Get Carter - Michael Caine in his best role?

[Connavar]

I have seen Caine in films where he was old wise man roles like in Batman or The Prestige, in great old man falling to pieces roles like Harry Brown. I have seen young Caine only once before as Harry Palmer some decent spy film called Ipcress File.

I saw Get Carter for the first time last night and while i enjoyed the film, its style and its bleak noir story,great gangster lead. I was really impressed by Caine being able to carry such a gritty,tough character while at same time looking smooth,delicate face. He could change persona very convincingly.

Im asking for help and comments about his best 60s,70s,80s films. The best roles in his prime. He has a long career and i dont want to waste time on popular films of his that wasnt his best works.

 

[Abernovo]

The following are purely my own opinion, Conn. Personally, I think he had a good stint in the late 60s to mid-70s, but after that many of his film choices weren't as good. He's started to pick up again, though.

60s: The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin (another Harry Palmer), Alfie (not actually one of my favourites, but he's got that 60s cheeky chappy down pat), The Italian Job (even though they support that team )

70s: Get Carter, Kidnapped , Sleuth, The Man Who Would be King, The Eagle Has Landed (subverting the war movie of the time by casting the enemy as an honourable man)

80s: Educating Rita, The Whistle Blower, The Fourth Protocol (maybe)

 

[Dave]

I'm not a Michael Caine expert, but you have picked some of my favourite films and I'm certain that those are among his best roles. You should also see the second Harry Palmer film Funeral in Berlin.

I think there are two schools of acting. In the first you hold out for only the best roles with the best directors, because anything less will hurt your career. I once heard Michael Caine in an interview say that he belonged to the other school, where acting is a job. You take all the work you can find and give it your best shot. Who really knows which film will be a hit or a flop. If it is truely awful no one will remember it in any case.

Since I am from Gateshead, the North Eastern back-drop of Get Carter makes that film a bit special. Many of the buildings and streets are gone. The multi-story car park was demolished only a few years ago. The restaurant where Alf from Coronation Street gets thrown off, was never opened. It is a bit disconcerting at the end when he runs along Dunston Staiths and is suddenly teleported to Easington on the North Sea coast, but no more so than in the Likely Lads film when they drive over the Tyne Bridge from Newcastle to Gateshead and are suddenly in Wallsend.

It is very gritty as your say, very typically early 1970s in the settings, and marked a turning point in film-making. And Caine makes the part his own.

I read the book the film is based on, Jack's Return Home by Ted Lewis, a year ago and it is slightly different. It is set in Scunthorpe and it makes much more sense in a small town setting than in a big city. Also, the ending if rather different, but that would spoil it.

I've just cross-posted with Abernovo and have to agree with Educating Rita and The Italian Job.

 

[Starbeast]

I saw Get Carter for the first time last night and while i enjoyed the film, its style and its bleak noir story,great gangster lead. I was really impressed by Caine being able to carry such a gritty,tough character while at same time looking smooth,delicate face. He could change persona very convincingly.

Im asking for help and comments about his best 60s,70s,80s films. The best roles in his prime. He has a long career and i dont want to waste time on popular films of his that wasnt his best works.

I haven't seen Get Carter yet, but now, I really want too.

I highly agree, Michael is very talented, he can be serious, funny and mean. He's one of my all-time favorite actors. Even when he's in a light role (or bad film), his mighty persona still shines bright!

Here's a list of my favorite films with him (excluding small roles and bad films I still enjoyed him in):

The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Dressed To Kill (1980)

The Island (1980)

The Hand (1981)

Dirty Rotton Scoundrels (1988)

Jack The Ripper (1988)

Jekyll & Hyde (1990)

Muppet Chrismas Carol (1992)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)

Goldmember (2002)

Secondhand Lions (2005)

 

[reiver33]

My vote goes to Get Carter, but if you want seedy, check him out in Mona Lisa.

 

[Connavar]

I'm not a Michael Caine expert, but you have picked some of my favourite films and I'm certain that those are among his best roles. You should also see the second Harry Palmer film Funeral in Berlin.

I think there are two schools of acting. In the first you hold out for only the best roles with the best directors, because anything less will hurt your career. I once heard Michael Caine in an interview say that he belonged to the other school, where acting is a job. You take all the work you can find and give it your best shot. Who really knows which film will be a hit or a flop. If it is truely awful no one will remember it in any case.

Since I am from Gateshead, the North Eastern back-drop of Get Carter makes that film a bit special. Many of the buildings and streets are gone. The multi-story car park was demolished only a few years ago. The restaurant where Alf from Coronation Street gets thrown off, was never opened. It is a bit disconcerting at the end when he runs along Dunston Staiths and is suddenly teleported to Easington on the North Sea coast, but no more so than in the Likely Lads film when they drive over the Tyne Bridge from Newcastle to Gateshead and are suddenly in Wallsend.

It is very gritty as your say, very typically early 1970s in the settings, and marked a turning point in film-making. And Caine makes the part his own.

I read the book the film is based on, Jack's Return Home by Ted Lewis, a year ago and it is slightly different. It is set in Scunthorpe and it makes much more sense in a small town setting than in a big city. Also, the ending if rather different, but that would spoil it.

I've just cross-posted with Abernovo and have to agree with Educating Rita and The Italian Job.

The North eastern back-drop gave the film a very real,intense look. The setting was almost a character on its own. I couldnt help but watch closely the bridge,the multi story parking lot etc The advantage of shooting on location, Caine changed lines,movements of the characters sometimes depending on where he was in the scenes. The train trip early in the film was a real one shoot with hand cameras. The techniques of those days in films made the film look very lean,minimalist.

I have no interest in reading the book because everything i like in the film wasnt from the book by Caine and the director. I saw in the commentary he wasnt suppose look like a elegant dressed gangster. The one in the book says please when he gets his first drink from that bar early in the film. I cant imagine film Carter saying please to anyone.