I remember watching Buster one afternoon at High School during the fag end of term time before summer holidays. The opening scene with the dust bin going through the window raise quite a cheer!
Buster is a typical sort of British crime film that is not actually as bad as its detractors will insist, but neither as good as its champions try and tell you. It supposedly recounts the infamous Great Train Robbery of 1963 from the perspective of Ronald 'Buster' Edwards - probably the most well known participants, although not the most important. Just a pity then the planning and execution of 'the job' only takes up about twenty minutes.
The remaining running time, before and after the Robbery, including a fairly lackadaisical police pursuit, and the extended holiday in Mexico, is a dull kitchen sink drama between Phil Collins and his beloved Julie Walters; she's the long suffering wife; he's the lovelable rogue, heart of gold, good family man, lives by 'respect', etc.
In other words, Buster sets the template for any or all of the cheeky chappy Mockney geezers in the endless cycle of runabouts and capers we would see a decade later.
Given the level of talent involved the acting is generally quite good - but it could have been better; Walters's incessant whinging soon grates; Collins isn't bad in the lead role, but he doesn't make much of an impact either. The soundtrack is OK, but overall I'd say Buster was a bit of a chore to sit through.
That the film downplays the violence of the robbery, the critical injuries sustained by train driver Jack Mills, the threats to Post Office staff, and the unsavoury background of the principals - most were professional criminals who did not baulk at using force, and were who were aware of the risks of who they were ripping off - caused great contraversy at the time. Sure, one or two minor members may have been unjustly sentenced, but I'd question how much public sympathy there was for these 'Robin Hoods' when the extent of Mr Mills's ordeal became known.
Try Bank Heist, Thief, The League of Gentlemen or The First Great Train Robbery if you want to see a decent heist movie with a lot more tension and comedy. Compared to these gems, Buster is a bit of a letdown.
