The Great Train Robbery (1978)
"The First Great Train Robbery" (original title)

In Victorian England, a master criminal makes elaborate plans to steal a shipment of gold from a moving train.

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writers:

Michael Crichton (screenplay), Michael Crichton (novel)

Stars:

Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Lesley-Anne Down

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Connery	...	Pierce
Donald Sutherland	...	Agar
Lesley-Anne Down	...	Miriam
Alan Webb	...	Trent
Malcolm Terris	...	Fowler
Robert Lang	...	Sharp
Michael Elphick	...	Burgess
Wayne Sleep	...	Clean Willy
Pamela Salem	...	Emily Trent
Gabrielle Lloyd	...	Elizabeth Trent
George Downing	...	Barlow
James Cossins	...	Harranby
John Bett	...	McPherson
Peter Benson	...	Station Despatcher
Janine Duvitski	...	Maggie

Storyline

Sutherland and Connery wish to rob a moving train's safe in Victorian England. They need wax impressions of keys, coffins, dead cats, and a great deal of planning in order to pull it off.

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Plot Keywords:

key | gold | safe | train | dead cat | 

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Taglines:

Never have so few taken so much from so many.

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 February 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Great Train Robbery

Filming Locations:

Bank of Ireland, Plas Foster, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Starling Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby (as Dolby Sound)

Color:

Black and White (sepia colour) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The steam engine originally used in the film was not powerful enough to pull the train, so a diesel locomotive was disguised as a goods van and used for extra power.

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Goofs

High platforms near the train's floor level were not used in British stations until about 1870.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Edward Pierce: [narration] In the year 1855, England and France were at war with Russia in the Crimea. The English troops were paid in gold. Once a month, twenty-five thousand pounds in gold was loaded into strongboxes inside the London bank of Huddleston and Bradford and taken by trusted armed guards to the railway station. The convoy followed no fixed route or timetable. At the station, the gold was loaded into the luggage van of the Folkestone train for shipment to the coast and from there to ...

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Connections

Referenced in Backseat (2005)

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Soundtracks

"I Dreampt I Dwelt in Marble Halls"
(uncredited)
Music by Michael William Baife
Lyrics by Michael Bumm (1843)
Heard on violin offstage in bordello

User Reviews

Nice Period Piece For A Heist Flick

Wow, this is a wonderfully-filmed movie that especially looked good since it was one of the first DVDs I purchased a decade ago. Rich colors and good period detail of 19th century England made it visually attractive. However, the picture was too grainy. I hope someone has re-issued this and given it the transfer it deserves.

Beware that it takes quite awhile before the actual holdup takes place. This is almost a two-hour film and they build up slowly to famous heist. However, I didn't find any of it boring. This is rated PG but there are quite of bit of sexual innuendos early on by Connery as he woos Lesley-Ane Down. Other than that, it's a pretty tame film. Donald Sutherland adds a touch a touch of humor here and there as he and Connery pull off the suspenseful heist....and it is suspenseful.

Connery trying to maneuver on top of the train was a highlight, as was the "whooshing" sound of the train each time it passed under a bridge. The stereo in here is very good for a film almost 30 years old.