Python Hyena 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

Thomas Drufke 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

SimonJack Having commented on the 2003 remake of this movie, I thought I should also review the original – after watching it again. I noted that the 2003 version is good as well, but it is all crime without the comedy, and it's almost all "high tech." The plot of this original does rely on technology – a switched computer tape that runs the city of Turin's traffic system. But, that's taken care of in a few minutes of the film. The rest is a plot of planning, maneuvering and action with interludes of miscues. This is among the earliest films to use a high-tech device in its plot. Before this time, the most commonly used plots with technical devices were security alarm systems in museums and cameras in banks. Humor is interspersed in all this. It's a British movie filmed in Ireland, England, the city of Turin, Italy, and the Italian Alps. Michael Caine is Charlie Croker, a local bad boy who has just finished two years in the slammer. Noel Coward is Mr. Bridger, the imprisoned king of corruption in Great Britain. Croker has to get Bridger's organization to back the biggest heist of all time -- $4 million in gold. Raf Vallone is Altabani, the Italian mafia leader who's out to stop the British heist. Besides being a very good comedy caper film, "The Italian Job" (1969) is one heck of a satire of the British penal system. Every scene back at the prison with Mr. Bridger is hilarious. This is the funniest and best mockery portrayal of a big time criminal living the life of royalty in a prison. The film has a large cast of men involved in the heist, but the vast bulk of dialog, scene time and humor is with the three main characters. The cinematography is excellent and the filming and scripting of the car chase scenes is among the best of that type of action ever filmed. Mr. Bridger's loyalty to Great Britain and the royal family is the cause of some good laughs a few times. Croker saves the lives of his crew when Altabani and his Mafia men intercept them coming into Italy over the Alps. He tells Altabani that if the Mafia kills him and his men, Bridge's organization would come down on the thousands of Italian restaurants and other businesses in Great Britain.The Mafia is protective of Italy's economy, while Bridger also is interested in bolstering England's lagging economy by causing the hit on Italy's economy through the heist. It's all quite funny. There are some instances of innuendo about Croker and his love life, and a few otherwise clean jokes in places that only the older children are likely to get. So, this is a film that the whole family should enjoy. I think one of the very best scenes is the ending. It's the perfect "unending" to leave an audience to wonder if the old adage is true – that "crime does not pay."

Desertman84 The Italian Job is a British caper film that tells a story of flashy and fast romp that chases a team of career criminals throughout one of the biggest international gold heists in history.It stars Michael Caine together with Noël Coward,Benny Hill,Raf Vallone and Tony Beckley.It was written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. Charlie Croker is a stylish robber and ladies man that just out of prison. He returns to becoming a career criminal upon release by taking over the "The Italian Job" - a complicated plan to hijack gold bullion from Italy during the presence of the Italian Police and the Mafia. It seems that Croker lack the experience for such a big heist and that complicates the situation after the supposed leader got murdered.But Croker turns to the eccentric Mr. Bridger,who provides him with a group of career criminals with certain specialties such as computer hackers,bank robbers, hijackers, and getaway drivers.This was definitely cool film back in the 60's.It was an unpretentious caper comedy.Added to that,the different characters involved and the different type of criminals with different sets of expertise makes it witty and entertaining.No question that the witty dialogues and one-liners adds charm and appeal to it.Finally,it is a smoothly entertaining and slyly intelligent crowd-pleasing type of film that will never go out of style.