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 large banner seen at the Hyde Park, London festivities read: "Crystal Palace Sydenham 2nd June Horticultural Fete Judging of 39 Classes of Plants".

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Goofs

During the 'raid' on the brothel and in some other scenes, two-tone police whistles are blown. These whistles were not in use by British police forces until the 1870s. Constables in 1855 used a type of football rattle to call for assistance.

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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 A Stranger in the Kingdom (1999)

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Soundtracks

Sonata in D major K.448 for two pianos, 3rd movement
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Played by as a piano duet

User Reviews

Good movie, gives a good impression of Victorian England as well as being suspenseful

Some people say that Crichton's books do not make for good movies. In this case it is not so. Crichton became fascinated with Victorian England, and was able to educate the public in a very useful way as well as write a suspenseful story. The movies does not really educate in the same way, unless you rent the DVD and listen to the director's comments. But the movie gives a very authentic feeling of Victorian England and has good pacing for the suspense aspect of it. I love movies based on true stories, and this one is one of them. We know all about exactly how it was done because the main character was caught, told the court everything, and then audaciously escaped! One really important thing that Crichton says: the great majority of crimes are never solved. Something to chew on.