The Big Job (1965)

A different way of telling a story

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Self-styled criminal mastermind George Brain (Sid James) and his gang (Emery as Binns and Percival as Day) somehow manage to rob a bank, only to be caught by the police. Just before he's caught Brain manages to hide the loot in a hollow in a tree trunk. Because they won't tell where the money is the gang get fifteen years. After their release they determine to recover the money, with the aid of Brain's long suffering girlfriend Myrtle (played by the beautiful Sylvia Syms), only to find that a housing estate has been built on the farmland where the tree was. The tree still stands - behind the wall of the new police station. Mildred (Joan Sims), a widow with a grown daughter has two double rooms to let in a house opposite the station. Myrtle uses the double rooms and the 'respectable' widow to trick Brain into marrying her, though he's more interested in the money than consummating the marriage. Two further complications hinder their efforts. One is that the other lodger is an enthusiastic young policeman. The other is that they learn the tree is due to be cut down. The rest of the movie is taken up with the gang's increasingly elaborate efforts to recover the money. This cross-plays with the male-female relationships. The hapless Day has his eye on the daughter while the desperate widow has her eye on Binns. All the while the despairing Myrtle just wants Brain to spend the night with her instead of on his latest 'brilliant' idea. The film is unexceptional being neither particularly good nor particularly bad. What might have made a decent two part episode of a half-hour comedy show is drawn out to make a feature film. Some of the humour has dated badly. A mildly risqué remark that might have drawn a titter half a century ago won't do so now. The acting is as solid as the cast suggests with Emery, Syms and Sims the pick.

Totally agree with all other reviewers of this brilliant film that it's a Carry On film in everything but name. Made between the filming of Carry On Cleo and Cowboy and starring the usual batch of actors at the time there's probably 2 reasons why this wasn't given the 'Carry On' title - 1 it's in black and white, the carry on series had by now already moved and would stay in colour and 2 - what could it have been called? Carry on Criminal/ Thieving/ Stealing all send out a message that crime is fun so are probably unsuitable, 'Carry on the Big Job' doesn't really work so maybe that's why it's not included in the series proper but let's face it this IS pure Carry On and a fantastic addition to the films the team were making at the time and easily the funniest non Carry On title made by Gerald Thomas and Peter Rogers. I have all the carry on films (and this on DVD) and every year or so I watch them in order and I always include this between Cleo and Cowboy, as far as I'm concerned there were 32 Carry On films - Don't Lose Your Head and Follow That Camel were quickly re-released with the Carry On prefix - although that was just because of a change of distributer, it's a shame this wasn't added because it sits perfectly into the series. Chances are everyone involved treated this as a continuation of the series anyway. A very funny film.

Haven't seen this film for years as its rarely shown on TV now days,and very hard to pick up on DVD.I was lucky i found a copy,and it is as funny as i remember it being. Sid James ,Dick Emery and Lance Percival rob a bank and while making their very short getaway Sid James who is known as the Big Brain hides the money in a tree.The hapless three get sent down for fifteen years,when they come out they go to the sight where the tree was hoping to retrieve the money only to find that a big housing estate has been built in the area,and worse still the tree they are after is directly opposite a newly built police station. They move into a lodging house opposite the police station along with Sids girlfriend played by Sylvia Syms,the four of them come up with plot after plot of attempts of getting back the money,unsurprisingly every plot fails. The Big Job is a very good British comedy,my twelve year old son loved it so it hasn't really dated apart from being black and white{but who cares}its funny. Sid James and Dick Emery acted really well together and you wonder why they didn't pair up again.Sylvia Syms is very good in a comedy role and gives a very likable performance its a shame she didn't do more roles like this.Jim Dale as the annoying policeman and Joan Sims as the landlady are both very good. Its a shame we don't make comedies like this anymore.

A group of criminals led by George Brain (known to himself as `The Great Brain') plan to rob a bank. Although the job doesn't go totally to plan, they do get away with £15K. However the police catch them as they make their get away and George is forced to stash the money in a hollow tree. For refusing to say where the money is the group get 15 years each in prison but vow to escape. 15 years later they are released and immediately go to find the tree – but find that a new town has sprung up where once there was fields. Happily the tree is still standing – unfortunately it is now standing in the back yard of a police station. The gang take up rooms in a B&B across the street to plan their next move.Although I doubt I will ever prove it, I maintain that this film must have been a source of inspiration for the film Blue Streak. The set up is identical although the follow through is different. Regardless of this, The Big Job is an enjoyable film with plenty of Carry On style humour (although not part of the series proper). The plot is good and has a few nice touches towards the end. Although the comedy stays away from the bawdy antics of later Carry On features, it does have a gentle line in innuendo. My favourite lines involve one of the characters talking about animals that odd names – such as a lengthy discussion on the rarity of the bird the `Little Bustard' – had me laughing! The slap stick of the piece is also done well and there are some nice set pieces – although some are a little obvious.The cast are good and work well together with so many Carry On faces. Sid James is good value and uses his facial expressions well (albeit without the trademark laugh). A young Emery is funny and Percival is quite enjoyable. The best members of the cast are those who have smaller inputs which are usually funny. Dale is amusing as the cop but Guyler (who has but 3 scenes) is good value for money. Joan Sims is funny playing a slightly amorous widow! Edina Ronay plays her daughter and, at only 20 at the time, is very, very sexy – and made even more so by the fact that she really plays that side of her character up!Overall this is an enjoyable film that will appeal to anyone who watches the Carry On films there were made around the same period. It has a good plot, some nice sequences and plenty of good lines or characterisations. You won't be roaring with laughter but it is amusing and funny enough to justify watching.