Get Carter is a 1971 movie directed by Mike Hodges.
Get Carter tells the story of Jack Carter, a London-based mobster who travels north to avenge the mysterious death of his brother. Michael Caine portrays Carter, who proves to be an intriguing mix of charm, raw anger, sadness and endless wit. Caine is phenomenal displaying all of these complex traits – his ownership of the character is impressive. Caine simply gritting his teeth creates danger.
Hodges creates a stylish narrative – the use of quick edits and long POV shots help to create interesting narrative sequences. Caine’s Carter is rescued by a “fairy godmother” in the form of Geraldine Moffat’s Glenda. Her dramatic shifting of car gears is mixed with their passionate encounter. The tone of the movie continually returns to grimy locales and the tragic darkness of pornography – leaving it difficult to invest in any of its characters.
THE BEST – The Opening Scene
I’m a sucker for an opening scene that lays out the entire story. In just a couple minutes, we learn that Jack has to travel North to learn of his brother’s death – against the wishes of his London mob mates. It’s a simple, pleasing and effective setup.
THE BEST Part Two – Power Moves
Throughout the movie, Caine removes various people’s sunglasses to get a deep look into their eyes – along with returning a powerful and frightening glare. The two best examples are encounters with Ian Hendry’s Eric – a henchman for John Osborne’s creepy Cyril – and his brother’s ex Margaret, played by a frantic Dorothy White.
THE BEST Part Three – Edna
Rosemarie Dunham breathes some humor into Edna, the owner of a house where Carter stays – and introduces a lot of trouble into her life. Dunham ranges from bitter, broken down and hopelessly infatuated with Caine’s aggressive charm. After he seduces her, they lie in her bed – overhead a poster reads: “What Would Jesus Say?”
THE BEST Part Four – Caine Crying
Caine’s Carter is essentially a driven, savage character. Whether his motivation creates this nature is up for discussion. However, we get a tender moment when he realizes his dead brother’s daughter is co-opted into a pornographic film. He sheds real tears watching the images before exploding onto a guilty Glenda.
THE WORST – I Need a Shower
To Hodges and Caine’s credit, there is a grime attached to this movie that’s hard to remove. Get Carter sticks with you – despite the lack of character investment available. It’s a seedy, ugly look at the underworld with few redeeming qualities.
THE WORST Part Two – Selling the Movie
One-time Bond girl Britt Ekland is technically listed third among actors but is on screen for barely two minutes. She mainly features in a phone sex scene with Caine’s Carter and I suspect her inclusion was merely to sell tickets.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4/5
Get Carter is an exceptionally raw and ultimately unsettling crime movie featuring a terrific Michael Caine performance. It’s worth a watch.
