The Great Train Robbery (1978)

"Why did you conceive, plan, and execute this dastardly and scandalous crime?" (Judge)
"I wanted the money." (Edward Pierce)

The Great Train Robbery definitely lives up to its name. Spoiler* They rob a train. But there is so much more TGTR than just robbery, its a highly cultured, tawdry,expose on Victorian class structures, wealth and sensibilities. All aboard.

The first thing to understand about the The Great Train Robbery from the perspective of a Millennial is that despite their age and era appropriate-ness, Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland were always old. It's like they had no youth even in their youth.

Second, it is bizarre to look back at a movie that was deliberately mocking the morals of the day, but seem so smutty in comparison to modern releases. I understand that TGTR was released before movie standards like pg-13, R, PG, and the like, but I have no idea what its rating should be now or how Michael Crichton (Yes, Michael Crichton of ER and Jurassic Park) would have changed about his directing or writing.

Third, I have no real data on this, but I wonder if many of our modern directors and writers look back to TGTR as a version 1.3 caper movie.  It has all the hallmarks: the mastermind, the lift, the costumes, the need to assemble a team, the dame for distraction, and more.

The only real flaw I saw in TGTR was the ending.  They escape justice and.....

On a scale of Buster Keaton jumping on a moving train to Sean Connery on the roof of a moving train, I give The Great Train Robbery 3.6 out of 5 stars.