The secret cameo Michael Caine made in ‘Dunkirk’
The best filmmakers often revisit and reenlist trusted collaborators throughout their careers. Martin Scorsese is forever tied to Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, while Quentin Tarantino can’t seem to keep himself away from Samuel L. Jackson. Christopher Nolan is no exception, having honed his own collection of creatives who understand and uphold his vision. At the top of his list is Michael Caine.
Taking on the titular role of Oppenheimer in his sixth collaboration with the director, Cillian Murphy may seem like Nolan’s newly favoured frontman. Still, his relationship with the director hasn’t been quite as lucrative as Caine’s, who has now appeared in eight of Nolan’s 12 feature films, including Inception, Interstellar, and Tenet.
Since they first met, Caine has served as Nolan’s lucky charm actor, their collaborations proving particularly lucrative. Some of the actor’s appearances have been more prominent than others – his role as Batman’s butler, Alfred, in the Dark Knight trilogy, for example. But many Caine fans and casual cinemagoers alike will have completely missed his appearance in 2017’s Dunkirk.
Amidst an impressive ensemble cast featuring names such as Tom Hardy and Harry Styles, Caine’s iconic voice made a short cameo. Towards the beginning of the film, a voice gives orders to the RAF pilots over the radio. That voice is Caine. Though the actor has one of the most recognisable voices in acting, it’s a short and muffled appearance that could easily pass viewers by.
Still, the director was surprised that more people didn’t pick out the Cockney actor’s appearance in the film, telling NJ, “It’s shocking to me that a lot of people haven’t [spotted him] when he has really one of the most distinctive voices in cinema. I wanted very much to squeeze him in here.”
More than fulfilling Nolan’s desire to work with Caine again, the feature also served as a reference to the actor’s role in a much earlier war movie. “It’s a bit of a nod to his character in Battle of Britain,” the director explained, “And also, it’s Michael. He has to be in all my films, after all.”
It’s an exaggeration, of course, but it’s not too far off from the truth. The Cockney actor hasn’t quite made it into every single movie Nolan has made, but he has featured in two-thirds of his filmography, only just escaping an appearance in Oppenheimer. According to the director, via Variety, Caine jokingly declared, “Enough is enough,” when Nolan spoke with him about the project.
Fortunately for fans of both Caine and Nolan, there is no shortage of collaborations to pore over while we wait for their next project together. Revisit the trailer for Dunkirk below.
Never Miss A Tale
The Far Out Michael Caine Newsletter
All the latest stories about Michael Caine from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.