The First Great Train Robbery (known in the United States as The Great Train Robbery) is a 1978 British heist comedy film directed by Michael Crichton, who also wrote the screenplay, and based on Crichton's 1975 novel The Great Train Robbery. The film stars Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Lesley-Anne Down.
The story is based on an actual event, the Great Gold Robbery, which took place on 15 May 1855, when the contents of 3 strongboxes of gold bullion and coins were stolen from the guard's van of the train service between London Bridge Station and Folkestone while they were being shipped to Paris.
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Plot
In 1855, Edward Pierce, a member of London's high society, is secretly a master thief. He plans to steal a monthly shipment of gold from the London-to-Folkestone train that is meant as payment for British troops fighting in the Crimean War. Since two heavy safes in the baggage car protect the gold, each of which has two locks, requiring a total of four keys, Pierce recruits pickpocket and screwsman Robert Agar. Pierce's mistress Miriam and his chauffeur Barlow join the plot, and train guard Burgess is bribed into participation. To hide the robbers' intentions, wax impressions are to be made of each of the keys.
