Get Carter (1971)
Directed by Mike Hodges

Action / Crime / Drama / Thriller

Film Review

Abstract picture representing Get Carter (1971)
Unquestionably the king of British crime thrillers, Get Carter was something of a revolution when it blazed onto cinema screens in the UK in 1971.  Coming after a decade in which cinema audiences were offered nothing but a rose-tinted view of crime, the film broke new ground with its hard-edged realism and uncompromising depiction of gangland violence.

In his first film as a director, Mike Hodges skilfully uses the bleak urban landscape of Newcastle and Gateshead as a backdrop to a grimly nihilistic drama set in northern England's murky underworld.  Stylishly shot and daring both in its eroticism and brutality, this film would have a lasting impact on British cinema.

In his most memorable role, Michael Caine plays the avenging angel Jack Carter with a combination of charm and sadism - a tough cookie, but one that retains our sympathy in spite of the tough medicine he dishes out to anyone, male or female, who riles him.  Few British actors do dry sarcasm and moral indignation as effortlessly as Caine and in this made-to-measure role the actor gives what is assuredly one of his best performances.

Get Carter
was not well received when it was first released, many critics condemning the film for its explicit violence and perceived soullessness.  However, its standing has improved greatly over the years and today it is considered one of the best of British films.  The year 2000 saw the release of an American remake, directed by Stephen T. Kay and starring Sylvester Stallone.  Neither audiences nor critics were impressed by this uninspired attempt to remake an iconic piece of British cinema.
© James Travers 2009
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Film Synopsis

London-based gangster Jack Carter returns to his home in Newcastle to attend the funeral of his brother, Frank.  The official story is that Frank Carter died in a car accident whilst heavily intoxicated, but Jack soon begins to suspect that he was murdered.  As he renews old acquaintances, Jack realises that someone was keen to have his brother put away.  He resolves to find out who, and once he has solved that little mystery it will be payback time...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: Mike Hodges
  • Script: Mike Hodges, Ted Lewis (novel)
  • Cinematographer: Wolfgang Suschitzky
  • Music: Roy Budd
  • Cast: Michael Caine (Jack Carter), Ian Hendry (Eric Paice), Britt Ekland (Anna), John Osborne (Cyril Kinnear), Tony Beckley (Peter the Dutchman), George Sewell (Con McCarty), Geraldine Moffat (Glenda), Dorothy White (Margaret), Rosemarie Dunham (Edna), Petra Markham (Doreen Carter), Alun Armstrong (Keith), Bryan Mosley (Cliff Brumby), Glynn Edwards (Albert Swift), Bernard Hepton (Thorpe), Terence Rigby (Gerald Fletcher), John Bindon (Sid Fletcher), Godfrey Quigley (Eddie), Kevin Brennan (Harry), Maxwell Deas (Vicar), Liz McKenzie (Mrs. Brumby)
  • Country: UK
  • Language: English
  • Support: Color
  • Runtime: 112 min

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