Get Carter (1971)

What happens when a professional killer violates the code? Get Carter!

Starring: Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, Brit Ekland, John Osborne, Tony Beckley, George Sewell, Geraldine Moffat, Dorothy White, Rosemarie Dunham, Petra Markham, Alun Armstrong, Bryan Mosley, Glynn Edwards, Bernard Hepton, Terence Rigby

Director: Mike Hodges

Running Time: 106 minutes

US MPAA rating: N/A
UK BBFC rating: 18
Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

On DVD

On DVD

'Get Carter' is certainly a classic. It's just not a very good one. Met with varying degrees of apathy upon its 1971 release, it's only in more recent times that its acquired its inexplicable cult status. Personally, I think the general public got it right first time around.

If Michael Caine wasn't the accomplished actor he is, you'd suspect him of being highly wooden as he slips into the shoes of Jack Carter, the Cockney hardcase who traipses up to Newcastle to avenge the death of his murdered brother. He soon finds that would be a considerably easier task if there weren't so many people trying to "Get" him. Hence the title, I suppose.

As Carter bullies his way around Tyneside trying to make sense of how bruv snuffed it, you can't help but wonder why we should care whether he succeeds or fails. He's a crim, a hood, a bad seed, and he likes making smutty phone calls. Bizarrely, several characters refer to his apparently famous "sense of humour" as the film drones on, but let's just say he's no Bob Monkhouse.

The film marks the big screen directorial debut from Mike Hodges, who went on to make an array of cheerily-titled flicks including 'The Terminal Man', 'A Prayer for the Dying', 'Dandelion Dead' and 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead'. We could probably have him down as a glass-is-half-empty sort of fellow if it wasn't for the fact that he also made 'Flash Gordon'.

'Get Carter' is extremely well shot, and drags you right into Carter's seedy world. Unfortunately, it's a world of badly-written dialogue, featureless acting and comically bad eroticism, and I for one was relieved to finally climb out of the other side. Suffice to say, I won't be going back.

DVD Extras: Cast and crew details (yawn), director's commentary, some trailers, and a music-only version of the film (which I'm sure looooaaaaadddds of people will watch). Extras: 4 out of 10

It's Got: Caine standing bum-naked at the front door with a loaded shotgun (ooh-er missus!!).

It Needs: A few jokes from Carter. Oh, come on, show us this legendary sense of humour.

Alternatives: Get Carter (2000), Payback, The Long Good Friday

Summary: Caine's talents are wasted in this over-rated underworld drivel. Overall Score: 4 out of 10

Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 1st January 2004