Michael Caine--Great Actor or So-So Brit? (1 Viewer)

From IMDB, below is Michael Caine's filmography. He's been making movies and TV shows since 1956 and is still turning in quality work. For a while in the 80s and 90s it seemed that every movie that came out had a role for Caine. But he never gets mentioned in discussions of great actors of the past 50 years. So, what's the consensus here at the FFA?

Untitled Batman Begins Sequel (2008) (pre-production) .... Alfred Pennyworth

Flawless (2007) (post-production)

The Prestige (2006) (post-production) .... Cutter

Children of Men (2006) (post-production) .... Jasper

The Weather Man (2005) .... Robert Spritzel

Bewitched (2005) .... Nigel Bigelow

Batman Begins (2005) (VG) (voice) .... Alfred Pennyworth

Batman Begins (2005) .... Alfred

... aka Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)

Around the Bend (2004) .... Henry Lair

The Statement (2003) .... Pierre Brossard

Secondhand Lions (2003) .... Garth

The Actors (2003) .... O'Malley

The Quiet American (2002) .... Thomas Fowler

... aka Stille Americaner, Der (Germany)

... aka The Spy (Philippines: English title)

Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) .... Nigel Powers

... aka Austin Powers: Goldmember (USA)

Last Orders (2001) .... Jack Dodds

... aka Letzte Runde (Germany)

Quicksand (2001) .... Jake Mellows

... aka Quicksand (France: video title)

Miss Congeniality (2000) .... Victor Melling

... aka Miss Undercover (Europe: DVD title)

Get Carter (2000) .... Cliff Brumby

Shiner (2000) .... Billy 'Shiner' Simpson

Quills (2000) .... Dr. Royer-Collard

... aka Quills - Macht der Besessenheit (Germany)

The Debtors (1999)

The Cider House Rules (1999) .... Dr. Wilbur Larch

Curtain Call (1999) .... Max Gale

Little Voice (1998) .... Ray Say

Shadow Run (1998) .... Haskell

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997/II) (TV) .... Captain Nemo

Mandela and de Klerk (1997) (TV) .... F.W. de Klerk

Midnight in Saint Petersburg (1996) .... Harry Palmer

... aka Minuit à Saint-Petersbourg (Canada: French title)

Blood and Wine (1996) .... Victor 'Vic' Spansky

... aka Blood & Wine (video box title)

Bullet to Beijing (1995) .... Harry Palmer

... aka Beijing express (Canada: French title)

... aka Len Deighton's Bullet to Beijing (USA: complete title)

On Deadly Ground (1994) .... Michael Jennings

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) .... Ebenezer Scrooge

Blue Ice (1992) .... Harry Anders

Noises Off... (1992) .... Lloyd Fellowes

Bullseye! (1990) .... Sidney Lipton/Doctor Hicklar

Mr. Destiny (1990) .... Mike the Bartender at Universal Joint Bar/Angel

A Shock to the System (1990) .... Graham Marshall

Jekyll & Hyde (1990) (TV) .... Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) .... Lawrence Jamieson

Without a Clue (1988) .... Sherlock Holmes

... aka Sherlock and Me

Jack the Ripper (1988) (TV) .... Chief Insp. Frederick Abberline

Surrender (1987) .... Sean Stein

Jaws: The Revenge (1987) .... Hoagie Newcombe

The Fourth Protocol (1987) .... John Preston

The Whistle Blower (1986) .... Frank Jones

Half Moon Street (1986) .... Lord Sam Bulbeck

Mona Lisa (1986) .... Mortwell

Sweet Liberty (1986) .... Elliott James

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) .... Elliot

The Holcroft Covenant (1985) .... Noel Holcroft

Water (1985/I) .... Baxter Thwaites

... aka Water: The Movie (UK)

Blame It on Rio (1984) .... Matthew Hollins

The Honorary Consul (1983) .... Charley Fortnum, Consul

... aka Beyond the Limit (USA)

Educating Rita (1983) .... Dr. Frank Bryant

The Jigsaw Man (1983) .... Philip Kimberly/Sergei Kuzminsky

Deathtrap (1982) .... Sidney Bruhl

... aka Ira Levin's Deathtrap (USA: complete title)

