The Great Train Robbery (Widescreen)

It's underappreciated films like this that get lost in the "special edition" shuffle. The Great Train Robbery, written and directed by Michael Crichton, has no special features to speak of. Hopefully, this will be rectified in the future or on Blu-ray.

It is London in 1855, and the mysterious Edward Piece (Sean Connery) is plotting a train robbery that is so insane, so utterly impossible, that nobody thinks it can be done. Pierce thinks otherwise and recruits the best in the business: the fastest safe cracker in town, a wall-climbing snakesman, and an actress talented in disguises. Together they think they can steal the shipment of gold bound for the Crimean. This gold is locked in two safes, with two keys each, on a moving train. To top it off, the four keys are each hidden in a secret place: Two in the well-guarded office of the station manager, and two are hidden by bank employees who they are entrusted to. The keys cannot be stolen or that would tip off the authorities, they must be copied. Can Pierce get the keys and the gold?

Cool movie based on a cool book. Great if you're hungering for some Victorian-era scenery and action. Of course, the book (also by Cricton) is always better. But the movie is pretty good too, especially with Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland (Agar) trading witty dialogue.

I like it. 5 stars.

No hockey game on Thursday evening and so watch a movie: The Great Train Robbery (1979) based on the novel by Michael Chricton. A group of mid 19th century rogues and crooks plot to steal a gold shipment from a moving train in 1855. Starring Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Lesley Anne Downes. I saw this film originally when it was released in 1979 and this is maybe the third time I've seen it since. Unfortunately besides the initial theatrical release I saw it on television where it was a faded print and edited for commercial breaks. Now it was nice to see it in better condition and uncut and unedited, although the transfer could be better.

This film tends to fly under the radar in terms of being appreciated, but I think it's a gem. They recreate the world of mid 19th century England right down to authentic speech patterns and slang. This is a crime story, an adventure and light comedy all pretty well blended together. I really enjoy the attention to detail, particularly in terms that the planned theft takes months to plan and the final execution is more difficult than it initially might appear. A very telling scene during the theft is that of Sean Connery trying to navigate over the roof of four moving cars while trying to contend with vibration, wind, choking smoke and ducking to keep his head from being knocked off from numerous low bridges. By the time he reaches his objective he's quite a disheveled mess. Quite a sight in comparison to his usual suave and immaculate appearance the rest of the time. Well done. Lesley Anne Downes is very fetching and Donald Sutherland is nicely quirky. It doesn't really strike one as an "awesome" film, but it's nevertheless quite satisfactory and I highly recommend it if you appreciate intelligent film making.

This over-looked gem is superb in every detail. The plot concerns a charming rogue, faking a 'sharp businessman' played by Sean Connery, trying to relieve a fortified railway train of its gold. The film is based on a thriller written by Micheal (Jurassic Park) Crichton and is quite thrilling. It has superb Cinematography by the master Geoffrey (Superman) Unsworth B.S.C. and the outstanding score is by the superlative Jerry (Star Trek) Goldsmith. The film grips you from the start and includes a superb cast. The film details the planning and exection of the robbery of a railway train transporting gold from London to the Crimea. The effort of relieving the gold from the train by Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland is meticulous and quite exciting, helped by the fast moving script, cinematography and score. The atmosphere of 1850s London is startling and extremely well conveyed to the screen. This is a highly recommended and thrilling movie.