Your only supposed to blow the bl****y hardback (Michael Caine - Michael Freeland)

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Product:	Michael Caine - Michael Freeland
Date:	11/07/01 (14 review reads)
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Advantages: You find out more about the enigmatic cockney

Disadvantages: Not much we dont know

The question one asks is Michael Caine a great actor or does he play himself and everyone goes arghhh because he’s a working class boy made good. His roles tend to be cheeky cockneys or mysterious cockneys and only got a sympathy knighthood and Oscar in his pensionable years.
I do like most of his movies and can honestly say that I have never seen Get Carter.Im might rent it soon though because he hear Sly Stallone has wrecked it with a remake. Now that is bad casting.
I thought I would read up on the South London boys life and see if theres anymore to him than that distinctive voice and impertinent stares.

Born in the gutter of London to a Billingsgate father south of the river guvnor, he struggled through school and life on the tough streets finding his way and place in life. The tradition and moronic ways of working class Londoners tried to keep one of their own in the daily grind of pride and struggle of dead end jobs and life.
War addressed his childhood and he was shipped out of the capitol to avoid the V1s and worried parents trying to scrape a living between raids. An array of foster parents and relatives looked after the young tearaway as he regularly found himself in trouble. One such guardian out in the sticks would lock young Maury in a cupboard as she shopped and went about her day embarrassed to parade the scruffy scamp.

As young Micklewhites 15th year rolled in and the war finished it was time to return to the battle torn city and the hustle and bustle of London get back on its feet. It was also the year that he lost his virginity to an older woman who wanted him to put his hand down her knickers.
His mum and dads grocery business was putting food on the table and their boys were put to work to bring in extra coin.
But the determined cockney rebel was having other ideas as the dead end jobs and empty beer glasses piled up in factories and boozers alike. New Cross London was losing the interest of a young Mau
rice Micklewhite as the surprising pull of the theatre caught the young cheeky chappies eye.

But war was yet again to impede in the cockneys early years as he was shipped of to Asia after just three months of national service. Korea wasn’t a cozy barracks near the smoke as he was quite genuinely in there thick of it attempting to take a hill from the Chines like one of his movies in the future.
It was real war and the experience would add to a young now Michael Stott, his theatre name darlings in his early film career.
On returning to England he pushed on with his quest to break into what essentially was a middle class profession as he chased acting jobs around the capitol.

His first film break ironically came in a film called a “Hill in Korea”which of course he had already had a bit of the action and could call on l real method acting to authenticate his minimal role in the Pinewood flick. Although he only earnt minimum wage, it was a virgin step in the industry to reach the throne he sits on now.
The Ipcress file introduced a black framed bespectacled, now Michael Caine after his second name change to curious British film audiences. The blefora eye desease he suffered as a kid seemed to give him a distinctive baggy eyed look that had a narcotic effect on the audience as Caine made good at the age of 31.
Alfi quickly followed and the Michael Caine legend was underway. Again its another Caine classic I don’t remember seeing and let’s hope Stallone doesn’t do a remake of that one.

The biog details all his films to the present day and dives into the physche of an enigmatic actor of almost everyone’s time it seems. Theres a full film biography listed at the tail of the book and plenty of cross references and quotes if you need it for study.
It’s a good 450 pages on hardback so be patient as it’s a slow start considering the late stage the actor made his name in his earl
y thirties. Its very much like Sean Connerys chase for fame in age and background.
I once saw the great man eating in his Miami Beach restaurant on Collins Ave mall.I shyly smiled at him and walked by with my girl friend to hear him say “she’s aw wight”to his ensemble guests on a coffee laden table. Not bad aye to think the greatest ladies man from these fair isles is eyeing my bird.

The book finishes with a poignant walk around with author and actor on the streets of his South London roots. The car factories and markets have long since gone and replaced by a menagerie of asylum seekers and drug cartels.”The days were hard but wholesome snipes Caine”and I couldn’t agree more. Not a lot of people know that, well you know I was going to say that didn’t you.
It’s an enjoyable read and gives you the works on the artist’s films and life with enough there to keep you turning the pages after a slow start. But it doesn’t blow the doors of New Cross library.

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