Victory (1981) .... The Players - England: Capt. John Colby

... aka Escape to Victory

The Hand (1981) .... Jonathan Lansdale

The Island (1980) .... Blair Maynard

Dressed to Kill (1980) .... Doctor Robert Elliott

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979) .... Captain Mike Turner

Ashanti (1979) .... Dr. David Linderby

... aka Ashanti, Land of No Mercy

California Suite (1978) .... Visitors from London - Sidney Cochran

... aka Neil Simon's California Suite

The Swarm (1978) .... Dr. Bradford Crane

Silver Bears (1978) .... Doc Fletcher

... aka Fool's Gold (USA: bootleg title)

A Bridge Too Far (1977) .... Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur

The Eagle Has Landed (1976) .... Col. Kurt Steiner

Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) .... Adam Worth

The Man Who Would Be King (1975) .... Peachy Carnehan

... aka Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King (USA: complete title)

The Romantic Englishwoman (1975) .... Lewis Fielding

... aka Une anglaise romantique (France)

The Wilby Conspiracy (1975) .... Jim Keogh

Peeper (1975) .... Leslie C. Tucker

... aka Fat Chance

The Marseille Contract (1974) .... John Deray

... aka Marseille contrat (France)

... aka The Destructors (USA)

The Black Windmill (1974) .... Maj. John Tarrant

Sleuth (1972) .... Milo Tindle

Zee and Co. (1972) .... Robert Blakeley

... aka X, Y and Zee (USA)

Pulp (1972) .... Mickey King

Kidnapped (1971) .... Alan Breck

Get Carter (1971) .... Jack Carter

The Last Valley (1971) .... The Captain

Too Late the Hero (1970) .... Pvt. Tosh Hearne

... aka Suicide Run (USA: TV title)

Battle of Britain (1969) .... Squadron Leader Canfield

The Italian Job (1969) .... Charlie Croker

Saturday-Night Theatre: Cornelius (1969) (TV) .... Cornelius

Male of the Species (1969) (TV) .... Guest

The Magus (1968) .... Nicholas Urfe

Deadfall (1968) .... Henry Clarke

Play Dirty (1968) .... Capt. Douglas

Billion Dollar Brain (1967) .... Harry Palmer

Woman Times Seven (1967) .... Handsome Stranger

... aka Sept fois femme (France)

... aka Sette volte donna (Italy)

Hurry Sundown (1967) .... Henry Warren

Funeral in Berlin (1966) .... Harry Palmer

Gambit (1966) .... Harry Tristan Dean

The Wrong Box (1966) .... Michael Finsbury

Alfie (1966) .... Alfie Elkins

The Ipcress File (1965) .... Harry Palmer

... aka Len Deighton's The Ipcress File (UK: complete title)

The Other Man (1964) (TV) .... George Grant

Hamlet (1964/I) (TV) .... Horatio

... aka Hamlet at Elsinore

Zulu (1964) .... Lt. Gonville Bromhead

The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963) (uncredited) .... Bit Part

Funny Noises with Their Mouths (1963) (TV)

Solo for Sparrow (1962) .... Paddy Mooney

... aka Edgar Wallace Mysteries: Solo for Sparrow (UK: series title)

The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) (uncredited) .... Policeman

... aka The Day the Sky Caught Fire

"The Younger Generation"

- Goodbye Charlie (1961) TV Episode .... Ray the Raver

"Armchair Theatre"

- The Ship That Couldnt Stop (1961) TV Episode .... Helmsman

"Walk a Crooked Mile" (1961) (mini) TV Series .... Police constable

Ring of Truth (1961) (TV)

The Compartment (1961) (TV)

Foxhole in Cairo (1960) .... Weber

"No Wreath for the General" (1960) TV Series .... Police constable

The Bulldog Breed (1960) (uncredited) .... Sailor in cinema fight

"William Tell"

... aka The Adventures of William Tell

- The General's Daughter (1959) TV Episode .... Sgt. Wiener

- The Prisoner (1958) TV Episode .... Max

"Dixon of Dock Green"

