Wheels-Near-U blog

This week we look at the somewhat iconic film that inspired a generation of mini drivers worldwide. Introducing The Italian Job, originally released in 1969 starring Michael Caine, Benny Hill, Noël Coward and Margaret Blye (amongst others.) The film was also re-done in 2003 featuring a new cast of Mark Wahlberg, Jason Stratham, Edward Norton and Donald Sutherland (amongst others.)

The premise to the film is that Charlie Croker, a British character played by Michael Caine has just been released from prison and finds his way into arranging a ‘big job’ in which he and his group of criminals plan to steal $4 of gold. The gold is arriving in Italy from China, which makes Italy the set for the majority of the film. As the job is abroad and of such a large scale Charlie is force to seek finance for the operation, and in search of this he breaks into prison and arranges this with a British Gangster named Mr Bridger.

With finance for his new plan Charlie then set’s about creating a clever plan to distract the authorities in Turin, Italy which includes manipulation of traffic control and the use of three mini’s driven by raiders with gold in the boot. They use the size of the mini in lots of clever ways to evade capture and all the cars feature in an exceptional car chase sequence through streets, sewers, rivers, highways and the cars even get chased over rooftops!

The film features iconic Mini’s painted with union jacks on the roof’s as well as an etype which is shown in the introduction driving around the windy roads of Italy, only to enter a tunnel and crash into a Digger at the other end. Full of vehicles, cockney Micheal Caine and well directed, The original Italian Job film was and still is considered to be a great watch.

The more recent version did well too, it takes the previous films plot and modernises it slightly, swapping Turin Italy for Los Angeles America as well as replacing the cast with a range of newer actors. The mini’s remain, as do the car chases and the good directing. Another excellent film, that perhaps doesn’t achieve quite as much as the original. Both Italian Jobs are great films and feature the mini at its most well known – making it a definite movie motor.

---

To see some great images from the Italian Job films see our Movie Motors Gallery. Or to read more perhaps view some of the other movie motors series:

• James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5
• Mustang GT
• De Lorean from Back to the Future Series
• Transformers Robot Vehicles

---

 

The Italian Job Trivia: The car chase in the original ‘Italian Job’ was voted the 17th coolest movie moment of all time by Empire magazine.