Grand Slam (1967)

Introduction
"Grand Slam" is a 1967 heist movie directed by Giuliano Montaldo, starring a global cast consisting of Edward G. Robinson, Janet Leigh, Klaus Kinski, and Robert Hoffmann. The movie is classified as a Eurospy film, which was a popular category in the 1960s that integrated aspects of spy and criminal activity films. "Grand Slam" is mainly known for its thrilling heist sequence and outstanding photography by Erico Menczer.

Plot
The movie follows the story of a former college professor called Professor James Anders (played by Edward G. Robinson), who comes up with an elaborate plan to take $10 million in diamonds from a heavily safeguarded vault throughout the Rio Carnival in Brazil. He hires a team of five expert bad guys for the heist, each with an unique set of skills that will contribute to the objective.

The crooks include Mark Milford (played by Robert Hoffmann), an electronics specialist and safe-cracker; Erich Weiss (played by Klaus Kinski), a leading demolitions specialist and previous Nazi; Agostino Rossi (played by Riccardo Cucciolla), a chauffeur and car professional who's also an accomplished star; and Greg (played by George Rigaud), a professional conman and camouflage professional.

Preparation for the Heist
Professor Anders and his group get ready for the break-in by gathering information, creating individual disguises, and studying the layout of the vault. A previous worker of the insurance provider that deals with the vault's security, Mary Ann (played by Janet Leigh), signs up with the group to offer details. Despite some preliminary suspicions and displeasure towards each other, the group bonds over time and develops a strong group dynamic.

Each character contributes a vital part to the strategy. For instance, Erich infiltrates the vault's building disguised as a bug control employee to plant dynamites on the vault door. Mark, the safe-cracker, crafts a gadget that enables him to from another location manage the vault's security systems. Agostino research studies traffic paths to plan the ideal escape, while Greg creates reasonable masks for the group to use throughout the heist.

The Heist
As the Rio Carnival unfolds, the heist operation starts with Mark slipping into the structure while others supply surveillance and assistance from various perspective. Erich detonates the dynamites, and the group manages to access the vault, however discover that the diamonds are stored within a device that requires a mix to open it.

Undeterred, Mark utilizes his knowledge in electronics and rapidly cracks the code, obtaining the diamonds. As the group makes their escape of the building, Greg, who had been disguised as a cop, betrays the group and tries to get away with the diamonds. Nevertheless, Agostino had thought Greg's intentions and manages to suppress him, tying him up with the taken diamonds.

The Aftermath
In the final scenes of the film, it is exposed that the Brazilian police had actually been monitoring the entire heist operation from the start. The authorities apprehend the 5 bad guys as they exit the vault structure, having actually enabled them to finish the break-in just to capture them in the act. However, Professor Anders manages to leave arrest, leaving the others to deal with the effects.

"Grand Slam" concludes with a twist, as Professor Anders is revealed walking down a Brazilian street, enjoying his liberty and expressing no remorse for leaving the rest of his team behind. The movie ends on an unclear note, leaving the audience to question whether Anders truly succeeded or if he too will eventually face capture.

Conclusion
"Grand Slam" is a traditional 1960s break-in movie that masterfully combines aspects of suspense, action, and spy intrigue. The movie is noteworthy for its worldwide cast, expertly choreographed heist sequence, and dynamic cinematography. It showcases the cleverness and resourcefulness of the characters, as well as the harmful and unpredictable nature of the criminal underworld. Although it might not be as widely known as other movies from the period, "Grand Slam" stays an extremely enjoyable and appealing viewing experience.

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