What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe First Great Train Robbery
Michael Crichton · Film · 1978
If you loved The First Great Train Robbery, start with The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter, 1903) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The First Great Train Robbery across media.
If you enjoyed the meticulous planning and Victorian-era ingenuity of The First Great Train Robbery, you will appreciate these calculated schemes.
Start with the source
The source
The Great Train Robbery
Edwin S. Porter · Film · 1903
Books on the same thread
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton · Book · 1991
Explores: Genetic Engineering, Ethical Dilemmas of Science, Man vs. Nature.
Just like the elaborate logistics in The First Great Train Robbery, this story showcases Michael Crichton’s signature ability to build high-stakes tension through complex, detail-oriented scientific and technical systems.
From the Earth to the Moon
Jules Verne · Book · 1967
Explores: Space Travel, Technological Advancement, Human Ambition.
This narrative mirrors the Victorian-era spirit of invention found in The First Great Train Robbery, focusing on the careful calculations and ambitious engineering required to achieve an impossible feat.
Congo
Michael Crichton · Book · 2003
Explores: Expedition, Corporate Espionage, Primatology.
Fans of the high-stakes planning in The First Great Train Robbery will recognize Michael Crichton’s talent for blending technical expertise with a dangerous, fast-paced expedition into the unknown.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Explores: American Dream, Social Class, Love and Loss.
While more tragic than The First Great Train Robbery, this story shares a fascination with the rigid social strata and the desperate lengths individuals go to acquire wealth.
Series on the same thread
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Series · 1989
Explores: solving crimes, upper-class society, eccentric detective.
This series captures the same intellectual satisfaction found in The First Great Train Robbery by pitting a sharp, refined mind against complex puzzles within a refined historical setting.
Money Heist
Álex Pina · Series · 2017
Explores: Mastermind, Underdog Story, Us vs. Them.
This show echoes the criminal mastermind dynamic of The First Great Train Robbery, highlighting the intense preparation and group coordination necessary to pull off a seemingly impossible heist.
The Gold
Neil Forsyth · Series · 2023
Explores: Organized Crime, Greed, Money Laundering.
If the gold-focused criminality of The First Great Train Robbery intrigued you, this dramatization of a massive bullion theft offers a gritty, modern look at similar heist dynamics.
Sherlock Holmes
John Hawkesworth · Series · 1984
Explores: Deductive Reasoning, Intellectual Superiority, Solving Puzzles.
Set in the same era as The First Great Train Robbery, this series emphasizes the deductive brilliance and puzzle-solving nature that define the most iconic Victorian-era crime stories.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
This podcast explores the moral ambiguity of criminal behavior, providing a grounded, investigative perspective on the same fascination with wrongdoing found in The First Great Train Robbery.
The Dropout
ABC News · Podcast · 2026
Explores: hubris, fraud, silicon valley culture.
Much like the master criminal in The First Great Train Robbery, the subject here relies on elaborate, calculated deception to maintain a facade while pursuing a massive goal.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The First Great Train Robbery based on a true historical event?
The First Great Train Robbery is a fictional film directed by Michael Crichton. It depicts an elaborate scheme to steal gold from a moving train in Victorian England, but it is not a documentary or a direct retelling of a specific historical robbery.
How does The First Great Train Robbery relate to the 1903 film The Great Train Robbery?
Both films share the premise of a train robbery but are distinct productions. The First Great Train Robbery is a 1978 feature directed by Michael Crichton, while The Great Train Robbery is an influential silent film released in 1903. They are not part of the same narrative series.
Should I watch The Great Train Robbery before seeing The First Great Train Robbery?
It is not necessary to watch the 1903 film to understand the plot of The First Great Train Robbery. These are separate movies released decades apart, and the 1978 film functions as a standalone story set in Victorian England without requiring knowledge of the earlier silent film.
Is The First Great Train Robbery a remake of the 1903 film?
No, The First Great Train Robbery is not a remake of the 1903 film. While both movies focus on the heist of a moving train, the 1978 production directed by Michael Crichton features its own unique plot and characters set within the specific context of Victorian England.