Michael Caine: Breaking the Mold

Dandy documentary of the life and career of actor Michael Caine, born a cockney in 1933 and still happy.

There's nothing particularly "deep" about it. It's not dramatic. It's mostly Caine sitting relaxed in a chair and rolling about facts and interpretations of his professional and emotional life -- more professional than emotional.

The film is helped a little by comments from actors and actresses he's worked with -- Ben Kingsley, Julia Walters, Angie Dickenson. There are also interpolated clips from some of his films, up until the date of the interview, 1998 or 1999.

Informative and in its small way enjoyable.

"Michael Caine: Breaking the Mold" is a documentary about Michael Caine and his acting craft. Fortunately, it was made with Caine and he narrates the film. In addition to this and various film clips, various actors and actresses talk about what he's like and how proud they are of him...and how humble he is. The film sure makes him seem like a great guy and is a lovely tribute to him. Well worth seeing...particularly if you love his acting.

By the way, a few days before I watched this, I watched another documentary that Caine narrated, "My Generation", and the first parts of each film are very, very similar as Caine talks about the context for when he made it big...a Cockney man who never could have made it in early decades.

Michael Caine: Breaking the Mold (1994)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Michael Caine is interviewed for this highly entertaining documentary that takes a look at his career and life. Caine starts off talking about his childhood and what his parents were like. From here he goes into details about how he got into acting and the various things he has learned over the years. Julie Walters, Lewis Gilbert, Roger Moore, Bob Hoskins Angie Dickinson and Ben Kingsley are among the people interviewed and who share stories about Caine.

Overall this is a pretty good documentary that gives us some fun interviews as well as plenty of clips from Caine's most known roles. Of course, this was made before the actor won his second Oscar and of course he's had twenty-two years worth of movies since this was made (at least from the time I reviewed it). Fans of Caine will certainly enjoy hearing his thoughts on his work.