Jason Statham: Everyone Thought Bank Raid Crook Was My Dad

Feb 24 2008 By John Millar

TOUGH guy actor Jason Statham kept quiet when the crew on his new heist movie thought the elderly man on set was his dad.

In fact, the stranger taking a keen interest in the The Bank Job was one of the robbers who got away with the raid that inspired the film.

The ex-crook agreed to help make Statham's character more believable - on condition that his identity remained secret. He gave the Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels star a first-hand account of what happened in the Walkie Talkie robbery in September 1971.

The gang tunnelled into a London bank vault from a nearby shop and emptied the safety deposit boxes.

Statham said: "To have one of the real life robbers on the film set was amazing.

"The short time I had with him was priceless. It was great to hear some of the stories and feelings they had when they were inside the vault and when they were tunnelling and the pressure they felt. That was unique."

The actor did not even reveal the identity of his mentor to his co-star stars, who include Saffron Burrows, David Suchet, Keeley Hawes and Peter Bowles. Statham said: "Only the producer Steve Chasman, director Roger Donaldson and me knew who he was.

"He looked similar to me and when he came on set a couple of times I was asked if that was my dad. So I said yes, to protect his identity."

The crime relived in The Bank Job has more secrets than solutions because the film claims the crooks, who got away with more cash than the Great Train Robbery, were actually an unwitting part of a plot to cover up a Royal sex scandal.

The movie claims MI5 had arranged the robbery to get their hands on incriminating pictures of a British princess - who is un-name in the drama but is clearly meant to be Princess Margaret - that were hidden in a safety deposit box.

The crime became known as the Walkie Talkie Robbery because the gang, who used two-way radios, were overheard during the weekend break-in by a radio ham.

Although he tipped off police he could not pinpoint which bank was being robbed and the crime was only discovered on the Monday morning.

The raid became legendary because most of those involved escaped justice.

Intriguingly, an official D-notice was quickly slapped on the story, banning all newspaper coverage.

The mystery fascinated Statham, who reckons the film's suggestion of a Royal scandal could open doors for The Bank Job in the States.

He said: "It is a great story and the Royal scandal is a great aspect of it. In the USA they love that. But we've had to be respectful.

"We don't want to upset the wrong people. We are trying to throw light on something that got pushed under the rug."

The film also deals with corrupt politician and police - in fact the robbers are the nicest characters.

The actor said: "That's one of the charming aspects of it.

"We know these guys are doing something they shouldn't but they were not going in with guns, they were not threatening anyone, they were not violent.

"They were robbing a safety deposit vault in which most of the contents were ill-gotten gains people could not report as stolen. So who was harmed?

"If you had to justify it that is the only way you could."

Jason hopes The Bank Job will show he can do more than action films.

He also enjoyed the rest from physically - demanding action movies such as Transp orter and Crank.

He said: "I am trying to break the mould and am still nursing the pain from all those years of action movies.

"It was also good not to have to endure such a regime of physical preparation. It was more about getting under the skin of the man.

"To go home and not have to take a painkiller was a relief."

Jason, a former Olympic-class diver, is still in great shape - which is just as well because he is putting himself through a punishing work schedule.

On the way are Crank 2 and The Transporter 3 along with plans for The Brazilian Job, a follow-up to recent smash remake The Italian Job.

Since his big screen career took off Jason, who dated Kelly Brook and former Bardot singer Sophie Monk, has made Los Angeles his home.

But he says the move to Hollywood was out of necessity - not desire. He added: "If I want to immerse myself in the film world, Hollywood is where I have to be right now.

"But it is great to come home. I love the UK and it was great to make a film here, which is something I have not done for a while.

"Working with a British crew was like the old rugby or football team getting back together."

The Bank Job is out on Friday.