From the moment the cheeky face of Charlie Croker appears on the screen, this film is alive with action, banter, fast cars and, erm, this guy?! Actually, scratch that, it’s brilliant even before Michael Caine appears!
I could talk about how brilliant Michael Caine is; how he seems to have a different outfit in every scene he is in until he puts his blue overalls on; how his cocky cockney wit keeps the whole film alive; and how he even looks cool while fending off Camp Freddie’s heavies with an over-size teddy bear!
I could mention how great it is that the funding for the whole heist is provided by Mr Bridger, the Queen-obsessed warden of one of Her Majesty’s prisons. The way that everyone associated with the job talks about it flagrantly in front of anyone, because:
“everyone in the world is bent!”
It could also be said how great the script is, and that it results in such an eminently quote-able film:
“You are not going to be sick. You are not going to have your migraine. And everybody is gonna sit in the back of the motor!”
“Shouldn't we synchronise our watches?”
“Nuts to your watches! You just be at the Piazza at a quarter to, and don’t get stuck in the traffic jam!”
“It's a very difficult job and the only way to get through it is we all work together as a team. And that means you do everything I say.”
And of course I could go on about how cool the Mini Coopers are in their escape from Turin; how much of a superbly choreographed dance they lead around the city; and how brilliantly they are filmed (inside, outside, down below, and following them down a sewer tunnel).
But of course, I don’t need to say any of that, because we all know how good a film this is.
“Hang on lads, I’ve got a great idea. Erm...erm..”
