The one Michael Caine movie Ray Winstone watches “three times a year”
When thinking about the archetypal British man, someone who represents an envisioned stereoptype of the men who walk this land, it’s hard to look beyond the bulldog brilliance of Ray Winstone, one of the nation’s finest actors.
A true original, in many ways, Winstone has made a career out of providing a bullish resonance to his work, acting as the perfect conduit between the two visions of modern Britain. It’s what has made him one of the most respected actors to call the island home.
Whether it is in Scum, Nil By Mouth, Sexy Business or later, The Departed, while Winstone is often attributed to a tough guy act, he always delivers it with a fragility that few can deliver with such confidence. It is this duality, this constant battle of emotion, the conflict that lies within so many of us, that Winstone has not only harnessed and used for his own art, but also allowed so many others to approach, too.
Whether navigating the labyrinthine streets of London’s East End or embodying Shakespearean tragedy, Winstone’s performances resonate with a profound sense of humanity. With each nuanced portrayal, he unveils layers of complexity, challenging audiences to confront the intricacies of the human condition. In the pantheon of British cinema, there is perhaps only one actor who has attained the same welcomed duality: Michael Caine.
While Winstone provides vulnerability to his often vulgar characters, Caine is able to transfer an affable humanity to his cooler-than-cool demeanour. Now knighted, Sir Michael Caine is often regarded as the typical English gentleman, complete with urbane charm and a fiercely delivered wit, which belies his rather humble beginnings. The actor was famed for being one of the first few green shoots of working class acting on screen and would help to sow the seeds for future stars like Winstone to grow. Caine has certainly taken on his fair share of grittier roles, but he’s always done so with a sense of decorum that sets him apart from the crowd.
Like most actors who cut their teeth in the UK, Winstone grew up watching Caine’s swashbuckling performances not only dominate British cinema but saw him find fame in the US, too, breaking into Hollywood and demanding the attention of a nation that seemed more interested in their own work than that from those across the pond.
When speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, Winstone picked out a classic Caine film as one of his five favourite movies of all time, selecting Caine’s breakout moment from 1964, Zulu. Winstone shared of the movie: “It’s just a film that, no matter where you pick it up — like the first two (Raging Bull and Once Upon A Time In America) — you have to keep watching. I think I watch that film three times a year.”
Zulu has since found its detractors who have railed against the colonial power being painted in such a positive light, with some then even claiming it was a blueprint for terrorist attacks, something Caine labelled “absolute bullshit”. But the movie has certainly been somehwat tarnished by modern views, but not by Winstone.
Looking through his career, Zulu emerges as a testament to Caine’s transformative prowess. Amidst the sweeping landscapes of colonial Africa, the actor’s portrayal of Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead epitomises a nuanced blend of stoic resolve and vulnerable humanity. His magnetic presence anchors the film, navigating the harrowing terrain of battle with a rare blend of grit and grace. As the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the historic Battle of Rorke’s Drift, Caine’s performance transcends the confines of the screen, imprinting upon audiences a poignant exploration of courage and camaraderie.
It’s easy to see how such a performance would have overawed a young Winstone and, there can be no doubt, how it might have inspired his own work as soon as he set foot on set.
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