Le Mans '66 Film Ch4

[mab01uk]

Saturday 30th July 9pm Ch4

[gazza82]

Saw it at the cinema before C19 put paid to all that ... brilliant film. Shame it will be broken up by the bl**dy ads!

[mab01uk]

I never watch TV ads when possible, always record and fast forward through the ads later or....this film is scheduled for 3 hours (9-12) but the official running time is 2h 32m so if you record and then start watching it delayed by about 35 minutes you can skip all the ad breaks and still finish watching at 12 !

[UHR850]

It was on the Dutch tv resently, what a great movie to watch very well made in my opinion.

Kees.

[mab01uk]

Spoilt for choice tonight as 'Robbery' is on at 9.05pm !

"A group of British criminals plan to rob a night postal train carrying millions in old banknotes - look out for the car chase that impressed Steve McQueen so much he hired director Peter Yates for 1968’s Bullitt!"



'Robbery' 1967 screenshots from Reelstreets 'Then & Now' :-
https://www.reelstreets.com/films/robbery/

[WMU 211G]

The bridge at Theddingworth where the train robbery sequence was filmed in March and April '67 is still intact, although the embankment is a bit overgrown now, it's not that far from where I live and a mate and I went to have a shuftie a few years ago. The loco used in the film was English Electric Type 4 D318 which is now preserved. When I started on the railway in 1983 I worked with one of the drivers who was involved in the filming, he drove the mail train during the night time scenes along the Rugby to Market Harborough and Northampton to Market Harborough lines.

When the film crew arrived at Theddingworth they had to clean the tops of the rails as they'd rusted somewhat since the line closed in June '66....

PH1.png

PH2.jpg

PH4.jpg

PH3.jpg

PH5.jpg

The robbery sequence took about two weeks to shoot and each night the loco was stabled on Rugby Shed with strict instructions not to be used on any other job as both cabs were crammed full of lighting gear, one night the loco was pinched for a local trip down to Rugby Cement Works and some of the lighting gear was damaged by the train crew! When the filming was finished, Stanley Baker treated all the railway employees to a big knees up in the pub at Theddingworth.

[WMU 211G]

The ambulance used in Robbery was also used in at least two Carry On films and several other films in the '60s...

002db837.jpg

The chap standing to the left of Stanley Baker in this publicity shot is the late Pete Brayham, the stunt co-ordinator who later worked on The Sweeney, The Professionals and Minder....

15465%20-%20Robbery.jpg

The driver's assistant was played by a very young Robert Powell (also seen in The Italian Job), the uniform provided by the wardrobe department was too big for him so Rugby Driver John Atkinson lent him his as he was the same build as Powell....

Robbery #163.jpg

[mini1973]

Interesting read, thanks.

[wantafaster1]

Robbery was good, saw it years ago. Love those J4 vans.

[Se7enthHeaven]

Anyone else spot the Mk3 Mini in Le Mans when the date was supposed to be '64 or '65?

[UHR850]

Anyone else spot the Mk3 Mini in Le Mans when the date was supposed to be '64 or '65?

Yes I did see it, it was an Innocenti Mini (Cooper) so very wrong.

Kees.

[mab01uk]

The James Hunt/Niki Lauda film 'Rush' also had James Hunt driving a later model Mini with 1966 plates instead of a genuine Mk1 (KLE 767D)....they just don't seem to bother making these films to our 'sad anorak/rivet counter' high standards of spotting correct detail!

'Rush' film Mini...
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7993

[surfblue63]

Le Mans '66 is a complete work of fiction and has very little actual facts in it.

For instance Ken Miles did race at the '65 Le Mans, his gearbox broke.
He won the 1966 Daytona by 8 laps by beating the other Shelby entered car. The Holman Moody car came in 3rd, 9 laps down. He did not pass anyone on the final lap.
Fiat did not buy into Ferrari until 1969.
And finally the cars did not cross the line in a dead heat, the McLaren/Amon car was ahead.




.