The Italian Job

You were only supposed to blow the bloody candles out - The 50th anniversary

2y ago

3.7K

Every car enthusiast has their favourite car movie, usually the film that started it all for them. For some people it’s Bullitt with the epic Mustang chase through San Francisco. For those of a certain persuasion, and the mental age of a 12 year old, it’s probably The Fast and the Furious - just kidding, I enjoy them too. There are plenty more classics that belong on the list including Gone in 60 Seconds, The Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit (another firm favourite of mine) but for me there’s one that sits above them all.

In all the films I’ve mentioned there was an iconic car - a Shelby Mustang or a pimped Toyota Supra, but The Italian Job had three tiny icons. The legendary little Minis that spawned a cult following and 50 years worth of dodgy replica paint jobs. As a car the Mini really wasn’t that cool, but Charlie Croker and the self preservation society turned the Mini into something everybody adored. Partly because of some awesome driving, partly because they were used to rip off Jonny Foreigner of all his gold, and mostly because they had some racing stripes and spotlights, the British public fell in love with the little car.

The Italian Job is the first car film I can remember watching which is probably why I love it so much. The finer points of the story escaped me the first few times - I never quite understood Mr Bridgers obsession with the Queen, and Benny Hill’s penchant for big women was a bit strange too, but that didn’t really matter. I completely got three heroic little Minis giving the Carabinieri the run around while Charlie cracked a few jokes and really that was all that mattered.

Fiat were very keen to be involved in the film - a lot of their cars were used, just not as the leads

Fiat were very keen to be involved in the film - a lot of their cars were used, just not as the leads

As much as Michael Caine was a fantastic lead in the film I’ve got no doubt that it would have worked with another actor had push come to shove. What definitely wouldn’t have worked would have been three Fiats, or any other car for that matter. The Italian company were desperate for the film crew to use their vehicles and offered to provide them with as many supercharged Fiats as they wanted and even a $40,000 lump sum (nearly $300,000 in todays terms!) to get them on their way, but the crew refused - it had to be three Mini’s. This attitude was particularly impressive given that the British Motor Company only gave the crew a few cars and made them buy the rest at trade price. Talk about sticking to your vision.

In this scene the gang are seen testing (and wrecking) the Mini's and a comment is made about them only having a few cars - a little dig at BMC perhaps?

In this scene the gang are seen testing (and wrecking) the Mini's and a comment is made about them only having a few cars - a little dig at BMC perhaps?

The first half of the film sets the scene and it’s classic British crime caper - a sharp tongued ex-con, a glamorous leading lady who causes havoc and a gang of merry men who spend most of their time bickering. As enjoyable as this is to watch there’s no point at all pretending that this film isn’t about the cars - the epic, winding police chase through the worlds biggest traffic jam. And as Mafia man Altabani puts it: “If they planned this jam, they must have planned a way out.” And plan a way out they did.

Your car? Pretty car...

Your car? Pretty car...

The chase brilliantly uses all of Turin’s most famous landmarks - the Mini’s are seen interrupting a wedding at the Gran Madre di Dio church, leading a bemused policeman up to the top of the Palazzo a Vela and even racing around the roof of the Fiat factory. I can’t think of another film that so perfectly captures a city in this way.

When our little heroes are bouncing around a gridlocked Torino you find yourself rooting for the cars as much as the people - yes we all wanted to see Charlie et al escape with the gold, but what we really want is for the Mini’s to win. It’s almost as if they take on a personality of their own and when that happens you know a car has become a true great.

And that’s what makes the ending truly painful. No, I’m not talking about the bus hanging over the edge of the cliff. I’m talking about the undignified deaths of our wonderful trio - pushed from the back of a bus off the side of an alp where they burst into flames. It was as if the three lead actors had all been bumped off in quick succession.

So ultimately a sad end for the little cars after their heroics dodging Polizia and mafia pursuers and delivering their cargo, but they completed their task admirably. And in the same way that Eleanor replica Mustangs and Bandit Trans-Ams are now a staple of car shows, the red, white and blue Mini’s will always have a place in peoples hearts.

The 3 Mini's fantastically restored by David Morton using as many original parts as possible