The Italian Job

This article is about the 1969 film. For other uses, see The Italian Job (disambiguation).

The Italian Job
Original theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Collinson
Written byTroy Kennedy Martin
Produced byMichael Deeley
Starring
CinematographyDouglas Slocombe
Edited byJohn Trumper
Music byQuincy Jones
Production
company
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • 5 June 1969 (1969-06-05)
[1]
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3 million[2]
Box office$9 million[3]

The Italian Job is a 1969 British comedy caper film written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres on Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, recently released from prison, who forms a gang for the job of stealing a cache of gold bullion being transported through the city of Turin, Italy, in an armoured security truck.

In addition to Caine, the cast also included Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley and Noël Coward; the film was Coward's last before his retirement from acting. The soundtrack was composed by Quincy Jones, featuring the songs "On Days Like These", sung by Matt Monro over the opening credits, and "Getta Bloomin' Move On" (usually referred to as "The Self-Preservation Society", after its chorus) during the climactic car chase, which featured Caine among its singers.[4]

The film proved a success upon its release, earning critical acclaim amongst critics for the performances by Caine and Coward, the film's reflection of British culture from the period, and the climactic car chase. The Italian Job became a cult symbol of British filmography and was ranked favourably in the top 100 British films by the British Film Institute. Several elements became symbolic cult features, including a rare never-resolved cliffhanger ending,[5][6] and Caine's famous line about only blowing the doors off.

The popularity of The Italian Job led to several parodies and allusions in other films and productions, including the 2005 episode of The Simpsons titled "The Italian Bob", and a re-enactment of the Mini Cooper car-chase in the MacGyver episode "Thief of Budapest".[7][8][9] The film itself was later given a video game adaptation in 2001, before receiving a remake in 2003. A charity event titled The Italian Job, founded in 1990 and held annually, was inspired by the film; as of 2020, it had raised nearly £3,000,000.[10] Marking the 50th anniversary of the film in June 2019, stunt drivers in red, white and blue Coopers recreated parts of the film's car-chase around Turin at the grounds of Mini's Oxford factory.[11]

  1. ^ "On This Day: The Italian Job". Art & Hue. 5 June 2018. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  2. ^ Deeley, Michael (2009). Blade runners, deer hunters and blowing the bloody doors off : My life in cult movies. Pegasus Books. ISBN 978-1-60598-038-6.
  3. ^ Deeley, Michael (2009). Blade runners, deer hunters and blowing the bloody doors off : My life in cult movies. Pegasus Books. ISBN 978-1-60598-038-6.
  4. ^ "The Film – Soundtrack". The Italian Job.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2007.
  5. ^ "I had a better idea': writer's original finish for 'Italian Job". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  6. ^ "At last Michael Caine reveals ending to the Italian Job". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  7. ^ "As If: 312 (Italian Job)". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  8. ^ "The Simpsons: The Italian Bob". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  9. ^ "MacGyver: 103 (Thief of Budapest)". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  10. ^ "The Italian Job". The Italian Job. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  11. ^ "The Italian Job 50th anniversary: exclusive interview with David Salamone". British GQ. 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.