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Get Carter (1971)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
3/14, 8/15, 4/17, 5/19, 3/22
3/14:
For a long while, I didn't hold Michael Caine in high esteem probably because I had seen too many of his dull pictures from
the 80's and 90's.
Recently, I took up the initiative to see Sleuth, Alfie, and Get Carter, and now, my opinion has been
changed: Michael Caine's place among great actors is assuredly secure.
Get Carter is a brutal British masterpiece. It's that good and clever. The reason why is when the characters
are introduced at the beginning of the film, little do I know that they would play an important role in the murder mystery.
It's just the plot takes time to thicken and...oh, how it thickens.
The brutally violent murder spree after the revelation was finally made to Jack Carter is what takes the film to another
level. Everybody had it coming to him including the leading star which is justified anyway. Although it may appear hypocritical of Jack
Carter, his actions should be viewed as cathartic for realizing the hypocrisy of his profession.
Not to be missed is the wonderful avant-garde editing by John Trumper. It moves the picture along at a brisk pace. Mike Hodges
is the director and should get a lot of credit for making Get Carter as it is. Sometimes, there are scenes that are
either ironic or plain amusing. The most important of them all is Michael Caine's reaction, which is a brilliant stroke
of genius, when his character finally discovers the truth before going on the warpath, taking out unsavory characters who had
been misleading him the entire time. The script, I admit, is simple and straightforward, but I like it. Also, there are plenty
of vintage lines including:
"You're a big man, but you're in bad shape. With me, it's a full time job. Now, behave yourself."
"Do you know? I'd almost forgotten what your eyes look like. They're still the same. Piss-holes in the snow."
"Do you want to be dead, Albert?"
All in all, Get Carter is a cinematic gem that's among Michael Caine's greatest hits.
8/15:
Get Carter is a brutal British masterpiece.
All in all, Michael Caine has never been this good the last three decades.
4/17:
This is Michael Caine at his absolute best.
All in all, Get Carter is simply the best British gangster picture made.
5/19:
Not just a great British gangster picture, Get Carter is Michael Caine brilliant.
"Do you want to be dead, Albert?" Game, set, match. Jack Carter unleashes his fury on everybody who hath his brethren kilt.
All in all, Get Carter continues to be better every time I see it.
3/22:
It's too bad about Jack Carter at the end because he was a likeable guy.
Get Carter is still a brilliant movie with many realistic elements concerning the British criminal underworld of
Newcastle. The editing by John Trumper is strong, especially the title sequence which actually shows the assassin
who'll take out Jack Carter at the end. Michael Caine gives a top five performance of his career. The bearded guy who plays
Kinnear is John Osborne, the playwright of Look Back in Anger that's a cinema equivalent of the British kitchen
sink genre.
All in all, Get Carter is the best British gangster movie made, period.