by Mark Spriggs

Created on: September 09, 2009   Last Updated: September 10, 2009

It is undeniable that the 1969 original of the Italian Job is as classic and as iconic as the minis that nipped and zoomed in all their glory through the streets and avenues of Turin. The 'remake' is a different beast which seeks to emulate, update and expand on the original while being its own creature.

I would have to say that when I look at it, I see the basic premise being based on the last 3 minutes of the original 'how do we get our gold back?'. Left hanging over the cliff, on the brink of life and death with the lure of gold we sail away from the stranded crooks a warm smiling feeling and the desire for more from Caine and his cronies whereas with the Wahlberg remake we get a sense of the now much reduced crew seeking to get their gold back not from the end of a bus, but from the scheming hands of one of their own who betrays and murders the mentor of Charlie Croker. The bus they are in is deliberately driven over the edge of the bridge to escape and so begins the required hunt for vengeance.

The characters of the remake are more in tune with the 21st century view of the gentleman crook, Oceans 11/12/13, Hustle and now this, all very Robin Hood, where as the original is more in keeping with the British view of their honourable underworld contrasted sharply with the monstrous efficiency and ruthlessness of the Mafia. In that respect, Caine's character not withstanding, the crew is far more likable and holds our everyman perspective more firmly than the perceived glamour of sixties London or the cosmopolitan Italy.

Both films demonstrate the clever planning behind their capers, both are slick and interlaced with wonderful humour, who can forget "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" and while the remake gives us none of the quotable dialogue, it certainly provides a hearty wit and multiple layers of banter of which Seth Green is the most remarkable, Jason Statham the epitome of cool and Mos Def the most pitiable 'I love you man'.

I love both these films and the British original will endure in my heart far longer than the younger model, but and I say this with all due defference and respect I hope we go on to see the anticipated Brazilian Job, maybe a Hong Kong Job or a Dublin Job as well and that is its beauty - it can be a franchise with serious legs.

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