Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

JasparLamarCrabb A terrific thriller directed by Peter Yates. Career criminal Stanley Baker pulls together a band of thieves to rob the Royal Mail train. They're doggedly pursued by wily Inspector James Booth. A masterful heist film with great performances all around. Baker is nearly robotic in his pursuit to pull off the job. He's ably supported by cunning William Marlowe & Frank Finlay. With clever direction by Yates, including a car chase that has to be seen to be believed and a dynamite twist ending. Joanna Pettet appears briefly as Baker's exasperated wife. The cinematography is by Douglas Slocombe & the taut score is by the great Scottish songwriter Johnny Keating.

nsidd I watched "Robbery" on TV for the first time in years yesterday and was impressed by the quality and reality of the story-line and the characters.Every scene had an interesting meaning to it and the characters all behaved in a consistent manner - which is very refreshing to see in an age where stories are tailored just to meet the aura or egos of its stars. A big credit for this goes to the writers and the director. The acting of Stanley Baker and James Booth was also outstanding.All in all a very enjoyable experience - which should appeal to film-lovers like me that are entertained by high quality production values and realistic stories.

richard-payne-2 Robbery is for me a semi-documentary / thriller based on the Great Train Robbery of 1963. The location of the actual heist, on a bridge crossing a country lane bears similarity to the real robbery. The film moves around much of 60s London in the first part, during which time the gang are robbing to gain funds, plus planning the main robbery. The gangs' meeting on the terraces during a Leyton Orient match is well screened; Stanley Baker becomes so heated during their discussion he misses a great run and shot against the crossbar shown from the pitch! As for the central characters, Stanley Baker superbly plays "Mr Big" Paul Clifton, who is a character that the viewer never quite gets to know the limits. For example he tells the gang "we don't need guns, the police don't carry them"; later his wife finds his revolver at home, when quizzed he says "the gun is because I not going back inside (prison)".William Marlowe cleverly plays Clifton's "number 2" Dave Aitken, who is clearly "nice cop" versus Clifton's "bad cop" in terms of running the gang.As with the real train robbery, the gang make a successful robbery; however mistakes made during hideway contribute to their eventual capture. Not least when their contact who "cleans up" the getaway vehicles is apprehended at an airport leaving the UK with about £50K stuffed up his coat - his capture enables the police to set up a successful trap for the rest of the gang.The ending of the film is probably a slight movement forward from many 1950s movies where the gang are all caught - the ending to Robbery slightly leaves the viewer guessing. This is a film for enthusiasts of films of past years, who may like to spot London landmarks.

foz-3 In some ways this is a strange film. It is loosely based on the Great Train Robbery, but for some reason, possibly legal at the time, nobody is directly portraying Ronnie Biggs or Buster Edwards etc. The car chase at the beginning is the most exciting parts. (Peter Yates, not surprisingly, went on to direct Bullitt the following year). Check out the usual ream of rent-a-hood British film character actors such as George Sewell and James Booth. They are led admirably by Stanley Baker. The main failing of this film is the fact that they lumped all the most exciting bits at the beginning. Some might lose interest half way through because you basically know what's going to happen. Also the music soundtrack is a little repetitive - in some scenes, no sooner has the theme been faded out then it starts up again. Other than that, and a bit of dubious dubbing during the car chase, the film is very watchable.