What’s Worth Watching: Thrilling Crime Escapades on The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery (Netflix)

On August 8, 1963, a group of 16 British gangsters hopped on a locomotive that was carrying millions of dollars from Glasgow and London, and stole the most of the cash – by basically stealing the entire train. That they were unarmed except for a cosh or two makes the heist kind of amazing—even if the baddies were eventually caught and convicted. The first episode of the BBC’s two-part The Great Train Robbery, starring The Hobbit’s Luke Evans as ringleader Bruce Reynolds, is their raucous tale. It’s a story made for television: The real men had names like “Gordon Goody,” “Ronnie Biggs,” and “The Ulsterman.” The second episode, starring Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent as Detective Chief Inspector Tommy Butler, follows the elite cop squad that worked 24/7 to nab them. Just try picking a side.