- Helmet on the Sideboard (1959) TV Episode .... Tufty Morris

- Bracelets for the Groom (1958) TV Episode .... Brocklehurst

- A Penn'orth of Allsorts (1957) TV Episode .... Indian Pedlar

Danger Within (1959) (uncredited) .... Bit part

... aka Breakout (USA)

Carve Her Name with Pride (1958) (uncredited) .... Extra

The Frog (1958) (TV) .... Police constable

The Key (1958) (uncredited)

"The Vise"

... aka Detective's Diary (USA: rerun title)

... aka Saber of London (UK)

... aka The Vise: Mark Saber (USA: third and fourth season title)

... aka Uncovered (syndication title)

- The Sucker Game (1958) TV Episode .... Folsham

"Navy Log"

- The Field (1958) TV Episode

Blind Spot (1958) .... Johnny Brent

A Woman of Mystery (1958) (uncredited) .... Bit Part

The Two-Headed Spy (1958) .... Gestapo Agent

Passport to Shame (1958) (uncredited) .... Man getting married

... aka Room 43 (USA)

... aka The Girl in Room 43

The Steel Bayonet (1957) (uncredited) .... Bit Part

How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957) .... Gilrony

... aka Uncle George

Yield to the Night (1956) (uncredited) .... Bit part

... aka Blonde Sinner (USA)

"The Adventures of Sir Lancelot"

- The Magic Sword (1956) TV Episode (as Michael Scott) .... Third Knight

Sailor Beware (1956) (uncredited) .... Bit Part

... aka Panic in the Parlor (USA)

A Hill in Korea (1956) .... Pvt. Lockyer

... aka Hell in Korea (USA)

Are you specifically asking me?

One of the only actors to be nominated for oscar in each of the past 5 decades or something . . . ask tanner.

He is very enjoyable on film, knows all the tricks. Can play a character like Alfred from Batman and play a creep like the one he played in Quills. He's fun to watch and always delivers a good performance.

Depends. Too many of his roles of late have cast him as the stereotypical cockney caricature. I don't blame him for taking the money though. When he gets good characters he proves he is one of the best though.

needs a dentist, but otherwise OK

I really liked him and Duval in "Secondhand Lions". It was a kind of trifling movie, but it was very well done and sort of heartwarming. Check it out it you haven't seen it.

Also, see him and Sean Connery in "The Man Who Would Be King". Great Kipling story that's especially timely given as it's about Afghanistan in the 1880s.

so-so. he was never regarded as a "great" actor until he won the oscar.

Great actor, but he seemed to never turn down a paycheck.

Hannah and Her Sisters was his pinnacle.

Great actor, but he seemed to never turn down a paycheck.

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I think the classic example of this is when he was unavailable to accept an academy award because he was off filming Jaws 4.

Batman Begins (2005) .... Alfred

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) .... Ebenezer Scrooge

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) .... Lawrence Jamieson

Educating Rita (1983) .... Dr. Frank Bryant

Victory (1981) .... The Players - England: Capt. John Colby

A Bridge Too Far (1977) .... Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur

Get Carter (1971) .... Jack Carter

The Italian Job (1969) .... Charlie Croker

Alfie (1966) .... Alfie Elkins

Zulu (1964) .... Lt. Gonville Bromhead

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These are all good movies that I have seen. Hits a ratio of about 1 good movie every five years that I have seen, I am sure he's done some I haven't seen which are good too, so call it 1 good flick every 4 years. That's a decent ratio, especially when considering some big names track record of late.

Thought he was great in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Didn't realize he has been in so many films.

I like him but "The Cider House Rules" is to me one of the most over rated pieces of crapola.

It was not a great film by any standards. Hell, I didn't think it was a good film.

One of the only actors to be nominated for oscar in each of the past 5 decades or something . . . ask tanner.

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Which decades?

He should not have won the Oscar for The Cider House Rules. I found his accent laughable. Still, he's a pretty good actor.

I think Blame it on Rio gave me my first eyeful of the boob. It was on HBO in the mid-80s, right after we first got cable, I believe. Lassiter, with Selleck was another.

