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The Italian Job
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The Italian Job (1969) More at IMDbPro »

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The Italian Job (1969) -- Comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam.

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   11,687 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 12% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Peter Collinson
Writer:
Troy Kennedy-Martin (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Italian Job on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 September 1969 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Comedy | Crime more
Tagline:
Introducing the plans for a new business venture: "The Italian Job." more
Plot:
Comic caper movie about a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by creating a traffic jam. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. more
NewsDesk:
(28 articles)
Peter Sellers's mini from Pink Panther classic up for auction
 (From BoxWish. 8 July 2009, 4:21 AM, PDT)

Bollywood 'inspired by Hollywood profits'
 (From digitalspy. 21 June 2009, 5:32 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
"It is a work of genius." more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
99 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English | Italian
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
South Korea:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-12 (original rating) | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (cinema version) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:U (original rating) | USA:G | West Germany:12

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The red sports car seen during the opening titles is a Lamborghini Miura which, with a top speed of 170mph, was one of the fastest cars available at the time. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Obvious dummies when the police car crashes through the gate at the end of the sewer. more
Quotes:
Charlie Croker: Just remember this - in this country they drive on the wrong side of the road. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in On the Edge of 'Blade Runner' (2000) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Meanwhile, Back At The Mafia more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
43 out of 50 people found the following comment useful:-
"It is a work of genius.", 18 January 2001
8/10
Author: The_Movie_Cat from England

In a sense I was disappointed to find that I actually liked The Italian Job. For after decades of imitations and student new-lad pub bores crowbarring "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" into conversation, I was all prepared to hate it.

Yet The Italian Job is a good film. A very good film in fact. First-class direction, all pans and upshot angles, and slyly political, though its "Cool Britannia" ethos almost seems to parody devotees of the Union Jack. Anyone watching this film for reconfirmation of the Empire is mistaken, though the team's final downfall notably comes from the only non-Caucasian member.

The humour is self-conscious, but never so that it goes too far; it's always witty. Michael Caine is the archetype Michael Caine, all pointing finger and raised-voice declarations, the version mimics love to portray. Noël Coward is able support in a straightish role, though the wonderful Benny Hill parodies his own image, thus diluting his already fine (And misunderstood) ironic take on the sexual pervert.

Screen realism is not an issue here, with a Mafia cameo who are hardly Don Corleone. Women are also marginalised, with only Maggie Blye getting a largish role as Caine's girlfriend, Lorna. This is the same girlfriend who hires six women to help celebrate his release from prison, and refers to fellow womankind as "birds". Yet while the film is a "boys only" club, it's far from a testosterone-led car chase, as Coward's appearance should attest. And what makes the final climatic chase so rewarding is that it's carefully, and intelligently, set up. The film is metaphorical where you wouldn't expect it to be, and well-acted all round.

All of which leaves me struggling for a way to end this review. Hang on a minute, lads, I've got an idea -

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Italian Job (1969)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
James Hunt ? welshNick
Let's go Turin!! mrpalaces
was this scene in the movie? devils_innocence
Missing Scene? mrpalaces
What is that Chinese cargo plane? bogdan999-1
SPOILER ALERT!! Ending Problem Solved sarastro-1
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