The Italian Job

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Michael Caine b 1933. In a family of fish porters born arriving at ten in the morn. St. Olave's Hospital, Bermondsey, mother said relatively pain free. Arrived with blethora and rickets, blethora brought no regrets. Heavy eyelids, that sexy look a slice of acting good luck. His family really quite poor afraid to answer the door. The rent man instilled fear the arrears often severe. School, Michael quite bright eleven plus handling all right. A grammar school his next test, passing exams unstressed. A couple of years in the army a rather frightening journey. His acting career began in repertory at Horsham. His film break came with Zulu thereon his reputation grew. The Ipcress File next getting more respect. A good many acting awards and one of the highest rewards. A Knighthood that made his day he'd done it all his way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQIRbV_noi8

No Dutchman, all the filming was done at the stoke aldermoor bit, some of our lads had to give it a good clean before filming commenced.

They actually turned one mini over in the tunnel, up one wall and down the other side-perfectly. This shot was not shown in the film.

Michael Caine our greatest movie actor. Sir Michael Caine was hailed as the "greatest movie actor" Britain has produced as stars gathered to celebrate his career at London's Albert Hall. The star of films including Zulu, The Italian Job and Get Carter staged A Night Out With Sir Michael Caine to raise cash for the NSPCC. Jonathan Ross interviewed the two-time Oscar winner on stage and looked back on a career which has spanned seven decades. Speaking before the event, Ross said: "Michael Caine, I think, is probably the greatest movie actor we've produced in this country when you look at that period. "Not this decade, but for the last four decades he's one of the few actors nominated for an Academy Award in every one of those decades. "He's a great actor. He's a great movie star as well. He's also a lovely man." Sir Michael, 81, said he had retired "sort of" but continues to work when he is offered scripts too good to turn down. He said: "I've retired about 30 times and then I always get a script I can't refuse. "Now I've retired sort of. I'm doing a second one of Now You See Me, a picture I did about magicians. I do that in December and then I stop. But then someone will give me a script."

This is a photo I took on my phone, of the artwork in 2011(?), as you can see it had been slightly defaced even then, which is a shame as the artwork itself was designed to reduce vandalism and graffiti (http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/481800 - Link shows painting in 2007 and explains it's origin). There was more writing on the painting but I had to blank it out and remove it as it contained inappropriate language. Unfortunately now all we're left with is another boring subway (google maps link)

Not exactly film related but I was at an Italian car event a few weeks ago talking to an Alfa Romeo owner. This is an official factory colour called Coventry Green No idea why/where they got that from but.

The Coach used for the Italian Job is referred to as a Harrington Legionnaire but that is the name of the coachbuilder, the chassis is actually a Bedford Model VAL14 and Terry's Coaches of Keresley had one many years ago when they were first starting out in a very eye catching bronze colour. I remember overhauling the twin steering front axle once when I worked at C&E Motors for it's MOT preparation, what a pig of a job it was to set the steering geometry up, but what a great coach it was to drive if very underpowered even for that period. I can absolutely confirm that the scenes of it racing like a Ferrari up the Italian Alps were a figment of the film directors imagination, even so, what a great film, Noel Coward made you proud to be British!

Just as a quick addition to the previous message, these vehicles with the twin steering front axles were always known as 'Chinese six' models I have no idea why, and wonder if anybody out there can enlighten me?

A quick search for that shows "it originates as a vernacular way of describing anything that was "back to front" in the 1920's/30's, when that type of vehicle was first built."

Thanks. Neils Yard, I understand the back to front reference but it still doesn't make much sense does it, why 'Chinese'?

Filming of The Italian Job in Coventry 43 years ago

Just caught up with this topic. When I saw this film, and the coach stranded on the cliff edge, I thought they have pinched that scene off Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush, only he was perched in a cabin on a cliff edge.

"The Italian Job" unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque. On Friday 18th October we plan to erect and unveil a commemorative plaque to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the making of the film 'The Italian Job'. A scene from the iconic film was actually filmed in the Stoke Aldermoor area of Coventry. In the film there was a car chase involving that great British car the 'Mini'. During the chase there was a scene where the vehicles were driven through a sewer pipe. This part of the film was actually filmed in Stoke Aldermoor on the park next to The Lindfield. To film this scene, the crew lowered the mini cars into the sewer by crane. The person driving the crane was a local driver who still lives in Stoke Aldermoor. We want to raise awareness of the making of this iconic film and its significance to the local area. We feel that erecting a commemorative plaque will not only increase local peoples' awareness of this piece of history, but it will also attract visitors from all over the country. On the day of the unveiling we have arranged for the Oscar winning film producer, Michael Deeley, who has also produced films such as 'The Deer Hunter' and 'Blade Runner', to come to Coventry to unveil the plaque. Also accompanying him will be David Salamone who drove the red mini in the film The Italian Job Also at the event will be Remy Julienne. Remy Julienne In 1958 Frenchman Remy Julienne became the French Motorcross Champion. In his homeland his driving skills were recognised as some of the best and his charismatic driving led him to become France's most respected stunt driver. Eventually he set up his own stunt driving company 'Remy Julienne L'Equipe', a self contained team of highly skilled drivers and mechanics. His break onto the international stage came when he was asked to complete the stunt work on The Italian Job, since then Remy Julienne L'Equipe hasn't looked back. Half a dozen Bond films and other similar action movies have benefited from his stunt work and the impressive portfolio continues to grow. The event. 18th October 2019 It's a Friday, the last day at school locally for the children. This is a small springboard event we are holding for the City of Culture 2021. We are organizing mini clubs to drive through surface laid tunnels along the original route (parallel with the Lindfield). The response to this has been fantastic. Hollywood is coming to Stoke Aldermoor (who would have thought it?) Stoke Aldermoor will be a mecca for film buffs and mini enthusiasts around the world. Thank you in advance Regards Kevin Conway conway.kevin@ymail.com