The First Great Train Robbery (1978)

Although Patrick Stewart is the emperor of voice-overs, Sean Connery is certainly not a bad choice. It's blissfully short and to the point, too.

Firstly, the sexual innuendos between Connery and the women are a delight. Metaphors spewing all over with a snicker and a smirk. The metaphors are also good for the "locker-room talk", but less provocative, naturally.

It's a clever touch to have four MacGuffins that have to be retrieved in different fashions. It adds to the plot as well as to the extent of scoundrel our protagonists evolve. Though perhaps the first key should have been saved to last, as the extent of that deceit is just delectable and grand. The build-up to the last lift is very satisfying though.

Generally, heists are great fun when executed aptly, as the open up a toolbox of suspense, creative, romance, action and deadpan all together. Director Crichton chooses to downplay the romantic issue as a whole, taking rather a cynicist's view on the whole matter. Kudos. The romantic angle rarely brought much of essence to this genre anyway, thus leaving him more room to play with the story and areas that are actually of interest to the plot itself.

Sutherland doesn't fit this as good as some of the others in a flick set 150 years ago as he slips up in the accent from time to time. His facial expressions and comedic timing is impeccable though. Connery is a perfect dapper gentleman with a deep callousness, pulling all the threads. The rest of the cast are quite frankly mere extras, and apart from an overacting Wayne Sleep, they pull that weight nicely.

In the late seventies, it was quite common to use Jerry Goldsmith for scores and he delivers a raunchy, fun theme, perfectly fitted to the action and light mood of the film. It lacks a bit of versatility in the tense scenes though.

So this is a well executed and charming heist-movie, with the judge's remarks and Connery's witty answer a perfect end with the grin of Sutherland to see us off.

7/10