 Sir Michael Caine has been hailed for his vulnerability and courage in taking on his latest movie role in The Great Escaper with Glenda Jackson. The new film allows audiences to see the cinema legend onscreen in a totally different light. The 90-year-old esteemed actor boasts an over six-decade-long career of playing cool and suave leading men in the likes of movies such as Get Carter, The Italian Job and Alfie, as well as more recent renaissance as the wise, elder figure in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Tenet and more. However, in The Great Escaper, Sir Michael portrays real-life World War Two veteran Bernard Jordan (known as Bernie), who hit headlines in 2014 for sneaking out of his care home aged 89 to make his own Normandy landing, after failing to get a spot on an organised trip to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day in France. Written by William Ivory and directed by Oliver Parker, The Great Escaper took inspiration from Bernie and his wife Irene (known as Rene, played by the late Glenda Jackson), who died a week apart from each just months after his daring trip. Ivory was keen for the film to not be a 'sentimental' in any way, instead taking an unflinching look at the realities of ageing with two of Britain's most beloved stars. 'We can often patronise old age in this country, and it was really, really important to me that we realised that these were living, breathing, present entities,' Ivory told Metro.co.uk of Bernie and Rene in the film, for whom he also created a fictional 'epic love story across 70 years'. The legendary actor, now 90, was praised by the filmmakers for being vulnerable onscreen in a way they'd never seen before (Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage) Sir Michael as Bernie on his surprise trip to Normandy for the 70th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings (Picture: Rob Youngs){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Sir Michael Caine has been hailed for his vulnerability and courage in taking on his latest movie role in The Great Escaper with Glenda Jackson.
The new film allows audiences to see the cinema legend onscreen in a totally different light.
The 90-year-old esteemed actor boasts an over six-decade-long career of playing cool and suave leading men in the likes of movies such as Get Carter, The Italian Job and Alfie, as well as a more recent renaissance as the wise, elder figure in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Tenet and more.
However, in The Great Escaper, Sir Michael portrays real-life World War Two veteran Bernard Jordan (known as Bernie), who hit headlines in 2014 for sneaking out of his care home aged 89 to make his own Normandy landing, after failing to get a spot on an organised trip to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day in France.