In 1971, previous British crime films mostly portrayed gangsters in a lightweight and almost heroic fashion. The criminals shown were mostly well-meaning thieves who turned to crime as a last resort. Producer Michael Klinger and first-time director Mike Hodges took advantage of the relaxation in film censorship to produce a more realistic and uncompromising depiction of the British Gangster with their harsh revenge film, “Get Carter”.
Newcastle born Jack Carter (Michael Cain in one of his best performances), is a London-based hired killer working for the underworld. He is returning to Newcastle, so that he can bury his recently deceased brother. When he arrives, it does not take long for him to discover that his brother’s death was not a result of natural causes, and he begins investigating the cause. Before he leaves London for Newcastle, his mob boss warns him that the Newcastle mob is an important business partner. What he ends up discovering instills a rage in Carter that overpowers all other emotions, setting the stage for some powerful and violent acts of revenge.
As Carter, Cain is a cool and charismatic figure who attracts women and is admired by men. Before he discovered the terrible circumstances surrounding his brother’s death, he was considered one of the boys. After the discovery, his true nature comes out and it is to the films’ credit that this nature is not hidden by any perverse sense of honor or scruples. His revenge is pitiless and complete. Cain pulls off this characterization with finesse, as I found myself totally believing who Carter is and why he behaves the way he does. There is one scene whereby Carter discovers the reason his brother was murdered where Cain exhibits slight body language, showing Carter getting angrier and angrier without saying a word. It is an example of a triumph in acting that allowed me to empathize with some of the terrible acts Carter commits during the film’s climax. Carter looks and acts like a true gangster, and Cain portrays him with an inner viciousness that is chillingly believable.
The rest of the cast is also first rate, with special mention made to Ian Hendry as Cain’s direct nemesis in the movie. Their scenes together are priceless, and ooze with tension and hateful emotion. Hendry’s character, Eric Paice, is the type of person who always wears sunglasses, not to look cool or to protect his eyes, but to hide his intent and inner character from the outside world. When Carter and Paice initially meet at the racetrack, Carter physically removes the glasses from Paice, telling him that his eyes look like pissholes in the snow. The bravado of the interaction between two dangerous men foreshadows what will unfold during the culminating section of the movie.
The setting of the northern industrial city of Newcastle is perfect for the sordid story. Newcastle has a dark, unglamorous exterior. Interior shots are filmed within a world of working-class pubs, grimy boarding houses and betting parlors, adding a noirish grimness that is perfect for the story. Two buildings that stand out are the multi-floor stone car park and a coal straife (wharf) that has a working upper conveyer belt being used to transport coal waste into the sea. Both structures are used as the background for two of the more powerful action scenes in the movie. Their combination of ugliness and pollution match perfectly with the murder and revenge themes prevalent in the movie.
Cain’s Carter is the ultimate anti-hero, who makes it difficult to identify with. As I became aware of his motives, it was his cruelty that made it difficult for me to truly enjoy his vicious acts of revenge. Hodges and the film’s producers seem to understand this, giving the story an ending that stays true to the harshness of the movie.
“Get Carter” is a movie of its time that stays timely even today. While it is true that the vehicles, factories, and fashion are set in the early seventies, it is the film’s realistic look at violence and crime that keeps it relevant. As far as a crime thriller is concerned, this movie is one of the best of its kind.
1001 Movies before you die 