Diamantes a gogó

An elderly school teacher (the late great Edward G. Robinson) employs an electrotech (Riccardo Cucciolla) , a playboy (Robert Hoffmann), a safe cracker (Georges Rigaud), and a military man(Klaus Kinskey) to complete a daring heist of 10 million in diamonds from a vault in Rio De Janeiro. This crime caper has a good buildup, the heist suitably engrossing. I could see the end coming (mostly), but that didn't detract much from my overall enjoyment of the movie. It still remains among the top caper movies that I've seen.

My Grade: B+

Blue Underground DVD Extras: Poster and Stills Gallery; and Theatrical Trailer

Eye Candy: blink and you'll miss tiny boobies courtesy of Jussara

This is a truly great caper in the RIFIFI tradition, with plenty of twists and surprises, spectacularly high-tech (for its day) action set pieces and glamorous location work in Rio de Janeiro, Rome and around the world. Many other capers since THE GRAND SLAM have borrowed shamelessly from it -- ENTRAPMENT being the latest that springs to mind -- but, trust me, this one did it better than the rest all the way to its uncompromising, un-Hollywood ending. This is the one to catch if it's ever around again!

Released in the USA by Paramount as GRAND SLAM in the late sixties, this slickly-made heist film is a first-rate effort exploiting the Jules Dassin classic, RIFIFI. The all-star international cast is exceptional, with Klaus Kinski being the standout. One of the best of it's kind, and still enjoyable today. Ennio Morricone wrote the eclectic score, featuring some catchy bossa-nova tunes to complement the location. Thanks to Image Entertainment, the picture is now available on DVD in a widescreen version to capture all the excitement! Check it out.

I think this is the best heist film ever made, surpassing its supposed inspiration, "Rififi". Fast pace, suspenseful and brilliantly photographed, it is a must see for all caper film buffs. The problem seems that no one seems to know WHO owns the rights to Telecast this film. It would be great on DVD too.

"Grand Slam" is a nice heist film, in search of an ending that makes some sense. The cast includes Janet Leigh, Klaus Kinski, and Edward G. Robinson, so the acting is totally acceptable. The intricate diamond caper is also depicted quite well, and the Rio locations another plus. What seems like an endless build up to the actual heist pushes the film into too long territory at just over two hours. Despite the length, interest is maintained until the startling surprise conclusion, an ending that will leave the bewildered audience gasping in disbelief after all that has preceded it. I defy anyone to explain the logic behind the ending of this film. To put things in perspective, even if things did take place off screen to support such a finale, it is far from believable, and leaves a very bad taste that is likely to linger for quite awhile. - MERK