Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The Italian Job (1969): Dir: Peter Collinson / Cast: Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Maggie Blye, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone: Amusing comic caper about operations. In this case Noel Coward will divert the authorities from inside a prison by causing a massive traffic jam. Michael Caine assembles a team and they will use the traffic jam as a means of stealing $4, 000, 000 in gold. Filled with funny sight jokes mostly involving car chases but the plot is detailed and the ending gives new meaning to the word cliffhanger. Directed by Peter Collinson who tries to detail the operation while capitalizing on humour. The cast is headed by a fantastic performance by Caine as the confident front man who organizes the scheme because he is the best qualified, and his last comment just before the credits roll indicate that his mind is still in motion even despite terrible odds. Coward also holds strong as a confident figure from the confines of prison. Unfortunately supporting roles play too much like a standard roll call that plays much like the structure Ocean's Eleven, and this rarely works out unless detail is given to characters. Maggie Blye plays Caine's underwritten girlfriend, and Benny Hill plays a computer genius who has a thing for overweight women. Raf Vallone plays a mafia boss who is also entangled in the plot. Well crafted film with beautiful locations and an operation that doesn't go as planned. Score: 9 / 10

Today in film, we are obsessed with heroes. No matter if they are actually superheroes, super spies, or just fast drivers, we love to see high octane action with our leads saving the day. Well we also love to root for the anti-hero. The Italian Job is a great example of a film that definitely had an influence on the Fast & Furious franchise, or just any film that gets us to root for characters who aren't necessarily doing the right thing.It stars Michael Caine, a fresh out of jail criminal who is convinced to do one more job. The ultimate multi-million dollar 'Italian Job'. His character, much like most of Michael Caine's early characters, is a ladies man, and also just about as smooth as any British character can get. He's in charge of putting his team together to perfect the job, and the film turns out to be a pretty fun ride. Now I think most of the goofiness and comedy can be a bit dated if you watch it now, but the action definitely holds up. The stunts are impeccable for a 1960's film. In fact the third act has several stunts that would be considered great if it came out today. I think the film suffers at times from having a lack of a clear and present main villain. It's much like Fast 5, in that it's a really fun film with bold action that just doesn't feel complete because the villain (if you can really call him a villain) just isn't present enough for us to care.But the film is still endlessly entertaining and full of classic quotes and a great Michael Caine performance. I know the ending is a bit controversial for some people but I actually love it. I think it was the perfect ending for a film with this kind of tone. So in all, The Italian Job is a solid heist film that I'm sure was praised during it's time.+Caine is such a ladies man +Stunts & action +Suspenseful towards the end +Perfect ending -Lack of a present villain -Goofy at times 7.5/10

I don't know where to begin with this movie. It's full of flaws and weaknesses. I can only barely give it a 6 because Michael Caine is cool, Benny Hill was funny (but pointlessly underused) and the heist and car chase were generally creative and exciting. It was vaguely amusing (and sometimes very funny) the way Caine kept shouting at his team, who really were like a bunch of kids, so immature and selfish. Caine's character's general attitude is so care-free, he has no doubts about who he is or what he does. It's just his thing: attractive women, stealing cars or money and getting into trouble.But then we're left with the countless weaknesses. Some of the editing was very tacky. One bit with a woman complaining was sped up. It didn't work. Most of the comedy misses. Maybe you have to be British. Or live in the 60s. But then I've enjoyed comedy from all over the world, new and old, so it must just be weak. Caine was funnier in Golmember. Just before Caine's famous line about "the bloody doors", which was very funny for the 5 seconds of screen-time it took, the camera keeps zooming in as he counts down. It's completely unnecessary and very typical for the time. The music was also very dated. Actually pretty unpleasant to listen to, it adds nothing, almost anything else would have been better. The point is, it's not timeless or appropriate but is instead strongly attached to the time and place it was made. It was the latest fashion, a fad which now shows decades of age. This applies to multiple aspects of this film and many others.One of the worst mistakes in chase scenes is where they have the camera moving in the opposite direction to the action, as if to create more speed or velocity. It's a terrible idea. It's been used in Transformers, Big Hero 6 and countless other movies. It always looks awful. The best way to capture speed or action is a smooth, loose, long shot that stays with the moving vehicles. You feel the air, the road, everything moving past. Or you hold the camera still and let them whiz past. No sudden movements. No rapid cuts. The camera should always be roughly from someone's point of view. Trust me. Movies which have far better chase scenes include: Nolan's Batman trilogy, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Bullitt, the Star Wars movies (yes, all of them), the first two Terminator movies, most James Bond movies and most Pixar movies. The list goes on. This isn't an exaggeration.The chase here is fun but only mildly so. We don't see the natural flow from one place to another, there's no meaningful sequence, no build- up in tension, no anticipation or exhilaration. Just a random series of stunts. It could be shown in any order and make the same amount of sense. They seem to be getting followed by only one police car at a time. Their tricks are gimmicky and predictable and nothing more than gags. There is sense of danger or risk. Plus, they're dicks. They cause so much destruction and they don't deserve the money. They're not underdogs, just idiots.The cliff hanger ending is cringe-worthy. It's frustrating, not funny. This movie has no morals, no heart. That would be fine if it was hilarious and action-packed. But it is neither. It's tepid. It's like a soft drink that's gone flat. The characters are stupid and arbitrarily succeed or fail based on what the script decides.The Italian Job glorifies theft. These guys are jerks. They're not likable. Ocean's Eleven (2001) was also overrated. It had mild comedy and a convenient heist made possible through the magic of movies, not logic. It placed all its bets on its coolness, of which it had very little. A classic flaw in circular logic - "being cool" doesn't make you cool. This movie is very similar, overly confident and cocky but with little work or detail or depth put into it.They discuss their plans seemingly in public, in front of so many other people. There are no twists or betrayals. This seems highly unrealistic. With that many people, how does the information not leak? The mafia seem completely unnecessary in the movie. Many parts of the movie were difficult to follow. One character gets cheered in jail. So they knew he was behind the crime? Why do they care? Is it a rebellious act against rich people who we all apparently hate? When they get the minis into the bus, why do they keep the bus moving? Stopping would get them all on in seconds after which they can drive as fast as they want.If you watch this movie, have low expectations. This is not a clever crime thriller. Think of it as a silly, immature movie that's trying to be funny which has some nice stunt and chase parts. Maybe it'll help if you're drunk or haven't seen a good movie before.

This film embodies the worst of the sixties. It seems like Britain gets a pass when they make bad movies, and this highly rated crap is a classic example. I assumed that since Michael Caine and Noel Coward were in the movie that it would be tolerable. I was sadly disappointed. It's a waste of talent that can be compared to the junk churned out by Peter O'Toole and Peter Sellers in that same era. The plot is weak, the caper is boring, and the opportunities for acting limited. There's a lot of rushing around beautiful European vistas, and very little else. Very little comedy in fact. It's high spirited, like the 60's, but sadly lacking in value(like the 60's).