GPS Penetrates Another UK Vault

Aldo Ray and Company Plot The Day They Robbed The Bank Of England (1960)

As of 1960, MGM British at Elstree had the largest stage capacity of any UK-based company, save Shepperton, which was tied with Elstree. Metro's was, in fact, the most extensive facility available to rent in England, available to outside users as the Lion seldom ran at full capacity. We don't think of MGM as a Brit-busy firm, but they had been filming extensively there since a late-30's start-up, and that wouldn't abate even unto late 50's general decline. The company announced in latter-half 1959 a "stepping-up" (Variety) of UK and Euro-shot features, "aimed primarily for the Continental market," four to be made at the British plant. Good enough ones, that is with appeal to worldwide patronage, would see release in the US. Among hopefuls was The Day They Robbed The Bank Of England, Yank star Aldo Ray sent over to essay the lead, with support talent gathered from English pools.

MGM chips were on a Cimarron remake for 1960, and to that add Home From The Hill, Please Don't Eat The Daisies, The Time Machine, others. The Day They Robbed The Bank Of England was adjudged good enough to distribute here, but Variety's review was faint (More tenseness, more twists, more wit, and more pace are needed in this good idea gone wrong, they said). Now was that fair? TCM has lately run Day They Robbed, and I found it plenty tense and twisty --- maybe that's how far caper pics have slipped since 1960. Aldo Ray was then called miscast, but this quarter thought his presence novel and welcome. Who'd expect big lug Aldo to plan a London bank knockover? John Guillermin directs after straight-ahead fashion of his year-previous Tarzan's Greatest Adventure, and a period setting (1901) is flavorful. A young Peter O'Toole demonstrates potential for soon-stardom as a suspicious guard. The vault itself, based I presume on the real thing, is a Solomon mine anticipating the glimpse of Fort Knox James Bond would have in Goldfinger. This is overall a most enjoyable heist, one I hope will eventually break into Warner's DVD Archive.