Search - The First Great Train Robbery on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Suitable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1979 DVD Release: 07/29/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 51 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Crime, Period Film, Crime Thriller, Caper

Not a remake of the landmark 1903 Edwin S. Porter film, The Great Train Robbery is a dramatization of the famous first hold-up of a moving train in 1855 England. The conspirators in this undertaking are Edward Pierce (Sean Connery), Agar (Donald Sutherland) and Clean Willy (Wayne Sleep). Pierce is the brains, Clean Willy the brawn, and safecracker Agar provides the finesse. The scheme involves stealing a shipment of gold bars intended to be used in the payroll for the Army in the Crimean War. Lesley Anne Down co-stars as Miriam, the woman on the outside who arranges Connery's getaway. When released in England, this film was titled The First Great Train Robbery, so as not to be confused with Britain's embarrassing 1963 railroad heist. Director Michael Crichton adapted the story from his own, more-clinical novel on the same subject. Filmed in Ireland, The Great Train Robbery was dedicated to the memory of its director of photography, Geoffrey Unsworth, who died shortly after the production wrapped. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sean Connery - Edward Pierce
Donald Sutherland - Agar
Lesley-Anne Down - Miriam
Wayne Sleep - Clean Willy
Michael Elphick - Burgess
Malcolm Terris - Henry Fowler

Michael Crichton's The Great Train Robbery gets a very strong DVD release from MGM/UA. The disc offers a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include an audio commentary by Crichton, a theatrical trailer, and an eight-page booklet containing trivia and production notes. There are some problems with the picture, but no more so than with any film that dates from the '70s. This DVD contains a good picture, a great soundtrack, and lots of extras, all for a very reasonable price. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide