Get Carter (1971)
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A London gangster returns to his hometown to seek vengeance for his brother's death, only to find himself entangled in a web of local criminal intrigue.
The story
Jack Carter, a London-based gangster, returns to his hometown in North East England following the death of his brother, Frank, who died in a purported drunk-driving accident. Suspecting foul play, Carter begins investigating the local criminal underworld. He meets old acquaintances and faces threats from local mobs, all while trying to navigate the complex relationships between various crime bosses. As he digs deeper into the mystery of his brother's death, Carter must confront the hardened criminal element of the city and the dangerous figures who may be responsible for his brother's demise.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Newcastle-born gangster Jack Carter, who works for London crime bosses Gerald and Sid Fletcher, returns to Newcastle and Gateshead for his brother Frank's funeral. Suspecting Frank's death in a drunk-driving accident was murder, Jack begins investigating the local underworld. He meets his niece Doreen and Frank's girlfriend Margaret, and seeks information from old associates Albert Swift and Eric Paice. Jack discovers Eric works for crime boss Cyril Kinnear. After being threatened by local henchmen, Jack captures one and learns the name 'Brumby'. He realizes Cliff Brumby is being manipulated by Kinnear to take over his business. When Jack's London colleagues arrive to take him back, he escapes and meets Margaret. Glenda, a woman he meets, takes him to Brumby, who reveals Kinnear is behind Frank's death. Jack refuses Brumby's offer to kill Kinnear. After discovering a pornographic film involving his niece Doreen, Jack becomes enraged and pushes Glenda into her car. He tracks down Albert, who confesses that Eric and others arranged Frank's death to incite him to call the police on Kinnear. Jack kills Albert, then is ambushed by London gangsters and Eric; he kills one of them. Jack then finds and beats Brumby before throwing him to his death. He abducts Margaret, makes a deal with Kinnear to trade Eric for his silence, then kills Margaret and throws her body into a pond. He calls the police to raid Kinnear's party, leading to Kinnear's arrest. Finally, Jack chases Eric along a beach, forces him to drink whisky, and beats him to death with a shotgun before being shot dead from a distance by Kinnear's assassin, 'J'.
- First release year
- 1971
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mike Hodges
- Writers
- Mike Hodges · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Michael Caine · Jack Carter; Ian Hendry · Eric Paice; John Osborne · Cyril Kinnear; Britt Ekland · Anna; Bryan Mosley · Cliff Brumby; George Sewell · Con McCarty; Tony Beckley · Peter the Dutchman; Glynn Edwards · Albert Swift
- Genres
- gangster thriller
- Themes
- revenge; class structure; corruption
- Tone and mood
- gritty; naturalistic; dark
- Premise and plot tags
- gangster; revenge; crime
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ted Lewis's 1970 novel Jack's Return Home
- Content notes
- violence; female nudity
- Reception
- Initially received mixed reviews, it was later critically re-evaluated and garnered a cult following. It was praised for its technical achievements, Caine's performance, and its depiction of class structure.
- Awards and nominations
- BAFTA Awards · Best Supporting Actor · 1972 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was the last project approved by MGM's Borehamwood division before its closure.; Michael Caine's stand-in on the film was a man called Jack Carter.; The location for Cyril Kinnear's house was the recently vacated country house of North East fruit machine businessman Vince Landa, who fled the country in 1969 after the murder of his right-hand man.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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