The First Great Train Robbery main backdrop
The First Great Train Robbery main poster

The First Great Train Robbery

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6.7/10 • 392

1978-12-141h 50m

ThrillerAdventureDramaCrime

Never have so few taken so much from so many.

In Victorian England, a master criminal makes elaborate plans to steal a shipment of gold from a moving train.

Directors
Michael Crichton
Editors
David Bretherton

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Sean Connery

    Sean Connery

    Edward Pierce

  2. Donald Sutherland

    Donald Sutherland

    Robert Agar

  3. Lesley-Anne Down

    Lesley-Anne Down

    Miriam

  4. Susan Hallinan

    Susan Hallinan

    Emma Barnes

  5. Alan Webb

    Alan Webb

    Edgar Trent

  6. Malcolm Terris

    Malcolm Terris

    Fowler

  7. Robert Lang

    Robert Lang

    Sharp

  8. Wayne Sleep

    Wayne Sleep

    Clean Willy

  9. Michael Elphick

    Michael Elphick

    Burgess

Reviews3

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Wuchak Avatar

Wuchak

Jun 18, 2020

6/10

Robbing a train of a shipment of gold in Victorian England Written/directed by Michael Crichton and released in 1978/79, “The Great Train Robbery” was loosely based on the real-life Great Gold Robbery of 1855 that took place in England. Sean Connery plays the mastermind, Lesley-Anne Down his girlfriend and Donald Sutherland a safecracker with whom they team-up. I generally don’t like caper films because the protagonists are criminals, but Crichton wisely makes the characters played by Connery and Sutherland likable rapscallions; meanwhile Down is babelicious, in particular in her jaw-dropping first scene. Crichton intentionally made the movie more farcical compared to his novel and I appreciated the wit and low-key humor. I didn’t expect to like this movie, but it won me over. The film runs 1 hour, 51 minutes, and was shot primarily in Ireland (Dublin, Bray, Cork & Moate), but also Pinewood Studios, England. GRADE: B-/B

Media

  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster
  • The First Great Train Robbery poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$6,000,000.00
Revenue
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Keywords
gallowshistorical figurevictorian englandexecutionnoosehangingtrain robberystrongboxgold theftbritish historyplaying pianohorse carriage19th centurydeath by hangingpublic execution1850sexecution by hanginghanged woman