After
several minor roles, Caine came into the public eye as an upper-class
British army officer in the 1963 film, Zulu. This proved to be ironic,
as Caine was quickly to become notable for using a regional accent,
rather than the 'BBC English' hitherto considered proper for film
actors. At a time when The Beatles were unashamedly Liverpudlian,
Caine's working-class cockney seemed like a breath of fresh air.
Zulu was closely followed by his two best-known roles: the spy "Harry
Palmer", in The Ipcress File (1965), and the woman-chasing
Alfie (1966). He went on to play Palmer in a further two films.
His trademark horn-rimmed glasses did not prevent him becoming a
pin-up. After ending the 1960s with the equally iconic The Italian
Job Caine entered the 1970s with Get Carter, one of the best British
gangster films. The 1970s proved to be a lean period for Caine,
with successes such as Sleuth (1972) and The Man Who Would Be King
(1975) overshadowed by disasters such as The Swarm (1978) and Beyond
the Poseidon Adventure (1979).
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s Caine alternated between acclaimed
performances in films such as Educating Rita (1983) and Mona Lisa
(1986), and unashamedly mercenary roles in notorious duds such as
Jaws: The Revenge (1978) and On Deadly Ground (1994). Of the former,
Caine famously said "I have not seen the film, but I hear it
is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it paid for, and
it is superb". By this time Caine's reputation as an icon was
assured, and recent performances in Little Voice (1998), Last Orders
(2001) and others have rehabilitated his critical reputation.
He has been Oscar-nominated six times, winning his first Academy
Award for the 1986 film, Hannah and Her Sisters, his second in 1999
for The Cider House Rules, in both cases as a supporting actor (in
common with his contemporary Sean Connery, Caine now plays supporting
roles). He was created Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in
1992 for services to drama, and in 2000 a Knight Bachelor, becoming
Sir Maurice Micklewhite. Unlike some actors who adopt their stage
name for everyday use, Caine still uses his real name when he is
not working.
Awards
New
York Film Critics' Best Actor Award for Alfie
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for Educating Rita
British Academy Award for Best Actor for Educating Rita
Golden Globe for Best Actor for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Golden Globe for Best Actor for Little Voice
Academy Award Nomination for Alfie, Sleuth, Educating Rita and The
Quiet American
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Hannah and Her Sisters
and The Cider House Rules
Filmography
The Statement (2003)
Secondhand Lions (2003)
The Actors (2003)
The Quiet American (2002)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Shiner (2000)
Quills (2000)
Get Carter (2000)
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Midnight in St. Petersburg (1997)
Bullet to Beijing (1997)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
A Shock to the System (1990)
Jekyll & Hyde (1990)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Without a Clue (1988)
The Fourth Protocol (1987)
Half Moon Street (1986)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Educating Rita (1983)
Deathtrap (1982)
Dressed to Kill (1980)
The Eagle Has Landed (1976)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Sleuth (1972)
Kidnapped (1972)
Get Carter (1972)
The Last Valley (1971)
Too Late the Hero (1970)
Battle of Britain (1969)
The Italian Job (1969)
Play Dirty (1968)
The Magus (1968)
Deadfall (1968)
Billion Dollar Brain (1967)
Woman Times Seven (1967)
Hurry Sundown (1967)
Funeral in Berlin (1966)
Gambit (1966)
The Wrong Box (1966)
Alfie (1966)
The Ipcress File (1965)
Zulu (1964)
|
