· The Great Train Robbery · by Michael Crichton         @ Beatley Library

This feature may have been produced simply to give Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland opportunities to show off their acting prowess. The pair have a grand time playing sophisticated Victorian rogues who plot to steal a shipment of gold from a railway train. Skullduggery of every hue is involved as they make elaborate preparations that involve deceiving and/or corrupting officials responsible for packing, transporting, and safeguarding the loot. The heist itself is a suspenseful grand finale as the operation suffers last-minute complications that require daredevil stunts to resolve. The story is loosely based on an actual crime.

While this tale of high adventure provides great entertainment for general audiences, a warning is necessary: there’s a brief scene of a dog killing rats, and it was filmed with a real dog killing real rats. The director wasn’t informed that there would be no fakery in this scene until the dog and rats were set loose.

■ Title — The Great Train Robbery
■ A.K.A. — The First Great Train Robbery
■ Director — Michael Crichton
■ Cast — Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, Lesley-Anne Down
■ Rating — PG
■ ©1978 | 1h 50m | Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
■ Distributed by MGM
■ Licensed for showing in Alexandria libraries by MPLC