All Rise...

Judge Gordon Sullivan has yet to meet a heist picture he didn't like.

Editor's Note

Our review of The Great Train Robbery (2013), published October 3rd, 2014, is also available.

The Charge

Never have so few taken so much from so many.

The Case

One of the legacies of the pre-Internet era was the possibility of having multiple groups of fans who had no idea that other fans existed. Today, everybody knows that Joss Whedon directed Marvel's The Avengers, and while some people may have been fans before from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel, or Dollhouse, it's unlikely that someone would know Firefly without at least knowing that The Avengers is out there. Not so 20 or 30 years ago. Michael Crichton, for instance, could have gained fans in a number of media who might not know about his other ventures. Some people came to his work via the sci-fi Western Westworld, while some may have read A Case of Need (written under a pseudonym), and while most people remember him as the author of Jurassic Park, it used to be difficult to connect those different worlds. Part of my point is about the Internet bringing people together, but the flip side of that, at least in Crichton's case, is just how diverse his interests and talents really are. We need look no further for evidence than The Great Train Robbery, an adaptation of his own novel to the big screen with an all-star cast. It's a fun romp, though not the most substantial of pleasures.

Edward Pierce (Sean Connery, Meteor) is a master thief who plies his trade by fitting right into the world of upper class Victorian England. His goal is to rob a train full of English gold meant to fund the Crimean War, and to do that he must bypass the train's intense safeguards. Luckily he has his mistress (Lesley-Anne Down, The Pink Panther Strikes Again) and fellow thief Agar (Donald Sutherland, The Hunger Games) along to help him achieve his goal, which starts with gathering a set of keys before taking on the train itself.

Maybe it's the period setting or the emphasis on trains and a light touch, but The Great Train Robbery reminds me of Sidney Lumet's Murder on the Orient Express. Both films obviously share those qualities, but the main thing that unites them in my mind is the excellent casting. In Lumet's case, his troupe of actors elevates a well-known mystery into an acting master-class. In Critchton's case, his leads save a too-light caper from completely blowing away. Both Connery and Sutherland are at the bottom end of their middle-age curve (48 and 43, respectively), and still very much in their active "sex symbol" period. Their charisma help sells some of the otherwise dodgy humor, and none of them take the film so seriously that it becomes ponderous.

It's easy to see why Crichton would be attracted to the premise of The Great Train Robbery as a novelist. He's always been interested in technology and thrillers, so the basic "let's make a bunch of keys to rob these safes" plot is perfect for him, even if the technology was over 100 years old at the time he wrote about it. The film adaptation doesn't have quite as much room for the technological descriptions that dot Crichton's work, but he does keep the period setting, which helps tremendously. All the fine costumes and excellent set design keep the film visually interesting, even when the plot isn't always engaging.

Whatever the merits of the film, though, it gets a solid Blu-ray release. The 1.85:1/1080p AVC-encoded transfer is sourced from a strong print. Damage and wear are minimal, and detail in the transfer reveals the film's excellent costumes and set design. The film was obviously shot with a lot of diffuse lighting, so expect a lot of intentional softness. Colors are accurate, and black levels are appropriately deep. Grain can sometimes tend towards noise, but overall this is a fine transfer. Audio is delivered by a 2.0 or a 5.1 DTS-HD audio. Both are clear and vibrant, with fine dialogue and excellent depth to Jerry Goldsmith's score. The 5.1 track (which the box claims is Dolby but my player recognized it as DTS-HD) features a bit more movement during some of the action sequences, but both are great.

Extras start with a commentary by Crichton, who is informative about his source novel, the process of making the moving, and how it fit into his life at the time. We also get the film's trailer.

The heist and adventure films are perennial favorites in the world of cinema. Not long after The Great Train Robbery came Raiders of the Lost Ark, which gave us a much more wise-cracking, knowing take on this kind of film. And obviously heist films have gotten more and more elaborate in the intervening years. In that context, The Great Train Robbery can look a bit quaint. If that's what you're after, this is a good bit of fun. Those looking for something with a more substantial edge will likely be disappointed.

The Great Train Robbery is a fine little caper film that features an engaging period setting and a group of fine actors being incredibly charming. It hasn't aged well, but as a diversion for fans of the actors—or those looking for a more low-key crime film—it will satisfy. Add in the excellent presentation on this Blu-ray and there's no reason that interested viewers shouldn't give this flick a shot.

The Verdict

Not Guilty.

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