THE ITALIAN JOB Michael Caine Retrospective

One of the all-time great heist movies, THE ITALIAN JOB is also one of the least-known, although this perhaps may change with the release of the remake next year starring Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton and Charlize Theron.

Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) has an ingenious plan to steal a huge cache of gold being shipped to Turin as collateral for a new Fiat plant. Since the Italy-Great Britain soccer match is being played at the same time, Croker plans a diversion in the form of a monumental traffic jam. For financing, he turns to Mr. Bridger (wonderfully played by Noel Coward) who directs British criminal enterprises from his jail cell. A motley crew is assembled, including Benny Hill as a computer expert with a fetish for large-breasted women. Employing a fleet of Mini-Coopers, THE ITALIAN JOB also features one of the most memorable chase sequences in the history of the caper genre.