Michael Caine

Biography

Sir Michael Caine CBE (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr.) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinctive South London accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film icon. As of February 2017, the films in which Caine has appeared have grossed over $7.8 billion worldwide.

Often playing a Cockney, Caine made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in British films such as Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965), Alfie (1966), The Italian Job (1969), and Battle of Britain (1969). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Alfie. His roles in the 1970s included Get Carter (1971), The Last Valley (1971), Sleuth (1972), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Eagle Has Landed (1976) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). He earned his second Academy Award nomination for Sleuth and achieved some of his greatest critical success in the 1980s, with Educating Rita (1983) earning him the BAFTA and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) earning him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Caine is also known for his performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), and for his comedic roles in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Miss Congeniality (2000), Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and Secondhand Lions (2003). He received his second Golden Globe Award for Little Voice (1998). In 1999, he received his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as a sympathetic doctor in The Cider House Rules. He portrayed a British journalist in Vietnam in The Quiet American (2002), earning his sixth Oscar nomination, and appeared in Alfonso Cuaron's dystopian drama film Children of Men (2006). Caine portrayed Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012). He appeared in several other of Nolan's films including The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014) and Tenet (2020). He also appeared in the heist thriller film Now You See Me (2013), the action comedy film Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), the Italian drama Youth (2015) and the crime film King of Thieves (2018).

Caine officially confirmed his retirement from acting on 13 October 2023.

CritifyHub Reviews Featuring Michael Caine

Weaving Nostalgia into Wisdom: The Timeless Tapestry of Secondhand Lions

on Secondhand Lions | Jul 24, 2025

In Secondhand Lions (2003), director Tim McCanlies crafts a poignant coming-of-age tale that transforms the dusty plains of 1960s Texas into a canvas for exploring legacy, belief, and the quiet power ... Read more

Echoes of Valor: The Resonant Craft of Zulu (1964)

on Zulu | Jul 19, 2025

In Zulu (1964), director Cy Endfield transforms a historical skirmish into a vivid tapestry of human endurance, weaving a narrative that pulses with both restraint and intensity. The film, depicting t... Read more

Swinging Sixties Heist: The Italian Job’s Daring Dance of Chaos and Charm

on The Italian Job | Jul 19, 2025

The Italian Job (1969), directed by Peter Collinson, is a vibrant, mischievous caper that captures the swagger of swinging London while slyly subverting the heist genre’s machismo. Its most striking e... Read more

"Are you watching closely?" This enigmatic question, posed at the beginning, perfectly sets the stage for the intricate illusions and dark secrets of "The Prestige."

on The Prestige | May 31, 2025

Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige isn’t merely a film about magicians; it’s a complex and intellectually stimulating exploration of obsession, rivalry, sacrifice, and the deceptive nature of appearance... Read more

"Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here." This ambitious statement encapsulates the epic scope and hopeful desperation of "Interstellar."

on Interstellar | May 29, 2025

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar isn’t just a science fiction film about space travel; it’s a visually stunning and emotionally resonant exploration of love, loss, time, and humanity’s yearning for su... Read more