Even with two nineteen year old girls in the bed beside me, the most exciting event of the night was watching the getaway at the end of this comedy masterpiece. Sigh, the life of a movie nerd. Oh, and don't ask.

This movie has one very important thing going for it: style. And I don't mean the film wa made in any particular style, I mean the characters, cars, and dialogue have style. Its one of those rare films that actually makes me long for a different era (I rarely ever wish I was born any other time).
In addition to that, the film has a very good car chase at the end featuring some outstanding stunt driving that would put Ryan Gosling's character in Drive to shame. Sure, the plot is simple, but Michael Caine delivers and the movie is enjoyable.

Cool as ice. The last half hour is brilliance and the ending is perfect.

I certainly liked this original version of The Italian Job better than the remake, but not by a whole lot. The basic plot is a fairly simple heist narrative, so the film is execution dependant and for the most part that execution is solid, especially once the actual heist kicks in. My favorite part of the film was a part that was completely absent from the remake: a literal cliffhanger that had to be in part inspired by Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Wages of Fear.

A pretty good caper film, especially the last third, once the scheme really got going. The big drawback is that there were so many members of the team and most of the characters weren't fleshed out enough for the audience to really care about them. And it really must have been some big joke how the old mastermind in the prison had such a good life in there. It's mainly Michael Caine that makes The Italian Job good, aside from the locations and stunt work. I still might consider the remake just a little more fun.

Now that ending. It really made it seem more open to a sequel than a remake. What a cliffhanger!

Well, this was interesting. I had seen the remake, but never the original, and they really couldn't be more different. They seemed to have almost nothing in common, save for the use of Mini-Coopers. While the remake is an ensemble, this movie squarely rests on the shoulders of Michael Caine, and he is more than up for the task. I think the movie tends to drag a little in the middle, but its gorgeously shot, and charming enough to keep my interest.

The ending though, is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it or what to make of it.

But it didn't have my full attention

A great, fun movie. Though I am not a huge fan of the ending, Michael Caine makes it entertaining enough to really like.

Another good example where the remake is better than the original. The 2003 version isn't amazing, but it's an enjoyable, well-paced popcorn flick with likable characters and a good climax. The Italian Job feels very lackadaisical by comparison, and while it can be defended as being an enjoyable picture for its time, it lacks any lasting value. Caine is charming, but there's nothing in the way of a character arc or even a compelling heist. It's a jumble of moments, some moderately entertaining and some not. The film's centerpiece, the mini-cooper chase doesn't hold up, although I'd like to learn how the production basically shut down Turin.

I'm glad I finally got around to seeing this flick, but a month from now, I'll probably forget I even saw it.

This movie has one very important thing going for it: style. And I don't mean the film wa made in any particular style, I mean the characters, cars, and dialogue have style. Its one of those rare films that actually makes me long for a different era (I rarely ever wish I was born any other time).
In addition to that, the film has a very good car chase at the end featuring some outstanding stunt driving that would put Ryan Gosling's character in Drive to shame. Sure, the plot is simple, but Michael Caine delivers and the movie is enjoyable.

I certainly liked this original version of The Italian Job better than the remake, but not by a whole lot. The basic plot is a fairly simple heist narrative, so the film is execution dependant and for the most part that execution is solid, especially once the actual heist kicks in. My favorite part of the film was a part that was completely absent from the remake: a literal cliffhanger that had to be in part inspired by Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Wages of Fear.

A fun romp, one of the true classic heist/caper films. Michael Caine was genius in the lead role; Noel Coward was cool and amusing; and Benny Hill was odd and creepy (in his usual silly way). The whole cast was good, but the real stars were the colourful Austin Minis that took the viewers on a delightful tour of scenic Italy. It's hard to talk about the movie without giving away main plot points or key scenes. It's a simple enough concept: preparing for the heist, the execution of the heist, then the escape. But it's all wrapped up in wry humour, exciting action sequences, and memorable background music. A must-see for all movie fans. "You had three birds in here!"