Robbery

Where the late Stanley Baker was concerned, you invariably got yer money’s worth when it came to fast-paced crime thrillers, and ROBBERY is no exception. Loosely based on the notorious 1963 Great Train Robbery, the film is relentless from the off!

Adapted from the book ‘The Robber’s Tale’ by Peta Fordham, the screenplay is a team effort by director Peter Yates, Edward Boyd and George Markstein which truly paid off, for it scored the ‘Writer’s Guild of Great Britain Award’.

No pun intended, but we cut to the chase straight away with a no hold barred car chase through the streets of London, following an audacious jewellery heist. Along the chase, we get acquainted with gang leader Paul Clifton (S. Baker) – the cool and calculating brains behind it all. The proceeds from this are used to set up what would later be described as the heist of the century: a seemingly fool-proof and painstakingly detailed plan to rob the Royal Mail train coming from Glasgow – and make off with something like three to four million quid, a hell lot of money in the mid-Sixties!

However, things start to go a little pear-shaped even before the big robbery, when Jack (Clinton Greyn), the getaway driver from the jewel heist, is recognised by a schoolteacher following a near fatal collision at a zebra crossing. The fact that Jack is a confederate of Clifton, himself a well-known criminal, puts the police on the trail…
Bent bank employee Robinson (Frank Finlay), currently in prison, has the knowledge to tell the good bank notes from the bad ones and thus needs to be ‘sprung’ (to use convict terminology) – and over the wall he goes.
More difficulties arrive when Ben (George Sewell), another valuable recruit, insists that he wants his share upfront.

On the actual day of the robbery, the job appears to go quite well despite the aforementioned obstacles. Unfortunately, Robinson has the urge to talk to his wife on the phone via a public phone box. Bad move, as obviously the coppers have a trace on him, knowing of his connections to Clifton. In fact, they have a trace on all of them! Which members of the gang will get away with the booty and which won’t?

Johnny Keating’s soundtrack perfectly fits the picture, while Douglas Slocombe’s exciting cinematography could hardly be bettered. The film, co-produced by Stanley Baker (who was a clever businessman as well as an actor) is deftly handled by Yates who one year later would go on to direct Steve McQueen’s Bullitt.
Robbery boasts a stellar cast including Barry Foster and James Booth, yet the film is more about action than acting.

This Blu-ray release contains the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

* Brand-new interview with Michael Deeley recorded for this release
* Cinema: Stanley Baker – an archive interview from 1972
* German film ‘The Great Train Robbery’
* ‘Waiting for the Signal: The Making of Robbery’ – brand-new documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew
* Behind-the-scenes footage – archive news footage of the filming at Market Harborough
* Image gallery - posters, lobby cards, memorabilia and production stills
* Original campaign guide, exhibitors' manual and flyers in PDF format
* 32 page booklet by film historian Sheldon Hall