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Rémy Julienne, who has died aged 90 after contracting Covid-19, was one of the world’s greatest film stunt drivers and coordinators. He was behind the unforgettable sequence in The Italian Job featuring red, white and blue Mini Coopers speeding away from a daring heist in Turin and went on to mastermind vehicle theatrics in half a dozen James Bond movies.

The 1969 British-flag-flying crime caper’s most memorable scenes began with the getaway cars driving through shopping arcades, then down the steps of the Gran Madre di Dio church while avoiding a wedding party. Later, as the Mini drivers – with stunt doubles – continued to outwit police in cars and on motorcycles, Julienne went beyond his brief and Troy Kennedy Martin’s script during the location shooting.

A large jump between two rooftops was his suggestion, initially rejected by the director, Peter Collinson, and the producer, Michael Deeley, because it sounded so dangerous; but he persisted and used test runs on flat ground to show that the cars could make the distance required. This was typical of his precision in planning stunts – and there was more to come.

“It was decided I had to do three separate jumps in each Mini,” recalled Julienne. “I explained that, as the roof was very wide, we could make the three Minis jump all together. It looked much better as a shot. It was more complicated, but really amazing.”

The 20-minute sequence was completed with the cars crossing a weir on the Po river, navigating a sewer (the interior shot near Coventry), and, in a manoeuvre that Julienne considered his biggest feat, dispatching the Minis, in red, white and blue order – as throughout all the scenes – up a ramp and into the back of a stripped-out coach at speed.

ian16th wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:05 am

The Citroen 2CV, the only car where ‘cornering on its door handles’ isn’t a euphemism!

TheGreenGoblin wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:15 am

Came close to losing my wig as passenger in my friend Huw's Deux Chevaux after the brakes failed coming off the Garth mountain after a quick pint at the Gwaelod Y Garth Inn some years back. We literally were cornering on the door handles, we didn't hit anything, weren't hit by anything and managed to stop without a scratch!

"That were great! Shall we do it again?"

ribrash wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 4:25 pm

Uncle Tom has gone.

G-CPTN wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:26 pm

Captain Tom already had pneumonia but acquired Covid (in hospital?).