Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1710 in VHS
• Released on: 2003-10-07
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English, Italian
• Running time: 99 minutes

From Amazon.com
Internal countercasting is a big plus in this caper comedy: where else are you going to find Benny Hill and Michael Caine in the same movie? Peter Collinson directs those two as well as Noel Coward, Raf Vallone, Rossano Brazzi, and Irene Handl in a story about the effort to steal gold bullion from the town of Turin. Screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin eschews heist film tradition by placing more emphasis on the gang's getaway than on the complex robbery itself. The film's main claim to comic fame is a wild chase scene set against an enormous traffic jam. The rest of the movie is less memorable, but that extended action sequence is well worth the wait. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com essential video
This little-known cult caper is about as depraved as they come. Michael Caine, ever the enterprising swinger and swindler, has an ingenious plan to steal a huge cache of Chinese gold to be shipped to Turin as collateral for a new Fiat plant. Since the Italy-Great Britain soccer match is being played at the same time, Caine wants to create a diversion in the form of a monumental traffic jam. For financing, he turns to Noel Coward, who directs British criminal enterprises from his jail cell. A motley crew is assembled, including Benny Hill as a computer expert with a fetish for large-breasted women. It's all a nasty and fun parody, with the most memorable robbery-chase sequence in the history of the caper genre. --Bill Desowitz

Customer Reviews

One of my top ten
This is just such a GREAT film. Classic sixties and classic Michael Caine. Only the Brits could make a movie like this. The Americanized remake pales into insignificance when put up against the original. Any movie collector is morally obliged to have this in their collection.

take it as a mood piece and a cult classic
I gave the remake of this movie a much higher rating, and the main reason is that it simply has a better plot. Michael Cain is wonderful in the original, and some of the other outrageous characters as well as the pretty original plotline together should be the ingredients for an unforgettable film, yet this one leaves you really unsatisfied, maybe because it really never decides what it wants to be: satire, comedy, serious heist movie or thriller, so it ends up being unsatisfying on all accounts. See it for the brilliant chase scene with the mini coopers, and view it also as a sensitive mood piece of 60ies swank.

REMEMBER STYLE ?
The original ITALIAN JOB is one of those "little" movies that won't go away as it continues to reap the dividends of having been done with panache and style.
Michael Cane's Charlie character is an artist working effortlessly in aloof charm. He's the kind confident character you'll admire like Murphy in CUCKOO'S NEST in spite of the obvious reasons not to. There is seductive music and beautiful scenery and plenty of restrained continental humor.
I have no interest in cars, but even I admitt the classic models of the time featured here are beautiful and add to the ambiance of elegance infusing the scenes .
The chase is more clever than thrilling although the site of four cars performing on the top of a tall rounded building still makes me shake my head when I see it thinking they must have been mad. Remember, no remote control models or studio set ups were used here. That car jumping from roof to roof is real.
Don't come here looking for an action adventure though - it's more adult than that albeit geared for adults of another generation.
Director Collinson's influence makes the movie as good as it could possibly have been. The art direction also contributes strongly throughout. Because this version is so good, I am not tempted to see the remake. Why?
Basically; it must have been pretty impressive then and it's definately fun now. Sometimes all you want is a little fun with a dash of style.