| Peter Collinson's 1969 caper film made an immediate impact with audiences craving a faster paced and higher octane film. A box-office hit that held audiences breathless, THE ITALIAN JOB would influence action movies for years to come with its thrilling car chases, explosive pyrotechnics, and smash-em-up sensibility. Before being murdered by the Mafia, criminal genius Robert Beckerman (Rossano Brazzi in a cameo role) masterminds a plan to steal $4 million worth of gold bullion from an armored car in Turin, Italy. The ambitious heist is taken over by Beckerman's friend and smalltime crook Charlie Croker (Michael Caine), who organizes a motley group of thieves bankrolled by jailed kingpin Mr. Bridger (Noel Coward). To pull off the plan, the gang must tie up traffic in the center of the city to divert attention from the robbery, block police pursuit, and ultimately make off with their booty undetected. The caper leads to one of the most exciting car chases ever filmed, featuring a bus, a couple of Jaguars, and a trio of brightly colored Mini Coopers careening through the streets, buildings, and highways of northern Italy and winding up in a breathtaking final cliffhanger that |
Ws or Fs