The Mark of Caine

A short introduction, a kind of living will where Michael and Stephen explain why anyone would want to watch and review every Michael Caine movie in chronological order (Spoiler: It's probably a cry for help).We talk about our love of Caine (no, not like that), our first exposure to him (no, definitely not like THAT) and marvel at how a man who's had more turkeys then Bernard Manning on the keto diet has somehow managed to maintain a career for over seventy years.

Caine storms upon the stage with Zulu, a film that nestles comfortably in the BFI's top British movies of all time and is a Christmas favourite for many unable to escape the allure of it's bright colours, scintillating action and the performance of that tall skinny Jagger impersonator who doesn't quite know to do with his hands, having not yet been visited by the pointy shouty fairy.But is it any good? Is Caine any good? Did he have a nice time on set? How strong are his bowels? All these questions and more are answered on the first episode proper of the Mark of Caine! See, we mentioned the name of the podcast! That's branding, baby!

The year is 1965, the place is swinging London and Michael Caine is stealing secrets and hearts as Harry Palmer in this tale of intrigue, brainwashing and tinned mushrooms. We take a deep dive into the Ipcress File and the face and glasses that launched, if not a thousand ships, at least two tug boats and a barge. Cooking as foreplay! Weird curtain-opening techniques! and what the hell is Rice a roni anyway?

It’s Alfie! the movie that garnered Caine his first Oscar nomination and brought him to the attention of a truly global audience. He’s a fourth-wall breaking sex machine, a ladies man and a proper *****turns to camera* Look, as Lou Reed sang ‘those were different times’ and we had a real different time with Alfie. So, loosen your listening knickers, lie back and let Stephen and Michael have their way with you. Don’t worry, much like Alfie we’ll finish first. 

Our hero dips his toe in the waters of farce with the 1966 comedy The Wrong Box. Co-starring Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Tony Hancock and Leonard Rossiter this has to be a stone-cold laugh riot, right? Right?Does Caine continue his streak of classic movies or is this the first with more than a hint of Christmas dinner off it? Find out, now!

It’s 1966, Michael Caine is storming Hollywood like a cockney Viking off the back of his Oscar nomination for Alfie and has actually been hand-picked for this role by Shirley McClaine.Caine plays a cat burglar who discovers that best laid plans can often go awry. So no real life parallels for him then. McClaine plays the Eurasian exotic dancer who helps him and Herbert Lom plays an Arab. Yup, it's the sixties alright.Farce, romp, caper - call it what you will, the studio called it Gambit and you’ll have to listen to this podcast to find out what we’d call it. 

Harry Palmer returns! But should he have bothered? Michael Caine is the admin James Bond in this 1966 classic that is basically about one man's attempt to get a car loan. No, really.It's got all the right ingredients: Cold War, defection, Nazis, multiple concussions. But is it a tasty tale? That metaphor works, right?

Michael Caine goes full Dixie in this film from Otto Preminger that approaches the racial tension of the Deep South with all the sensitivity of a clog dancer in a minefield. Jane Fonda, George Kennedy, Burgess Meredith, Faye Dunaway - what could go wrong? If you've listened to previous episodes you probably know the answer by know.Michael and Stephen discuss sax as foreplay, the worst screen kiss in cinema history and how quickly a father can recover from the tragic loss of his son (apparently, 3 minutes).