I think Blame it on Rio was one of the first films I got to see boobie in. It was on HBO in the mid-80s, right after we first got cable, I believe.

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Demi Moore and Michelle Johnson

I think Blame it on Rio was one of the first films I got to see boobie in.  It was on HBO in the mid-80s, right after we first got cable, I believe.

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Demi Moore and Michelle Johnson

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Did Demi show her baby spigots in that? D.C. Cab was another early boobie memory. Have I hijacked this thread?

Great actor, but he seemed to never turn down a paycheck.

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I agree with this. He's had some outstanding films (Sleuth and The Man Who Would Be King are 2 of my all-time favorites) but he has no problem in taking some real dogs just to cash a check.

I think Blame it on Rio was one of the first films I got to see boobie in.  It was on HBO in the mid-80s, right after we first got cable, I believe.

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Demi Moore and Michelle Johnson

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Did Demi show her baby spigots in that? D.C. Cab was another early boobie memory. Have I hijacked this thread?

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No sir, you've made this thread liveable. "Where's my flamethrower!"

He's a dolt—IMO.

Are you specifically asking me?

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He's a terrific actor and always sells his part well as the character he's playing. Really the perfect actor to pair off another one with, Morgan Freeman on steriods if you want.

However, he already knows he can't carry a movie like a Warren Beatty or Robert Redford can (as mentioned in his biography). I would say this is probably due to his looks and strange hair.

Possibly the clearest indication of his "hack-dom" was with his instructional video,"Michael Caine - Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making". I think he also did an accent instructional before that too... "so yoo'd like an anglish accent, eh?"

that said, i loved in the original "italian job" and as stanley ipcress...

Any new thoughts on this yellow toothed thespian? He's in Kingsmen, currently out, so he just keeps plowing away. Amazing really, but is he ever really great in anything?

Jules Winnfield said:

I like him but "The Cider House Rules" is to me one of the most over rated pieces of crapola.It was not a great film by any standards. Hell, I didn't think it was a good film.

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I thought that was a great movie. One of my all timers. I thought most felt the same. Oh well.

there's the oft-told story about how, which Kevin Spacey reminded me of a few weeks ago:

"We asked Michael Caine once, ‘how do you go about choosing a movie,’ and he said, ‘What I do is I sit a nice comfortable chair, I read a script they want me to consider, I read the first page, and then I read the last page, and if the part they want me to play is on both pages, I do the f*****g picture.”

No matter what time it is, twenty- four hours a day, you can find either a Michael Caine or Gene Hackman movie playing on tv.

Trust me, it was my senior thesis.

saintfool said:

there's the oft-told story about how, which Kevin Spacey reminded me of a few weeks ago:

"We asked Michael Caine once, ‘how do you go about choosing a movie,’ and he said, ‘What I do is I sit a nice comfortable chair, I read a script they want me to consider, I read the first page, and then I read the last page, and if the part they want me to play is on both pages, I do the f*****g picture.”

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Cool story.

Of course he's a great actor. His resume speaks for itself.

If you want to see a superb performance in a film that was not a huge box office hit, check out The Quiet American.

If you imitate Michael Caine saying "my cocaine" you are actually imitating him saying his own name.

SaintsInDome2006 said:

Any new thoughts on this yellow toothed thespian? He's in Kingsmen, currently out, so he just keeps plowing away. Amazing really, but is he ever really great in anything?

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Qulaity actor, doesn't seem to have mailed it in for a paycheck as so many other aging actors do

msommer said:

SaintsInDome2006 said:

Any new thoughts on this yellow toothed thespian? He's in Kingsmen, currently out, so he just keeps plowing away. Amazing really, but is he ever really great in anything?

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Qulaity actor, doesn't seem to have mailed it in for a paycheck as so many other aging actors do

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Definitely, he always brings it, a real pro. He's also one of those Brit actors who rarely feels compelled to change his accent for any role.

He's a glue guy, he really holds a movie together.

Paging Dr. Emil Schaffhaussen...

Damn, I don't remember ever starting this thread...That was almost 9 years ago..

Eddie Murray. Steady for a long time. Never spectacular or the best of his time.