ROBBERY

UK, 1967, 110 minutes, Colour.
Stanley Baker, Joanna Pettet, Frank Finlay, James Booth, Barry Foster.
Directed by Peter Yates.

Robbery is clearly what its title indicates. It is action packed melodrama based on the Great Train Robbery in England in the early sixties. It is a fairly straightforward account of the men involved, the planning, the execution of the robbery and their get away. Stanley Baker co-produced this film and gives himself the central role. It was directed by Peter Yates whose next film was Bullitt his first film in America where he made a considerable career for himself. By the mid -seventies he had made The Deep. Robbery is a film belonging to a particular convention that has been well used in the sixties and the seventies, a good example of its kind, if not outstanding.

1. The response to the title, the facts, the publicity of the case in the 60s?

2. What was the purpose of making this film in the 60s? Its? Impact now?

3. The documentary style of the filming, the fiction aspects, the interest in the events and the characters? Their subsequent notoriety?

4. How important were the documentary style techniques, the detailed illustration of robberies, preparation, police work? What did they contribute to interest and suspense?

5. The importance of the initial robbery, the characters involved, the getaway, the involvement of the police, the risks, the accidents and incidents, the danger for the school children?

6. The film's commentary on the personalities involved in such robberies, where did they come from, their motivations for robbery, their skills, their relationship amongst themselves, the attitude toward police?

7. Paul Clifton as the mastermind of the robbery, how well did, the film develop his character, his control over the various men, his decisions about what equipment should be used, employing the various personnel? The contrast with the relationship with his wife?

8. How well did the film introduce the police? Inspector Langdon and his researchers, the counterbalance of the police activity with that of the criminals?

9. How interesting was the detailed account of the police techniques, communications, conferences, following up of leads, getting information from informants, the use of line-?ups for identification?

10. How well did the film communicate the plan, the detail,
the recruits and equipment for the train robber? The study of the background of the trains, tools needed, escape routes? The sequence at the sports event where Clifton discussed plans with the men?

11. The filming of the robbery, the men and their involvement, the techniques used, the dangers, the timing, particular incidents to put the n1An off key?

12. This atmosphere of success after the robbery, listening to the news, the atmosphere of counting the money?

13. The competence of the police work tracking down the robbers? The tracing of Robinson's call? The visit to the abandoned air field?

14. The atmosphere of the capture and the men suddenly surrounded? the achievement of the police?

15. The irony of Paul Clifton's escape, the reaction of his wife pleading with him not to be involved, his lies to her, his not returning home, the incident of sending the dog? The New York sequences and his future?

16. How good a film of its kind, entertainment value, moral point?