Member review

Heist films are one of the most fast-paced and energetic genres in cinema. Although they all follow a strict and formulaic template (introduce the lead, assemble the team and establish the heist before things inevitably go wrong), they are usually immensely crowd-pleasing films with a break-neck pace.

So what is the best heist film? Many would argue that “Ocean’s 11” is a strong contender, whilst others would point to Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending “Inception.” But in my opinion, whilst it might not be the most technically impressive movie of the genre, the film that best represents the tone, style and speed of the heist movie is the 51 year old classic, “The Italian Job.”

“The Italian Job” is a film that gets everything right, from the quintessentially British humour to its superb sense of pace and undeniably famous car chase. It’s a joyous, quotable and gloriously silly caper that’s easily one of the most enjoyable and notable movies of the 1960s!

“The Italian Job” features a truly fantastic ensemble cast. Almost every actor, whether they be a main star like Noël Coward or a bit player (such as the small yet delightful appearance of John Le Mesurier), does a terrific job of delivering the script’s outstanding one-liners and giving their character a unique quirk or distinctive personality.

Michael Caine is charming and effortlessly likeable as the protagonist Charlie Croker, who we root for from start-to-finish, despite the fact that he’s a criminal fresh out of jail. The entire film would have fallen down if a less charismatic actor were cast in his place as “The Italian Job” is synonymous with Caine. Without him, this film wouldn’t be nearly as good as it is.

The only member of the cast that I wasn’t a fan of was Benny Hill, due to his odd and outdated style of “humour” feeling out of place within the larger narrative; you could cut most of his scenes out of the film entirely and it wouldn’t affect the rest of the movie.

“The Italian Job” is a film with charm to spare, from its beautifully shot opening titles to the hilarious and clever cliff-hanger ending. It’s clear that the cast and crew had a great time making the movie, which makes this an infectiously entertaining film.

“The Italian Job” is undeniably of its time, with a patriotic depiction of British lads and a cartoonish vision of Italians as drunks and gamblers, but despite its old-fashioned ideologies, the film never feels mean-spirited or cruel.

Lastly, the absolute best and most iconic element of “The Italian Job” is it’s incredible third act finale. This is by far one of the best car chases ever put to screen, it’s filmed in a clear and concise way, housing stunning stunts and overflowing with personality. The first two thirds of “The Italian Job” are very light on traditional action, but it’s never boring to watch because the last half-hour is so exciting and satisfying, which makes up for the slower opening acts.

A lot of the fun during this sequence stems from the use of the wonderful Mini Cooper cars, which are some of the most endearingly loveable machines ever made. The fact that Croker and his crew aren’t rocketing around in flashy sports cars heightens the charm and tension of the third act; the vehicles reflect that the characters are the underdogs as they attempt to escape from the Italian government.

In summary, “The Italian Job” is remembered so fondly for a reason, it’s a quaint and thrilling caper with amusing characters and a remarkable finale. I’ve used the word “charm” a lot during this review, but that really is the best way to describe this film, it’s just such a charming experience that is guaranteed to make the audience smile. I wouldn’t call it a masterwork, but if you want a brisk and breezy heist film, you can’t go wrong with “The Italian Job.”