Robbery **** (1967, Stanley Baker, James Booth, Frank Finlay, Joanna Pettet, Barry Foster) – Classic Movie Review 5,066

The tremendous 1967 British crime movie Robbery stars Stanley Baker as a tough guy who leads a gang of crooks in a great train robbery on the Glasgow to London overnight mail train.

Director Peter Yates’s tremendous 1967 British crime movie Robbery stars Stanley Baker as tough guy Paul Clifton, who leads a gang of Sixties crooks in a great train robbery on the Glasgow to London overnight mail service, on the Royal Mail train that they relieve of £3 million.

Robbery is a winning, dark-toned caper thriller from director Yates, who thrillingly captures the spirit, atmosphere and details of the real 1963 Great Train Robbery. The screenplay by Edward Boyd, Peter Yates and George Markstein is based on Peta Fordham’s book The Robber’s Tale, a heavily fictionalised version of the Great Train Robbery.

The details in the 25-minute robbery sequence are taken entirely from court evidence, but the remainder of the film is fictitious speculation to avoid legal problems. Baker said: ‘We had to make sure there was no risk of accidental identification with anyone. The characters involved in the film are in no way based on the characters who took part in the Great Train Robbery.’

It proved a calling card for Yates. Hollywood then called Yates to make Bullitt, which shares the same glee he shows here for tawdry hoods and relentlessly-paced, exciting action.

Both Baker and James Booth (as the head policeman, Inspector George Langdon) are excellent, effectively cast against type, and Frank Finlay (as Robinson), Joanna Pettet (as Kate Clifton) and Barry Foster (as Frank) put in strong appearances too.

Robbery is a top rate movie of its perennially popular kind.

Excitingly, the film is shot entirely on location and contains a great deal of valuable Sixties footage of central London, including Marble Arch, Trafalgar Square, Little Venice and Kensal Green. The robbery was shot to the east of Theddingworth, Leicestershire. Shots of the gang meeting before the robbery were filmed at Leyton Orient Football Club at a match with Swindon Town. The gang’s airfield hideout was filmed at RAF Graveley. Other filming was done at New York Harbor and Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin.

It was shot in early 1967 and premiered in London on 21 September 1967.

The film is produced by Stanley Baker and Michael Deeley, for Baker’s company Oakhurst Productions. Baker was well connected with producer Joseph E Levine, whose Embassy Pictures took over the funding of the movie. This proved a good move as Michael Deeley reported that the film did ‘good business’ in the UK, though it was not a big hit in the US, with Peter Yates complaining that it was ‘very poorly exploited’.

Also in the cast are William Marlowe, Clinton Greyn, George Sewell, Glynn Edwards, Martin Wyldeck, Frank Williams, David Pinner, Barry Stanton, Ivor Dean, Robert Powell, Mike Pratt, John Savident and Linda Marlowe.

Robbery is directed by Peter Yates, runs 114 minutes, is produced by Oakhurst Productions, is released by Paramount British Pictures (UK) and Embassy Pictures (US), is written by Edward Boyd, Peter Yates and George Markstein, based on The Robber’s Tale by Peta Fordham, is shot in Eastmancolor by Douglas Slocombe, is produced by Joseph E Levine, Michael Deeley and Stanley Baker, and is scored by Johnny Keating.

Baker and Booth memorably appeared together in Zulu (1964).

The cast are Stanley Baker as Paul Clifton, Joanna Pettet as Kate Clifton, James Booth as Inspector George Langdon, Frank Finlay as Robinson, Barry Foster as Frank, William Marlowe as Dave Aitken, Clinton Greyn as getaway driver Jack, George Sewell as Ben, Glynn Edwards as Squad Chief, Michael McStay as Don, Martin Wyldeck as Chief Constable, Rachel Herbert as School teacher, Patrick Jordan as Freddy, Barry Stanton as Car Lot owner, Kenneth Farrington as Seventh Robber, Ivor Dean as Postal Worker, Robert Powell as Train Driver’s Assistant, Mike Pratt as Informant at Railway Station, John Savident as Police Constable, and Frank Williams as Prison contact.

Top 20 British heist movies

Peter Yates (1929–2011).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,066

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Peter Yates (1929–2011).