THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY – 50 YEARS OF THE ITALIAN JOB

THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY

50 YEARS OF
THE ITALIAN JOB

Starring Michael Caine, many Minis and – in the opening sequence – a marvelous Lamborghini Miura, THE ITALIAN JOB, released in 1969, has achieved iconic status among films made in the last 50+ years. In this viewer’s opinion, it has achieved that status almost in spite of itself; I’ve viewed it once and won’t need to see it again. But if looking for an overview of how the movie came to be – or, for that matter, how most movies come to be – you could do far worse than buying and reading THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY – 50 YEARS OF THE ITALIAN JOB. Within the book’s 300+ pages (and what feels like roughly five pounds) is an almost granular look at the film’s inception, production and casting, along with a scene-by-scene look at how the finalized script became a film. 

In its opening sequence an orange Lamborghini Miura, piloted by actor Rossano Brazzi, motors along a meandering St. Bernard Pass in Italy. But just as you settle in and begin imagining yourself behind the wheel, the Miura collides with an earthmover, leading to the demolition of the Lambo and the death of Brazzi’s character, Beckerman; it’s the first example of absolute carnage running throughout the film. And while most of that damage is inflected on the many Minis, shortly after the Miura meets its untimely end, so do Michael Caine’s Aston DB4 convertible and two Jaguar E-Types. 

Although not a film critic, from this viewer’s perspective it’s downhill from there. An ex-con (Caine) is recruited to put together a team for the heist of gold bullion in relatively plain sight. The armored truck containing the targeted bullion is stolen, the gold is transferred to a small number of Minis, and the chase in and around Turin ensues. The chase is entertaining, but in no way rises to the dramatic or chaotic threshold of a Bullitt or French Connection. The Mini’s diminutive size provides a ready-made smile, but there’s no edge-of-the-seat tension, clenching of teeth or tightening of your sphincter. The smile continues throughout the balance of the film, after which you’re ready to get back to a Law & Order rerun. 

Happily, the book – written by Matthew Field and published by Porter Press International – borders on exceptional. Originally released in 2019 and reprinted most recently in the spring of 2023, the book begins with a foreword by actor Michael Caine, and includes in the first section a complete listing of cast and crew. That list includes producer Michael Deeley, screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin, director Peter Collinson and Robert Evans, head of Paramount Pictures. It’s all a bit of a who’s who of filmmaking at the end of the 1960’s, and – notably – includes composer Quincy Jones, responsible for the film’s soundtrack. 

For the enthusiast, the book’s auto-biographies are perhaps the most interesting. And the highlight of that sub-category would be the multipage treatment given to the orange Lamborghini Miura. The acquisition of the example used in the filming is detailed, as is the use of a Miura shell for the car’s destruction. The Miura was irreplaceable then and now (more so now); thankfully, a few were lost to crash testing, and one of those shells was appropriated for the crash-and-disposal portion of the script.

The destruction of Caine’s DB4 and the two E-Types isn’t quite as dramatic or financially catastrophic, but it still produces the collective wince intended by the director. And in the pages devoted to the E-Type, the restoration of the E-Type droptop, years after the filming, is detailed.

Given their number (and number of screen minutes), the Minis receive the bulk of the author’s attention, and that attention includes their acquisition, modification and maintenance. Following the filming the six ‘hero’ cars were returned to BMC, and while replicas have been built the whereabouts of the originals are anyone’s guess.

Of course, cast members – including Caine, Noel Coward and female lead Maggie Blye – are given attention, and this attention includes actors left on the cutting room floor. 

Finally, the 2003 remake, starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and BMW’s all-new MINI, is given an overview of a few pages. And that’s the movie I’d recommend watching…

My review copy of THE SELF PRESERVATION SOCIETY – 50 YEARS OF THE ITALIAN JOB was provided by the publisher. More information on its sales – it retails in the U.S. for $75 – and distribution can be found at www.porterpress.co.uk.