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Hang on a minute lads ... Caine tells all about that job
Benedict Moore-Bridger28 Nov 2008
SIR Michael Caine has solved the mystery of a 40-year-old cliffhanger at the end of his cult film, The Italian Job.
For decades film buffs have pondered over what happens to the gang as their getaway coach full of gold teeters over a precipice.
Sir Michael's character Charlie Croker utters the immortal last words: "Hang on a minute, lads. I've got a great idea."
The actor was speaking after the Royal Society of Chemistry launched a competition to solve the film's conundrum was futile.
Last month the society invited entrants to deduce how Croker's gang might have unloaded the gold without losing their lives as part of the film's 40th anniversary next year.
Richard Pike, the RSC's chief executive, had said: "We will never know if Charlie Croker came up with the answer but we can at least try to work out how the potentially fatal task might have been managed."
Now Sir Michael, 75, has told exactly what happens as the credits roll. Speaking at last night's 2008 Visit London Awards, he told how the film's producers had already devised the ending but chose not use it. He said: "In the coach I crawl up, switch on the engine, stay there for four hours until all the petrol runs out. The van bounces back up so we can all get out, but then the gold goes over. There are a load of Corsican Mafia at the bottom watching the whole thing with binoculars.
"They grab the gold, and then the sequel is us chasing it."
Sir Michael was at the Royal Albert Hall ceremony after being voted London's favourite Londoner. He beat Joanna Lumley, Sir Alan Sugar, Paul Merton, Jamie Oliver and singer Leona Lewis to win the award.
Sir Michael, whose latest film Flawless, co-starring Demi Moore, is released today, said he was overjoyed to have been chosen.
"It is extraordinary, and completely unique as I did not have to do anything to get it."
Now in their fifth year, the Visit London Awards recognise and reward excellence in London tourism and also honour leaders in entertainment, creativity and innovation.
The RSC's competition is open until 1 January, with the prize of a three-night stay for two in Turin next spring.
2008 VISIT LONDON AWARDS WINNERS
People's Choice Awards:
* London's Favourite Londoner Award
Sir Michael Caine
* Evening Standard Best Retailer Award
Selfridges
* Evening Standard Best Shopping Destination Award
Oxford Street
* Evening Standard Best Market Award
Borough Market
* 95.8 Capital FM Best West End Show Award
Jersey Boys
* 95.8 Capital FM Best Music Venue Award
The O2
* Toptable Best Restaurant Award
Babylon at The Roof Gardens
* Kids Love London Best Family Fun Award sponsored by Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Natural History Museum
Industry Awards:
Visitor Attraction of the Year
GOLD Science Museum
SILVER Wellcome Collection
BRONZE London Transport Museum
Best Tourism Experience
GOLD London Walks
SILVER Vinopolis
BRONZE Royal Observatory Greenwich
Best Celebration of Cultural Diversity
GOLD Pride London
SILVER Discover for City of Stories
BRONZE The Mayor's Thames Festival
Best Visitor Information Initiative
GOLD Shaftesbury PLC for "Carnaby"
SILVER South Bank Employers Group
BRONZE City of London Information Centre
Outstanding Customer Service
GOLD Village East
SILVER National Maritime Museum's David Baxter
BRONZE BBC Tours Guiding Team
Sports Tourism Award
GOLD Flora London Marathon
SILVER Wembley Stadium Tour
BRONZE The O2
Business Event of the Year
GOLD Maritz for Toyota ERM IV
SILVER Science Museum for Siemens "Think Customer" Awards
BRONZE Logistik for Share Fair Conference 2008
Business Venue of the Year
GOLD ExCel London
SILVER The Barbican
BRONZE Science Museum
Large Hotel of the Year
GOLD Apex City of London Hotel
SILVER Jumeirah Carlton Tower
BRONZE The Chesterfield Mayfair
Small Hotel/B&B of the Year
GOLD The Sumner Hotel
SILVER The Bingham
BRONZE The Capital
Budget Accommodation of the Year
GOLD St Christopher's Village
SILVER Passfield Hall, London School of Economics & Political Science
BRONZE Palmers Lodge Boutique Backpackers
Sustainable Tourism Award
GOLD EC&O venues
SILVER The O2
BRONZE The Royal Lancaster Hotel
Accessible Tourism Award
GOLD National Theatre
SILVER The O2
BRONZE Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury
Marketing/PR Campaign of the Year
GOLD British Museum for The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army
SILVER X2 Museum in Docklands for London, Sugar and Slavery
SML Marketing & Events AND Golin Harris for Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
BRONZE London Borough of Newham for Be a Local Tourist
Reader views (3)
Stuart,London is right, the fuel tank is in the middle of the bus, so that idea wouldn't work.
- Kevin Mcgowan, Woodinville, WA, USA, 29/11/2008 21:06
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It's an innovative idea, however as I recall, the fuel tanks on those coaches was in the middle - therefore emptying the tank, however it was done, would not have made any difference to the centre of gravity - the coach would still have gone over the edge. My solution was to lean out of the front door and start to scoop dirt from the ground into the front of the coach. Eventually there would have been enough weight for one of them to go down to the gold and retrieve it one bar at a time.
- Stuart, London, 28/11/2008 14:05
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Er... the ending to the Italian Job has been public for about 10 years now, ever since a book about the making of the film was published.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 28/11/2008 12:20
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