"The idea was to make a movie ourselves with everyone playing a cameo role. Preferably before we all go, 'cos poor old Charlie Wilson was murdered, and of course Buster has gone"
About this Quote
There is a grim joke hiding inside the showbiz logistics. Biggs pitches a DIY movie - “everyone playing a cameo role” - like it’s a lark, a caper you knock out with friends. Then he drops the deadline: “Preferably before we all go.” The line turns mortality into a production constraint, as if death were just another scheduling conflict. That tonal whiplash is the point. Biggs is selling the romance of the outlaw circle while quietly admitting the circle is collapsing.
The named roll call does double duty. “Poor old Charlie Wilson was murdered” isn’t just gossip; it’s a reminder that the mythology around notorious men has real violence baked into it. “Buster has gone” (Buster Edwards, another Great Train Robbery figure) lands like an absent cast member in a reunion special, underscoring how quickly a legend becomes an obituary list. By framing dead friends as missing cameos, Biggs keeps the story on his terms: tragedy gets folded back into narrative, into entertainment.
Context matters: Biggs wasn’t simply a “celebrity” who happened to be famous. He became famous through crime, escape, and years as a media object. This quote shows the late-stage Biggs posture: half nostalgic, half opportunistic, always aware of the camera even when talking about who’s no longer around. The intent is to prolong relevance by turning a fading criminal brand into a final collaborative performance, where everyone gets to appear, sign off, and be remembered - before the credits roll for good.
The named roll call does double duty. “Poor old Charlie Wilson was murdered” isn’t just gossip; it’s a reminder that the mythology around notorious men has real violence baked into it. “Buster has gone” (Buster Edwards, another Great Train Robbery figure) lands like an absent cast member in a reunion special, underscoring how quickly a legend becomes an obituary list. By framing dead friends as missing cameos, Biggs keeps the story on his terms: tragedy gets folded back into narrative, into entertainment.
Context matters: Biggs wasn’t simply a “celebrity” who happened to be famous. He became famous through crime, escape, and years as a media object. This quote shows the late-stage Biggs posture: half nostalgic, half opportunistic, always aware of the camera even when talking about who’s no longer around. The intent is to prolong relevance by turning a fading criminal brand into a final collaborative performance, where everyone gets to appear, sign off, and be remembered - before the credits roll for good.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
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