Recently, actor Michael Caine sat down for an interview with BBC Radio 4 Today’s Martha Kearney to talk about his latest film role, the lead character in “The Great Escaper.” During the interview, Caine discussed the character, the film, and his career, but he also shared some news that is certainly disappointing to fans.
Caine started the interview by explaining that he had already retired before accepting a role in “The Great Escaper,” which is about a 90-year-old veteran named Bernard Jordan who escapes from a retirement home in order to visit the beach in Normandy. It’s based on a true story that happened in the summer of 2014.
Even though he’s well aware that he’s 90 years old, Caine explained that he’s “still grabbing every second” of life, but he added, “I’ll stop when I’m 100.”
Kearney responded, “Well, you keep saying you’re going to retire.”
Part of “grabbing every second” obviously includes accepting roles like the lead in “The Great Escaper,” but even though Caine doesn’t plan to slow down, he does plan to make a major change. He responded to Kearney by agreeing, “I keep saying I’m going to retire.” Then he added, “I am now because I figured I’ve had a picture where I’ve played the lead, and it’s got incredible reviews.”
Caine continued, “The only parts I’m likely to get now are old men, 90-year-old men, well, maybe 85, you know? And I thought, ‘Well, I might as well leave with all this. I’ve got wonderful reviews. What am I gonna do to beat this?’”
Watch the movie trailer for “The Great Escaper,” below, the film which, according to Caine, will be his final acting role.
Caine has certainly had an amazing acting career. His first acting role was uncredited in a TV movie called “The Morning Departure” back in 1946. He has won 2 Oscars during his career. His most notable roles include “The Cider House Rules,” “The Prestige,” “The Quiet American,” and the role of Alfred, Batman’s butler in “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Now, Caine is transitioning from acting to writing. He has a book coming out, his first fictional story, a thriller titled “Deadly Game.” Caine explained, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and I’ve written several biographies, but they were about me, something I really knew about.” He added that he’s “quite amazed” that his first book that wasn’t about himself has actually been published.
As far as acting, Caine believes he’s really done with that, but “there’ll be writing. I’ll write another book sometime.” He explained that when you’re making a movie, the work days are long, often from 6:30am to 10pm, and writing is much easier. As he put it, “You don’t have to get out of bed.”
Do you think “The Great Escaper” will really be Caine’s final acting role, or do you think another role will come along that will pull him out of retirement?
