MovieChat Forums > The Italian Job (1969) Discussion > Michael Caine Reveals Italian Job Ending

Michael Caine Reveals Italian Job Ending


http://movies.sky.com/caine-reveals-italian-job-ending

Spoiler Caution:

It's been nearly 40 years since The Italian Job's (literal) cliffhanger ending, with nobody truly knowing what Michael Caine's Charlie Croker had in mind when he announced that he 'had an idea' for saving the gold bullion teetering over the edge of a cliff. Now the legendary actor has finally revealed what that plan was...

It appeared to be the perfect ending to the perfect heist movie. Driving up a mountain as they escaped the clutches of the Italian police, Croker and his gang came unstuck when the bus carrying the thieves and their gold got into difficulties, and ended hanging over a precipice.

With the thieves at one end of the bus and the pile of gold at the other, there's little chance of Caine's merry men escaping with their bullion, if not their lives.

And then, at the very moment Caine's conniving Charlie finally comes up with a plan, the credits roll and the movie ends.

But now, 39 years after those scenes first left audiences wondering what could possibly have happened next, Sir Michael Caine has revealed there was a plan after all - and it would have led to a sequel. Only it ended up on the cutting room floor.

“In the coach, I crawl up, switch on the engine and stay there for four hours until all the petrol runs out", Sir Michael explained.

“The van then bounces back up so the gang can all get out, but then the gold goes over the cliff.

“There are a load of Corsican Mafia at the bottom watching the whole thing through binoculars. They grab the gold, and then the sequel to the film was going to be us chasing after it."

The legendary actor was speaking at the Royal Albert Hall, where he received an award for being the capital's 'favourite Londoner'.

Jamie Oliver, Paul Merton, Joanna Lumley, Leona Lewis and Sir Alan Sugar were all among the shortlist for the award.

“It is extraordinary and completely unique as I did not have to do anything to get it,” Sir Michael said.

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Base on this info, I would have been interested in a sequel (with the Mafia involved).

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Well there you go and I hope the cliffhanger ending now makes sense to you?

http://www.myspace.com/taffy1967

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Literally cliffhanger...

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Jamie Oliver isn't a Londoner, he's an Essex boy!

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It'd be interesting to hear the full/exact quote from Sir Michael on that. I forget where I read it, but I seem to recall that the cliffhanger was 'as intended' (as such) - to leave us guessing, and to have a laugh that seemingly nothing, no matter how well planned ever goes smoothly. I seem to recall that the above idea - the gold falling out the bus, and then the adventure undertaken to retrieve it was floated about after the fact, in an attempt to lure enough investment to make the sequel, but apparently it never got off the ground (I don't know for sure, but I heard it didn't do well in the box off (relatively) world wide - in part perhaps because international marketing for it characterised it as a gangster flick rather than a heist/dry humour/comedy. Which is a real pity (the fact there was never a sequel) as it remains one of my favourite movies of all time. Among other things, it inspired a love affair with 'original' minis (as they are now called) of which I had a bunch - the first acquired not long after I got my licence.

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Among other things, it inspired a love affair with 'original' minis (as they are now called) of which I had a bunch


Ha ha, that's funny. I just viewed the film for the first time, and it rekindled my love for the International Harvester Metro, of which I had the 1966 model back in the 70's. That's the truck carrying all the gold, which got hijacked, spray-painted, towed, blown-up, and otherwise unfairly abused.

Keep the gold... leave me the Metro!

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Awesome idea - I would have loved a sequal but in heindsight I think they did right to leae it hanging (as the ultimate cliff-hanger ending). But yeah - I never thought of the petrol - very clever.

Sm

I just watched in on Film4 and yes, it still holds up today - nearly 40 years on. Amazing!

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SPOILER WARNING...

This is a wonderful movie! With a terrible ending! There can't be anybody who ever seen this movie who does'nt want the guys to get away with the gold. The stupid ending was probably the reason the movie didnt't make it in the US. Still, a great movie, with great cars.
To have a good movie version with a great ending too, see the remake.

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No way the remake was better; it was just more ... American.


You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

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This is a wonderful movie! With a terrible ending! There can't be anybody who ever seen this movie who does'nt want the guys to get away with the gold. The stupid ending was probably the reason the movie didnt't make it in the US. Still, a great movie, with great cars.

Actually, the reason the film ended the way it did might well have been because of the 'moral message' element. Even though it was filmed in the Swinging Sixties, the movie world hadn't quite caught up and any film showing criminals succeeding would have come in for criticism from various quarters, especially in the UK - films were still expected to show a 'good example', so criminals in films had to be caught or punished, especially in one that was a crime/comedy caper. Thus, you had a film where, yes, the audience was definitely rooting for the thieves, but the censors would not have been so impressed by them succeeding. Ten years later, maybe even five, and it wouldn't have been a problem.

However, on top of that, there's no getting away from the fact that this film has one of the most memorable endings in film history - if you'd had them simply escaping, the ending (and quite possibly the film) would have long since been forgotten.

And as for the remake... would it ever have seen the light of day had it not been for the original? And will anyone still be talking about its ending 45 years after its release?

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This is how they could´ve done it.......Featured in another Paramount movie The Big Bus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KldilqtV5g0&t=10m10s

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I've always thought the ending a bit silly. when they move back in the bus, why didn't they just grab some of the gold and take it with them? surely that would have been enough to tip the van up enough so they could get out?

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Exactly, I thought: Take some gold slowly and walk slowly....


🎄 Vulgarity is no substitute for Wit- Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

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If you have a chance to watch the Special Edition DVD the Special Features include three "Documentaries" which include interviews with various people involved with the making of the film including the writer. He said that there were several different endings written but the actual ending was the one settled on because of the possibility of a sequel that he had discussed with Robert Towne the head of the studio that released the film.

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