Michael Caine, Not A Lot Of People Know That

[stuart.uk]

Not A Lot Of People Know That is a catchprase assciated with Michael Caine's hobby of collecting useless information, though I would think it probably started with impressionist Mike Yarwood when he did Caine's voice.

Roger Moore, already a famous actor approached him one day and told him he was going to be a huge international star. Still unknown he read the novel The Ipcress File and told flat-mate Terrance Stamp (Superman 2), he was going to play Harry Palmer one day. It was a remark that Stamp couln't take seriously at the time.

Destiny seems to have played a great part in Michael's life. He has said he was lucky to survive The Korean War and he got several breaks in landing the role of Bromhead in the war time classic Zulu. Actor/producer Stanley Baker reduced his wage bill by employing some of his mates, so when Michael auditioned for the part of Hook, he discovered James Booth was already cast in the role. As he was leaving he was asked if he could play an upper crust accent. Michael said he could and the rest is history. He was luckier still, Robert Stephens was earlier offered the part, but he turned it down.

Michael did play Harry Palmer, a working class bespectacled James Bond in The Ipcress File and two good sequels Funeral In Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain. Michael made more in middle-age, but they weren't successful.

He then played 60s womanizer Alfie. I wonder if he was influenced by old mate Roger Moore in The Saint when he talked into the camera. (Ian McShane was another who talked to the camera when he did his hit tv show Lovejoy. Terry Thomas was another in How To Murder Your Wife)

Michael played the lead in the star-studded The Wrong Box oppisite Nanette Newman. His first Hollywood role was Gambit with Shirley Maclaine. In The Italian Job, with Noel Coward, he did on this occassion originate the catchprase 'You were only meant to blow the b....y doors off'

Micheal did one of the great British gangster movies Get Carter, avenging his brother's murder. John Huston directed both him and Sean Connery in Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King.

In The Whistleblower Micheal played, like himself, a Korean vetaren, investigating his son's (Nigel Havers) murder, after the young civil servent was killed as he was about to expose a major Goverment scandel.

Educating Rita was one of Michael's great performances as drunken Professor Frank Bryant, who teaches hairdresser Julie Walter's literature on an open University course.

I actually like Beyond The Poseidon Adventure because od fiesty leading lady Sally Field.

I loved the scene in Little Voice, where Michael tells Brenda Blethyn's shy singing daughter, played by Jane Horock's, that he, a small time theatrical agent, that he used to know Monroe. When she asked excitedly 'Marilyn?' he responded, 'No Matt (Born Free soundtrack)

Now in his 70s, Michael has said he will only work again if he likes a script. However, he has played Alfred in Batman Begins and is about to be seen in Laurence Naythsmith's role in the remake of The Persauders with Hugh Grant and George Clooney

[Ayres]

Reading his autobiography, What's it All About? right now. Most enjoyable--I've laughed out loud a couple of times. Kept me from going insane when British Airways decided to bump us off an international flight for which we already had confirmed seating.

[moira finnie]

Good idea for a thread, Stuart.

Hi Ayres,
Nice to see you posting! I love the part in Michael Caine's autobiography when he describes his father, (who was a fishmonger in London's Covent Garden Market), storing a phosphorescent fish in his sons' chilly bedroom overnight! Some weird idea of toughening up the lads by keeping the room cold (and poverty) led to this "frigidaire" state. I laughed out loud at the funny and sad description of how spooked out he and his brother were by having to share the room with a ghostly fish! The book was also very enjoyable for his cheerfully mercenary approach to his career.

In looking over things, even he seemed a bit appalled by some of the movies he made, though he could point with pride to a few real gems, such as Alfie, the Harry Palmer movies, and the posh lifestyle all the dreck helped him have and give his family. I love his appearance in certain comedies, especially very silly ones, such as Noises Off, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...then, of course there are the inadvertent comedies, such as On Deadly Ground (1994) with Steven Seagal. One serious movie of his that deserves more attention is his work in The Honorary Consul (1983) and his recent foray into Graham Greene territory again in The Quiet American (2002). Here's the start of his interesting documentary on acting from youtube, which is available in its entirety in segments there:

Michael Caine in Acting in Film
[youtube][/youtube]

[stuart.uk]

Moira

A while back I found myself comparing Caine's film career to Roger Moore. While I think Michael was the better actor and his best films were better, I felt Roger made more quality movies.

I haven't read the book, but I wonder if it mentions the brother he never knew he had until he was in middle-age.

I've seen the acting class and was surprised that I recognized many of his pupils, most noteble the brilliant Celia Imrie, who has worked with Julie Walters and was the first Calendar Girl to strip off in the film

[charliechaplinfan]

I've read Michael Caine's autobiography, I remember it being very funny.

Ayres, don't get me started on British Airways, they left us stranded too