HEIST MOVIES | Offscreen
Two heist films built around the legendary stunt man Rémy Julienne...
In the late 1960s, "The Italian Job" launched Julienne's career, thanks to the famous chase scenes filmed in mini Coopers. It became a British cult hit in the following years, with not only a remake but a video game as well. Quincy Jones signed for the music, while Michael Caine, Raf Vallone and Benny Hill joined the cast. With "Le Casse", Henri Verneuil (hated by the nouvelle vague) wanted to push "Bullit" aside. Unfortunately for Verneuil, The French Connection was released that same year. However, what follows is an incredible, ten-minute-long chase scene between Omar Sharif and Jean-Paul Belmondo, filmed in the streets of Athens. It's the first film centered on Belmondo as both an actor and stunt man and features one of Ennio Morricone's best scores.
THE ITALIAN JOB
A gang of English burglars are preparing the heist of a lifetime: stealing a gold shipment from the streets of Italy... by creating a traffic jam with three mini Coopers. Their arrival marks the start of a continuous pursuit.
THE BURGLARS
Jean-Paul Belmondo plays Azad, one of four burglars who try to steal emeralds from a Greek billionaire. A local police man (Omar Sharif) sabotages this attempt, not out of duty, but because he'd do anything to make the jewels his own. Based on a novel by David Goodis.