Work Lessons From Michael Caine

It's Not How You Start

Sir Michael Caine started with various actors such as Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Terence Stamp. They all received their big break. While Michael Caine had to wait for The Ipcress File and solidified his career with Alfie, he worked consistently until last year when his knees gave out.

It's okay to retire in your nineties. I don't think The Great Escaper received an American release. It is also Glenda Jackson's final film.

Not Every Role Is Great

At a certain point Michael Caine did not want to work in cold climates. That explains Jaws: The Revenge. Part of the reason he selected Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was to spend time in the South of France.

If someone mentioned to Michael Caine they did not like a movie he was in- why? Chances are you will have one chance to meet a celebrity. Why not describe The Man Who Would Be King or Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy? Don't say Blame It On Rio was like a sitcom. A sitcom with topless women filmed in Brazil and an opportunity to work with Stanley Donen.

Sir Michael had a question. "Did you see this movie in a theater? If the fan said yes, he apologized. Some roles don't turn out the way they expected. Others turn out better- you never know.

More often than not, the fan watched the lesser film on television. The response was "And you couldn't change the channel?" If you stick with a movie where nothing interesting has happened in the first two thirds, the ending won't be satisfactory.

Be Prolific

Michael Caine worked on over one hundred sixty films. Some starring roles, others in support. He won Best Supporting Actor for Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules.

He appeared in both versions of Sleuth. That is basically a two man show and he played both characters at different times in his career.

In https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/work-lessons-from-gene-hackman-thomas-jackson/ I mentioned the similarities in the careers of Gene Hackman and Michael Caine. I did not mention the thesis from PCU where a student theorized there is always a movie featuring one of these actors on television somewhere.

You Must See A Shock To The System

This was a smaller film, a black comedy where an accidental murder leads to plans to kill his enemies and make it look like coincidental accidents. Some take being passed on the promotion they deserve harder than others.

A policeman suspects him and has no proof. When his supervisor was killed there is an exchange that always stuck with me.

"Was he your superior?"

"No, he was my boss."

You never know what buried treasures are in the filmographies of beloved actors. I was amazed by The Hit. Michael Caine was not in that film. Terence Stamp played a hitman who went super grass (gave up names in exchange for a shorter sentence) and basically is waiting to get whacked. Stephen Frears directed this film which features an early appearance from Tim Roth. It should be more well known than it is.

The Criterion Collection showcases many lesser known and memorable films. As the years progressed, Michael Caine appeared in less roles. His legs gave out and it was harder to stand for long periods of time.

We All Age. Some More Gracefully Than Others

His role in Tenet felt like a swan song. He was not in Oppenheimer. The movie that brought me back to cinemas after covid-19 had him in the role of a billionaire. When John David Washington says "Thank you, Sir Michael" it is a tribute to the character he played and the summation of an illustrious career.