ITALIAN JOB

Italian Job

The Italian Job is a British caper film released in 1969. The film follows a group of criminals who plan to rob a gold shipment from an Italian city. The film is noted for its use of Mini Coopers in a famous car chase scene.

Backing Tracks – Self Preservation Society (Getta Bloomin’ Move On)

The Italian Job is a 1969 British comedy caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film’s plot centres around Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, recently released from prison, who forms a gang for the job of stealing a cache of gold bullion being transported through the city of Turin, Italy in an armoured security truck. In addition to Caine, the film’s cast also included Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley, and Noël Coward; the film was Coward’s last before his retirement from acting. The soundtrack was composed by Quincy Jones, featuring the songs “On Days Like These”, sung by Matt Monro over the opening credits, and “Getta Bloomin’ Move On” (usually referred to as “The Self-Preservation Society”, after its chorus) during the climactic car chase, which featured Caine among its singers.

The film proved a success upon its release, earning critical acclaim amongst critics for the performances by Caine and Coward, the film’s reflection of British culture from the period, and the film’s climactic car chase. The Italian Job became a cult symbol of British filmography and was ranked favourably in the top 100 British films by the British Film Institute. Several elements from the film became symbolic cult features, including the film’s cliffhanger ending, and Caine’s infamous line from the film.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the film in June 2019, stunt drivers in red, white and blue Coopers recreated parts of the film’s car-chase around Turin at the grounds of Mini’s Oxford factory.

Backing Tracks – Self Preservation Society