsworth. The story is loosely based on the real Great Gold Robbery of 1855, where a rogue criminal named William Pierce and his cohorts executed the theft of £12,000 in gold from a speeding train on route to aid the British Army during the Crimean War.A delightful period caper picture that's high on production value and fun characterisations. Split into two halves, Crichton's movie makes light of the actual crime to portray Connery and co as lovable rogues, thus hooking the viewer in to actually root for them to pull off the intricate crime. First half (well it's more two thirds of the film to be exact) details how the robbers obtained the four keys needed to get into the safe. Harder than it sounds since they are in different locations to one and other and guarded over by different officials. Naturally there are scrapes, skirmishes and obstacles to overcome during this complex operation, and no short amount of humour and tension either. Then it's on to the actual crime, which buzzes ferociously with derring do and ingenious cheek! It may have been loaded with chitter chatter and much bluffing of the way leading up to it, but the pay off is excellent and not without genuine excitement as Connery's (doing his own stunt work) Pierce and Sutherland's safe cracking Agar pull off the seemingly impossible. Benefiting the film greatly is Crichton's attention to detail, where he thrives on the Victorian England setting. From the streets, the costumes, the dialogue and mannerisms of the characters, they all fit nicely within the narrative. Helps, too, that the cast are playing it with tongue in cheek, Connery and Sutherland are revelling in playing roguish dandies, splendidly attired facially with quality face fuzz and Down raises the temperature of Connery and male audience members alike. Probably her best ever performance, Crichton writes a good role for Down that sees her not only as a sexy head turner (it's unlikely that Victorian underwear has ever looked this sexy before in film), but also as an observant member of the gang; one who isn't too shabby on the disguise front either. Dancer Wayne Sleep is nicely cast as a fleet footed housebreaker, while Lang, Webb, Morell and Michael Elphick pitch their respective performances just right. Goldsmith's score is energetic and Unsworth's (his last film as he sadly passed away shortly after shooting it) photography is a lesson in quality without trickery.Fanciful and tame if compared to the big budgeted actioners of today, The First Great Train Robbery none the less is testament that simplicity of plot and a keenness to entertain is sometimes all you need. 8/10