Verbal Diorama - Episode 256 - The Italian Job (1969) & The Italian Job (2003) - Verbal Diorama

Episode 256

The Italian Job (1969) & The Italian Job (2003)

Published on: 23rd May, 2024

The Italian Job (1969) is the epitome of what would become Cool Britannia. It celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, and has lost none of its Britishness. In fact, for the quintessentially British cult classic, they had to have the cool car of the 1960s youth - the Mini - for the quintessential British heist.

Setting the film in Turin also gave them the bonus of having access to Fiat's locations and vehicles. Fiat and the city of Turin were incredibly welcoming to the production, despite all the chaos caused by filming. Fiat would also offer a huge cash incentive to swap the British Leyland Minis for Fiat 500s. Obviously that never happened!

While it would flop in the US, The Italian Job remains an icon of cinema in the UK, and although Paramount insisted the movie was in debt, they were still keen to remake it in 2003...

The Italian Job (2003) would show a character watching The Italian Job, while having characters named after characters from The Italian Job, and referencing "The Italian Job" as the inspiration for their own heist that's remarkably similar to The Italian Job's Italian Job, without being an Italian Job that's actually set in an Italian city. You'd think its writing team had never seen the original before... and you'd be correct!

This version of The Italian Job would have its own pioneering stunts though, including the creation of the first ever electric powered BMW MINIs...

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Italian Job (1969) & The Italian Job (2003) !

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About the Podcast

Verbal Diorama
The award-winning podcast celebrating the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.
The award-winning podcast celebrating the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.

Have you ever wondered how your favourite movies were made? Hosted by Em, Verbal Diorama takes you behind the scenes to discover the extraordinary stories of cast and crew who bring movies to life.

Movies are tough to make, and this podcast proves how amazing it is that they actually exist. From Hollywood classics to hidden gems, each episode explores the history, legacy, and untold stories that make cinema magic.

Ear Worthy 2024 Best Movie Podcast Winner | Golden Lobes 2025 Earworm Award Nominee | Ear Worthy 2025 Best Movie Podcast Nominee

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About your host

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Em .

Hi! I'm Em. I created Verbal Diorama in 2018, and launched the podcast in February 2019 to rapturous applause and acclaim.... from my cat Jess.

The modus operandi of Verbal Diorama is simple: movies are tough to make! The coming together of a team of people from all walks of life to make something to entertain, delight and educate us for 90+ mins is not an easy task, and yet so many succeed at it. That must be something to celebrate.

I'm here to do just that - to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us.

Episodes are audibly book ended by Jess. She sadly passed away in March 2022, aged almost 18. She featured in many episodes of the podcast, and that's why you can hear her at the end of every episode. The role of official feline producer is now held by the comparatively quieter Evie and Peggy.

I love podcasts, and listen to many, but never my own.

I unashamedly love The Mummy (1999) and Grease 2. I'm still looking for a cool rider.