The Biggest Bundle of Them All

The Biggest Bundle of Them All

Directed by Ken Annakin
Produced by Josef Shaftel
Sy Stewart
Written by Sy Salkowitz
Starring Robert Wagner
Raquel Welch
Godfrey Cambridge
Davy Kaye
Francesco Mulé
Vittorio De Sica
Femi Benussi
Music by Riz Ortolani
Cinematography Piero Portalupi
Edited by Ralph Sheldon
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • January 17, 1968 (1968-01-17)
Running time
 105 minutes
Country United States
Language English

The Biggest Bundle of Them All is a 1968 American crime film set in Naples, Italy. The story is about a mobster and a novice gang of crooks who team up to steal $5 million worth of platinum ingots from a train. The film stars Robert Wagner and Raquel Welch and was directed by Ken Annakin.

Plot

An Italian gangster, Cesare Celli, formerly active in Chicago but now retired in his homeland of Italy, is kidnapped by Harry Price and his gang. Much to everyone's disappointment, none of Cesare's friends or associates is willing to pay a ransom to get him back.

His professional pride offended by this development, Cesare offers to assist Harry and girlfriend Juliana in pulling off a daring heist that could net them $5 million. Cesare even brings in criminal mastermind Professor Samuels to run the operation.

A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber is hijacked to be used to transport platinum ingots after a train robbery. Harry and the gang overcome many obstacles and the robbery is a great success, at least until the bomber doors open unexpectedly and the loot falls out.

Cast

Production

Director Ken Annakin recalled that ten days into pre-production of the film, then titled The Italian Caper, a story reader from MGM discovered an old script in their archives that had the same story as the film, and that script was currently being filmed as The Happening by producer Sam Spiegel for Columbia Pictures. Producer Josef Shaftel met Spiegel with the result that he had to give up his 15% share of the profits, Spiegel had the power to approve every page of the shooting script, and the film, retitled The Biggest Bundle of Them All would not be released until six months after The Happening (which had a delayed release).[1]

Filming began in April 1966.[2] Female lead Raquel Welch had just made Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years BC, but the latter had not been released. She signed to make Fathom while shooting Biggest Bundle.[3]

"I didn't get to know Raquel Welch too well - we didn't have too many scenes together," said Edward G. Robinson. "I must say she has quite a body. She has been the product of a good publicity campaign. I hope she lives up to it because a body will only take you so far."[4]

Male lead Robert Wagner was under contract to Universal who loaned him out to make the film.[5]

The interior scenes were filmed at the Cinecittà studios in Rome. The movie was released in France as "La Bande à César". The B-17 airplane used was B-17G-85VE 44-8846 and actual World War II combat veteran aircraft. Currently being flown by the Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis Museum.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ p. 19i Annakin, Ken so You Wanna Be a Director? Tomahawk Press 2001
  2. ↑ Merle Registers in 'Hotel' Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 Apr 1966: c9.
  3. ↑ Revolts Brewing in Britain By A.H. WEILER. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 31 July 1966: 83.
  4. ↑ Edward G. Robinson--Mr. Bad Guy Never Had It So Good: EDWARD ROBINSON Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 28 Feb 1967: d1.
  5. ↑ 'Scandal' to Become Musical Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 Aug 1966: c22.
  6. ↑ B-17 44-8846 History


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