In a Nutshell:
Jack Carter is a hard-nut London gangster who travels up to Newcastle after his brother is killed after apparently crashing his car when drunk.

The facts don't seem to add up to Jack though, and he sets about unravelling what really happened, not caring whose feet he treads on to find out.

Get Carter was based on the novel Jack's Return Home by Ted Lewis and starred Michael Caine in the title role.

It's a classic revenge thriller with a ruthless lead character who has no redeeming qualities, yet manages to gain the audience's empathy, if not total support, throughout.

The film makes full use of its location shooting in the industrial North East and the scenes reek of authenticity. This grim backdrop, in which a very depressing and seedy tale unfolds, contributes to an atmosphere that helps make this the best British gangster film ever made.

Carter gets embroiled with the various gangster factions in Newcastle, playing one off against the other as he destroys everything in his path to get to the truth about his brother.
Playwright John Osborne plays one gang boss, the incredibly slimy Cyril Kinnear, while Bryan Mosley (grocer Alf Roberts from Coronation Street) plays his rival Cliff Brumby, who has an unfortunate accident at a multi-storey car park. The scene-stealer of the piece is Ian Hendry though, who plays all-round sleazeball Eric Paice, getting very agitated when Jack collars him at the racetrack and begins asking awkward questions.


Why It's So Good:
From the opening credits as Jack travels on the train up from London, Get Carter sets new standards in gangster films. Caine has never been better and manages to portray cold evil without being ridiculously violent or aggressive and there are no one-dimensional criminal characters with tough nicknames, carrying big guns.

The world of Get Carter is real with people playing out a story that becomes increasingly disturbing. The scene with Carter lying in bed watching a home movie highlights the human factors that lie just beneath the 'glamorous' world of crime.

The soundtrack has become a cult favourite over the years, the dialogue isn't full of the usual clichés and the violence is depicted without any cartoon element.

Like all classic films a coherent storyline is a necessity and Get Carter plays out like a Shakespearean tragedy with minor characters becoming more significant and previous meetings having extra relevance, as the truth slowly unfolds. The dramatic conclusion on a drab, deserted beach is one of the best endings you will see.

It will come as no surprise that the Sylvester Stallone remake released in 2000 is not worth watching.


Oscars:
None.

Best Scene:
Carter rudely interrupting a poker game at Kinnear's country home, both keeping up an air of politeness to each other while a disgruntled player loses all his money.

Quotes:
'You're a big man, but you're in bad shape. With me it's a full-time job.'

'A pint of bitter …. in a thin glass.'