The Great Train Robbery (1978)

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 by), Michael Crichton (based on his 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:

train robbery | based on true story | based on novel | gold | safe | 

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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)

Opening Weekend USA:

$391,942, 4 February 1979, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$13,027,857

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company, Starling Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby (as Dolby Sound)

Color:

Black and White (sepia colour) (opening sequence) (closing sequence) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of the financial institution was "The Huddleston & Bradford Bank".

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Goofs

If the bags were filled with gold bars they would not have been so easily thrown off the train.

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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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Alternate Versions

Under the terms of the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 all UK versions of the film are cut by 32 secs with edits to a scene where a dog hunts and kills rats in a show arena ('ratting').

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Sean Connery/Keenen Ivory Wayans/Tania Maria (1983)

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Soundtracks

I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls
(uncredited)
Music by Michael William Balfe
Lyrics by Alfred Bunn (1843)
Heard on violin offstage in bordello

User Reviews

Interesting and entertaining

First of all, I must admit that I watched this movie because I had just finished to read Michael Crichton's book. I was not expecting a movie so intriguing and so interesting as the novel. But it was a surprise. Despite the omitted details it becomes a very well made movie. The Connery and Sutherland's performances are great, so I must recommend it if you like suspense. Although the book is better than the film, you must consider it is a 1978 movie and the resources in the making during that year were different than those available nowadays.