Atraco en Pamplona

This is a very enjoyable movie, especially for fans of Stephen Boyd and Yvette Mimieux. It isn't grim or gloomy or dark; it has that polish and cheerful charm that distinguished a number of fine 1960's films, such as Charade, Arabesque, Our Man in Marrakesh and The Prize. It may not be quite at the level of the best of those, but it was made in the same spirit: some adventure, a handsome leading man and lady, but without the huge, over-the-top effects, big budgets and set piece scenes of the James Bond movies, with which other films such as this could not compete.

Fans should know that as of now, there is both a Blu-ray and dvd available of this movie. This is especially welcome news for Stephen Boyd fans! Boyd is very good in his role here and is a pleasure to watch. This is a classy movie worth seeing.

I love this movie from the sixties, plenty of charm, not a bloody crime film, but a good old days heist flick, another version of RIFIFI or TOPKAPI, the heist scheme with the fewest talk whilst the robbers operate. Yes, this is a film which is not comedy, no sir, but light heart oriented, not a dark and downbeat film noir as RIFIFI was. I read the Bill Mc Givern's book and this film is rather faithful to the novel spirit. I watch it for the third time in decades and am surprised not to have been bored at all. I would say that kind of films never grow old; but that's my own opinion. Maybe the setting and the bull run sequence contribute to this feeling; not so many features provide such an atmosphere, so particular, so specific. A good old gem from a lost era.

Stephen boyd is peter, who confesses to his girlfriend that during the war, he was part of the crew who robbed banks to rebuild cathedrals which had been destroyed by the enemy. It's no coincidence that his last name is "churchman". Grace and angela (yvette mimieux, giovanna ralli) have reasons of their own for being involved. Mimieux was in SO many euro films. This must have been a pretty big budget film, since the wardrobes are by edith head. The story is pretty good, but there's just some chemistry missing between the actors. Some twists and turns. Boyd has a rather cardboard delivery, which takes away from the film. They DO show the running of the bulls in pamplona, which is exciting. Directed by russell rouse...he had won his oscar for pillow talk. Novel by william mcgivern. Music by vic mizzy, who had done the music background for so many tv series, like green acres. Stephen boyd died quite young at 45 from a heart attack. It's a pretty good film. Not terrific, but good.

I was quite surprised to see a 6.0 IMDB picture with so much real quality. I thought it was quite excellent and very well crafted for a heist picture. The 2 female leads are really visually stunning and do their part to enhance this picture with quality performances. In fact, Giovanni Ralli really has the most essential role in the film as the beautiful seductress and recruiting specialist for this team of ex-WW2 compatriots who re-unite & plan a heist at the Pamplona Nationale Bank. Stephen Boyd is debonair and very charming in the lead as the man sort of blackmailed into leading the old team by the former beauty, Ms Ralli. Yvette Mimieux is luxuriously lovely playing his girlfriend, who gets pulled into the plot when Boyd's character let's the cat out of the bag. The entire cast of characters from many former film adventures keep a light comedic balance, while the beautiful Spanish setting in fabled Pamplona comes off perfectly. Easily 8 stars. Anyone should really enjoy this one!

If like me, Stephen Boyd and Yvette Mimieux ignite a sense of nostalgia then it's enough of a reason to watch this film.

As I did this review, I learned that Yvette Mimieux had died a few days before. Stars pass away each year, but this one hurt. I remember the effect she had on me as a 12-year old in 1960 when she played Weena in "The Time Machine". It's the sort of thing that stays with you.

Stephen Boyd also takes me back. He was the charming spy in "The Man Who Never Was", and Messala in "Ben Hur". The guy had presence. When you see how fit and agile he is in "The Caper of the Golden Bulls", it's hard to believe he would die of a heart attack 10 years later aged 45.

But there is another member of the cast that glows in this film: Giovanna Ralli. How did Hollywood let her go so easily? Maybe Claudia Cardinale got the roles. They look similar and both have those fabulous accents, but anyone seeing her here would ask the same question.

A crew of retired safecrackers led by Peter Churchman (Stephen Boyd) is blackmailed into pulling off one last job by Angela Tresler (Giovanna Ralli).

They break into a bank in Pamplona during "The Running of the Bulls" to steal jewels that are the centrepiece of the upcoming parade of giant figures during the Festival of San Fermín. Although Peter's girlfriend, Grace (Yvette Mimieux), is against the whole thing, she gets on board mainly to stop him becoming more involved with Angela.

There are subplots involving Walter Slezak's police chief and ex-members of the OAS (more relevant in 1967), but there is almost too much happening.

The director Russell Rouse was a well-regarded writer of Noir thrillers. This film was the last of his few directorial efforts. A more visually inspired director would have made more of the Spanish location, however it was probably a tricky shoot, especially as Boyd and other members of the cast actually ran with the bulls in Pamplona. Nevertheless the whole robbery sequence is exciting, and the shirtless Boyd impresses doing some of his own stunts.

Vic Mizzy's Mancini-like score sets the tone of this film. Although it isn't a spoof, it's lighter than a plate of frisuelos. But I find the combination of Stephen Boyd, Yvette Mimieux and Giovanna Ralli irresistible.