Following a successful diamond robbery in London, criminal mastermind Paul Clifton ( Stanley Baker ) decides to pull off the crime of the century - the theft of three million pounds from a train heading from Glasgow to London. He tries to join forces with other gangs, but they object to the money going to Switzerland. Clifton agrees to share it out on British soil, using a deserted aircraft hangar as hideout. A thief called Robinson ( Frank Finlay ) stupidly attempts to phone his wife during the robbery, and thus the police gain a valuable lead. As the law closes in, Clifton and his gang endeavor to make a getaway...
A fictionalised account of The Great Train Robbery of 1963, this Stanley Baker/Michael Deeley production benefits from taut direction by Peter Yates and a first-rate supporting cast. Alongside Baker, there are old reliables such as James Booth, Barry Foster, Frank Finlay, George Sewell and William Marlowe, with the beautiful Joanna Pettet thrown in to provide some glamour. As Clifton's long-suffering wife, she has little to do other than complain about her husband's prolonged absences from the bedroom on account of him forever being in prison.
The script by Edward Boyd, Peter Yates and George Markstein does not paint the main characters in any great detail, even Clifton himself ( based on Bruce Reynolds ) comes across as fairly one dimensional. His main nemesis is Inspector Langdon, and James Booth ( who had played 'Hook' in Baker's earlier 'Zulu' ), cast against type for a change, gives far and away the best performance.
The film opens with a thrilling robbery sequence culminating in a high-speed car chase through London. Its as exciting as you would expect from the future director of 'Bullitt'. Good music from Johnny Keating too.
'Robbery', though, is a curiously old fashioned piece which at times has the flavour of an I.T.C. show such as 'The Saint' ( and which Yates had contributed to ). It was made in 1967, the year that 'Bonnie & Clyde' and 'The Dirty Dozen' raised the bar for screen violence. The only real act of G.B.H. here is when the train driver is brutally coshed ( mirroring what happened to Jack Mills ). No nudity or bad language is on display. Its interesting to reflect that had it been made only a few years later it would have been very different. Look at 'Get Carter' and you will see what I mean.
For all its faults, this gripping crime film is well worth seeking out and is vastly superior to the over-sentimentalized 'Buster' starring Phil Collins.
A fictionalised account of The Great Train Robbery of 1963, this Stanley Baker/Michael Deeley production benefits from taut direction by Peter Yates and a first-rate supporting cast. Alongside Baker, there are old reliables such as James Booth, Barry Foster, Frank Finlay, George Sewell and William Marlowe, with the beautiful Joanna Pettet thrown in to provide some glamour. As Clifton's long-suffering wife, she has little to do other than complain about her husband's prolonged absences from the bedroom on account of him forever being in prison.
The script by Edward Boyd, Peter Yates and George Markstein does not paint the main characters in any great detail, even Clifton himself ( based on Bruce Reynolds ) comes across as fairly one dimensional. His main nemesis is Inspector Langdon, and James Booth ( who had played 'Hook' in Baker's earlier 'Zulu' ), cast against type for a change, gives far and away the best performance.
The film opens with a thrilling robbery sequence culminating in a high-speed car chase through London. Its as exciting as you would expect from the future director of 'Bullitt'. Good music from Johnny Keating too.
'Robbery', though, is a curiously old fashioned piece which at times has the flavour of an I.T.C. show such as 'The Saint' ( and which Yates had contributed to ). It was made in 1967, the year that 'Bonnie & Clyde' and 'The Dirty Dozen' raised the bar for screen violence. The only real act of G.B.H. here is when the train driver is brutally coshed ( mirroring what happened to Jack Mills ). No nudity or bad language is on display. Its interesting to reflect that had it been made only a few years later it would have been very different. Look at 'Get Carter' and you will see what I mean.
For all its faults, this gripping crime film is well worth seeking out and is vastly superior to the over-sentimentalized 'Buster' starring Phil Collins.