The Italian Job | Heist, Heist Movie, British Comedy | Britannica
To talk about this film is to talk about the chase. Before Bullitt (1968) had Steve McQueen jumping the hills of San Francisco, had stunt driver Rémy Julienne piloting Minis through the rooftops of Turin. The Italian Job -1969-
For first-time viewers, this is infuriating. There is no resolution. We never know if they escape or plummet. However, this ending is why is still debated today. It defied the Hollywood formula. It trusted the audience to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. In a heist movie, the treasure is a MacGuffin; the real prize is the journey, and that journey ends perfectly in limbo. The Italian Job | Heist, Heist Movie, British
The sequence is absurdly ambitious:
Here is why this British caper remains the "Self-Preservation Society" gold standard. 1. The Line Everyone Knows (and Misquotes) There is no resolution
Those are archival documents. The shooting script is held at the Special Collections. You can request a viewing copy via the BFI Reuben Library in London.