UNITED KINGDOM: Michael Caine takes on young offenders on a tough London council estate in "Harry Brown"

Record ID: 171570

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Michael Caine takes on young offenders on a tough London council estate in "Harry Brown"
  • Date: 13th November 2009
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 10, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF ODEON CINEMA AT PREMIERE OF "HARRY BROWN" MICHAEL CAINE ARRIVING ON RED CARPET ACTOR DAVID BRADLEY WHO PLAYS LEONARD IN MOVIE CAINE HUGGING DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DANIEL BARBER CAINE BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL CAINE, SAYING: "It scares me in a way but having done the movie, the reason why it doesn't completely scare me is because it can be solved with re-education and someone taking some notice because all these people have in actual fact have been ignored and I know what that was like because from a class point of view it was much worse when I was young because we were completely ignored. That's how the Sixties came about. The youngsters said 'Forget it we're not going to be ignored any longer' but now you ignore these people at your peril, literally."
  • Embargoed: 28th November 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAC9J5MZF2Q69ZB8M2LNW11F1G9
  • Story Text: Michael Caine shrugged off critical speculation of an Oscar nod for his portrayal of a pensioner taking on gangs of London youths in the stark drama "Harry Brown", which had its premiere in the British capital on Tuesday (November 10).
    The British acting legend plays an elderly former Marine who lives on a council estate (housing project) and becomes a vigilante when his best friend is murdered.
    Caine, who travelled back to his native borough of Elephant and Castle to shoot parts of the film, said his neighbourhood has changed drastically and for the worst. But whether he was frightened about the influence gangs, drugs and knife crime were having on the southeast London borough, he said it was up to the government to lend a hand.
    "It scares me in a way but having done the movie, the reason why it doesn't completely scare me is because it can be solved with re-education and someone taking some notice because all these people have in actual fact have been ignored and I know what that was like because from a class point of view it was much worse when I was young because we were completely ignored. That's how the Sixties came about. The youngsters said 'Forget it we're not going to be ignored any longer' but now you ignore these people at your peril, literally," he told Reuters Television.
    The film is the first feature for director Daniel Barber, who began his career in music videos and advertisements. He said the gritty portrayal of life on London's council estates should be a wake up call to all of Britain.
    "I think there's a certain part of the youth in this country that the system has certainly failed and the film is about showing some of that failure if you like and we have to do something about it. This film does raise serious issues. It makes important social comments. And I hope these issues are spoken about and I hope that people and politicians can come together to find a way through this because there's a whole swath of youth in this country that are completely disenfranchised from this country and that's not a good thing because they're our future," he said.
    A two-time Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor, Caine laughed off speculation of a possible Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor for this role.
    "That I never go into. It's such a lottery, it's very difficult to anticipate anything like that. You just get on with the movie and hope for the best."
    The 78-year-old actor, who's roles in "Alfie" and "The Italian Job" cemented his iconic status in the 1960s, also won accolades for his performances in "The Cider House Rules" and "Hannah And Her Sisters" for which he took home the Oscars.
    He next teams up once again with "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan and Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard in "Inception".
    When asked what kept him going after more than 50 years in the film industry, he said, the work itself.
    "Now I just wait for scripts I really want to do, like this. But this was 18 months between movies. In 18 months, I would make four movies. But I just sit there now and I don't have a script that I want to do now. I haven't read one I want to do and if one doesn't come, I will be gone without any fanfare or announcements that I'm retiring. This business retires you, you don't retire."
    "Harry Brown" will be released across Britain on Wednesday (November 11).
    END
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