Criminali sull'asfalto

The robbery of an Italian automobile factory goes horribly wrong, resulting in the deaths of several policeman. After he escapes, the robber, O'Donovan (Stanley Baker), is able to blackmail his sponsor into helping him get out of the country. Their plan is to use an international automobile race as a cover to smuggle O'Donovan out of Italy and into Switzerland. O'Donovan will have to impersonate one of the co-drivers. Will the other drivers go along with the plan and can O'Donovan keep his cool all the way to the Swiss border?

This is one of those cases where I find a film underrated on IMDb. IMDb - 5.6/10. Me - 8/10. So it's obvious that I enjoyed Checkpoint much more than most. There's a lot I liked about director Ralph Thomas' film. There's plenty of drama, action, and intrigue throughout Checkpoint. The opening robbery, even though at this point we have no idea what's happening, is a great introduction to what is to come. The race scenes really worked with me and I found them incredibly exciting. I've seen other films with similar race scenes that either do not look "real" or are just plain old dull. The fight scene at the film's end is thrilling. It could have gone either way in my mind. The acting is top notch. Stanley Baker plays about as good a thugish brute as anyone. And Odile Versois is just delightful - a word I don't think I use very often, but it describes her perfectly. Finally, the Italian locations are as gorgeous as anything I've seen recently. It's all so beautifully filmed. I can't say enough about Ernest Steward's cinematography. My only complaint is with the second act of the film where Checkpoint seems to lose a bit of focus and almost turns into a schmaltzy romance. Still, the overall movie is highly enjoyable.

I don't know much about old racing cars, but the cars featured in Checkpoint are amazing looking machines. If you're into racing, it's probably worth checking out the movie for all the cool cars and real racing footage.

This film was part of Ranks plans to go to far flung locations as background to their films.So here we have a colourful location in front of which is played out a colourless story.Anthony Steel is so inert he is virtually horizontal.Stanley Baker on the other hand wildly overplays barking out his lines like an RSM on a parade ground. Lucky they didn't film the following year as there were two fatal crashes which brought an end to this extremely hazardous race.

This is a great opportunity for car lovers to watch some beauties meandering the roads of Locarno, Florence and the Northern Italian lakes using some stunning actuality footage from the Mille Miglia. Aside from that, its a rather far-fetched crime caper that sees Stanley Baker sent to an Italian car designer to try and persuade him to come and work for James Robertson Justice's British outfit. It all goes murderously wrong, and a convoluted scheme has to be devised to get him back home involving "Bill" (Anthony Steel), butch drunkard "Johnny" (Lee Patterson) and the rather glamorous "Francesca" (Odile Versois). It's probably more notable for being one of the few roles with JRJ appearing as a baddie, but Baker is his usually hammy self and the dialogue lurches along towards a really rather predictable, if good to watch, ending. One for car enthusiasts only sorry...

With simply stunning scenery which has now been all but destroyed or tamed by modernity, this film is more than a good British film, it is a wonderful tourist film and social documentary. A typically stout performance by JRJ helps the film retain some semblance of realism against a backdrop of lakes and mountains that post war Britain must have forgotten about.

The cars are the undoubted stars of the film, with many classic marques in evidence. They alone can make the hairs stand up on your neck as they go through small villages at (slightly) unbelievable speeds whilst driver and co-driver mange to hold a conversation!! Other performances are up to usual standards for the type of film, and as usual in this type of film, young men are played by ever-so-slightly older ones.

Overall a good film that can help while away a wet afternoon whilst taking you back to the post-war era that didn't really exist.

Stanley Baker has been sent by automotive financier John Robertson Justice to get an Italian racecar engineer to work for Justice. He refuses, so Baker steals automotive plans.... blowing up the plant and causing the deaths of several people, including five policemen. The authorities want him and have his picture posted. Justice feels responsible, so he arranges to get him out of the country as the co-driver of Anthony Steel's car on a Florence to Locarno run. Baker intends to leave no witnesses, including Steel.

It's a chance to look at beautiful people and beautiful cars. The race, which begins in the final third of the movie, is shot half on location and half in Pinewood Studios with some obvious back projection. Ralph Thomas directs for speed and excitement and the result is very watchable.... even more so if you enjoy handsome cars.