Michael Caine
Michael Caine has had a long and successful career that has seen him appear in some of cinema's most iconic movies including The Italian Job and The Dark Knight.
He returns this week with his new movie Inception, which once again sees him reunite with Christopher Nolan so here at FemaleFirst we took a look back over some of his most memorable movies.
1. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Michael Caine provides the main romantic entanglement of the film when he embarks on an adulterous romance with his wife’s sister, Lee.
Elliot (Michael Caine) is unhappy with his wife’s independence and jealous of her emotional strength, enough for it to cause him to look elsewhere.
Within a 12 month period, beginning and ending on Thanksgiving parties hosted by Elliot, (Caine) and his wife, Hannah, the story unravels through 3 main arcs.
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
The Joker plans to reap havoc in Gotham City and Batman must fight for good. Alfred Pennyworth, (Caine) Batman’s trusted Butler who comes across more as a fatherly figure to Batman than any other character, supplies regular, useful advice, earning him the title of ‘Batman’s Batman’.
And while his role is a supporting one it's great to see him in a blockbuster series of movies and his comic timing is just perfect and works well with Christian Bale.
3. Is Anybody There (2009)
Set in a sleepy British seaside town in the 1980s, Is Anybody There? tells the story of a morbid, bookish 10-year-old boy whose parents have turned their house into a retirement home.
While his mother (Duff) struggles to keep the business afloat and his father (Morrissey) copes with the onset of a mid-life crisis, Edward (Milner) becomes increasingly obsessed with the afterlives of the home’s elderly residents, following them around with a tape-recorder to capture the sound of the soul as it escapes the mortal coil.
But Edward’s macabre turn of mind is distracted by the arrival of The Amazing Clarence (Michael Caine), an anarchic retired magician and grieving widower who is determined to age disgracefully.
Caine once again pulled another top notch performance out of the bag as former magician Clarence who is struggling to deal with the loss of his wife.
He is miserable and rude and has begrudgingly moves into the guest home that's run by Edward's parents. And while he black humour to the movie it's his grief and underlying regret that is truly heartbreaking. The movie is worth watching for his performance alone.
4. Zulu (1964)
His first starring role, Lieutenant Gonville Bromhea (Caine), has a different military background to his colleague, Chard. Their differences prove to be a problem when they are to prepare for an attack.
5. Batman Begins (2005)
Directed by Christopher Nolan who thought Michael Caine would portray the foster father element of the character effectively. Caine took the time to create his own back story; his character Alfred Pennyworth, served in the Special Air Service.
He became the Waynes’ family Butler after being wounded as Thomas Wayne, 'wanted a butler, but someone a bit tougher than that.' In Batman Begins it is clear that he is more to than a Butler to Batman and proves his ‘toughness’.
6. Get Carter (1971)
A vicious London gangster, Jack Carter, travels to Newcastle for his brother's funeral. He begins to suspect that his brother's death was not an accident and sets out to follow a complex trail of lies, deceit, cover-ups and backhanders through Newcastle's underworld, leading, he hopes, to the man who ordered his brother killed.
Get Carter remains one of Caine's most iconic roles and best performances.
7. The Cider House Rules (1999)
An orphanage managed by Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine) plays home to Homer Wells, an orphan who was forced to grow up in Larch’s orphanage after being returned twice by foster parents.
Dr. Larch secretly trains Homer in the ‘science of women’ and abortions as an apprentice, even though Homer has never attended school. Michael Caine owes this film as reason to winning an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
8. Educating Rita (1983)
Michael Caine wins a BAFTA for best actor in this ‘comedy about a teacher and a very memorable student.’ Dr Frank Bryant (Caine), a middle-aged, alcoholic career academic takes on the task of tutoring to pay for his drinking habits and Rita, dissatisfied with the routine of her social life have a deep effect on one another.
It is said that both Walters and Caine are great, and their banter, their debates, and even their screaming matches are delights. Director Lewis Gilbert has taken a two-person play from stage to screen and cracked it open,
9. The Italian Job (1969)
On Charlie Croker’s (Caine’s) release from prison he is given plans for a daring robbery. Croker decides to follow the plans and forget about the risks, but in order to pull it off he must put together a larger gang.
Caine plays a cocky, cool small time London crook who takes on a bigger mission than he’s ever attempted: to nick $4 million dollar shipment of gold from under the noses of the Mafia, and escaping in three Mini Coopers and a coach.
10. Harry Brown
Set in modern day Britain, Harry Brown follows one man’s journey through a chaotic world where teenage violence runs rampant.
Caine produces a tough as old boots performance as a man who has been pushed to the edge and no longer has anything to lose, he really does put in a great turn.
Other Caine movies that are well worth a watch include Quills, The Prestige, that really is a very good movie, Last Orders and
Inception is released 16th July.
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