THE ITALIAN JOB
UK, 1969, 100 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley, Maggie Blye.
Directed by Peter Collinson.
The Italian Job is a comedy about robbery and cars. Audiences enjoy a laugh, get thrills out of a race or the planning and execution of a robbery. These ingredients are well combined in The Italian Job, spectacularly presented in Italy and Turin, and directed by Peter Collinson. It's a typical Michael Caine film. He is very much himself. One of the highlights, however, is Noel Coward, an unflappable royalist convict and a sponsor of The Italian Job - especially in his receiving his acclaim in prison. The traffic jam staged in Turin and spectacular car stunt work give the film added zest.
1. Why are such films so entertaining? The characters, Michael Caine as hero, Noel Coward comedy, the attraction of a robbery on a large scale, the use of cars, the Italian background, the introduction of the Mafia, the glamour of the chase? What presuppositions in an audience can the makers have? As regards the realism for such films? AS regards the popularity of such films? What to they think audiences will accept? Why?
2. The picture of the Mafia: the satirical murders in the Alps? Although a joke, how realistic? The Mafia pursuit throughout the film? How did this give an edge to the drama?
3. How did the film emphasise the intelligence needed for robberies? The Italian Count and the film that he made to show them the plan? His posthumous entry into the film? The interesting difference for this technique? The need for brains on the part of the English? The people who lacked brains?
4. How did the film rely on Michael Caine as Hero? His dominance over his assistants, the types who helped him? The girl? The drivers etc.? How much could the audience identify with these people? Why?
5. What did Benny Hill add by way of eccentric comedy? Was this valuable for the film? His satire?
6. The importance of Noel Coward's performance? How did this change the atmosphere of the film? The comedy? The satire? His very Englishness, his function in prisons, his attitude towards the prison as if it were a castle, the acclamation that he won at the end, the way that this was filmed with the banging and his descent amongst the cheering crowds? How successful as comedy was this?
7. Films like this make light of crime. Does this matter? Does realism matter?
8. What happens to an audience when it has such admiration for plans and their execution for crimes?
9. Why was the chase exciting? So dramatic? The skill of the cars? Twentieth century man's worship of cars and his excitement at seeing such a chase? The use of Turin?
10. How successful was the irony of the ending? Gaining the whole world and losing it? What would happen? Was the ending too 'up-in-the-air'?
11. If this is typical twentieth century entertainment, what does it reveal about twentieth century interests and attitudes?
