Marking
the 50th anniversary of the titular mail train robbery, this
handsomely crafted if somewhat uneven BBC drama is presented in two neatly
split feature-length parts. The first part – subtitled A Robber’s Tale – details the planning and execution of the raid,
with the second part – A Copper’s Tale
– detailing its investigation. Though consistently compelling, characterisation
often feels a little thin, as the piece is so heavily plot-driven, but
performances are mostly fine anyway. However, visually and tonally it is rather
less effective, with the direction often proving needlessly flashy.
