Michael Caine’s favourite director he ever worked with: “I’d love to come and see you”
Having delivered an impressive career over several decades, there is little about the world of making movies left to be taught to Sir Michael Caine. Having announced his retirement from acting in his 90th year, the iconic figure leaves behind a legacy of movies that is hard to fathom.
Trying to cement oneself into the fabric of Hollywood is difficult enough today, but as a British actor in the 1960s, with the sheer wealth of talent America had to offer, Michael Caine faced an uphill struggle. However, through a series of roles and incandescent performances, Caine has achieved just that, now duly recognised as one of the pivotal figures of modern cinema as we know it, and arguably one of Britain’s finest cinematic exports.
Caine gained early recognition in the swinging parts of 1960s London with iconic roles in films like Alfie and The Italian Job, establishing himself as a leading man and one of Britain’s best acting exports of the day. Caine’s versatility shone through as he seamlessly transitioned between genres, excelling in comedies, dramas, and action films. His career again took off in the 21st century as he took part in the blockbuster Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight, putting Caine as one of the best in the business.
Across such a storied career, Caine has witnessed more ups than downs and found himself a part of some of the best pictures committed to celluloid. When speaking with Charles McGrath of The New York Times in 2019, the actor picked out five of his favourite movies he’s ever been a part of. The list is nothing short of exceptional.
Within the titles he holds dearest, Caine picked out Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a comedy built on the back of the “fabulous Steve Martin”, the 1966 triumph Alfie, which gave him the worldwide acclaim he’d dreamt of, the Woody Allen-directed Her Sisters and Sleuth, the movie he starred in alongside his acting hero Laurence Olivier. While that production allowed him to work alongside his acting idol, another of his favourite movies would provide him with the best director-actor relationship of his career.
The fifth entry on his list was The Man Who Would Be King. Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Christopher Plummer star as soldiers who adventure into Kafiristsan and work to bring director John Huston’s vision to life. Caine shared that he and the actors had been friends prior to the production, but “I had never met John Huston,” Caine adds, “But he was my favourite director.”
Huston’s career is equally as impressive. A cinematic trailblazer, he directed classics like The Maltese Falcon) and The African Queen. Huston was known for his versatility, and his films earned critical acclaim, gaining him multiple Academy Awards and affording him the tools to leave an indelible mark on Hollywood.
“I got a call in a hotel one night […] and it was John Huston,” revealed Caine when talking about his introduction to The Man Who Would Be King. “And he said, ‘I’m doing a Rudyard Kipling movie, would you like to come and see me’, and I said ‘Yes, I’d love to come and see you, when shall we meet?’ and he said, ‘I’m in the bar next door’.”
Huston revealed to Caine that he would be playing a role he had previously intended to cast Humphrey Bogart in before he died. “Bogart was my favourite actor,” Caine explained, “I was going play a part that Bogart was going to play and I was going to be directed by John Huston!” Huston said he’d send a script over and Caine replied, “It’s okay, I’ll do it, don’t worry.”
It was with this simple statement that Michael Caine replaced his favourite actor of all time and worked with his favourite director. Despite being recognised as such a magnificent actor, and a ginormous talent, it was moments like that that Caine, now retired and in his proverbial slippers, can look back on as some of his crowning achievements.
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