What We're Reading: Jan

The Elephant to Hollywood.
An Autobiography by Michael Caine.

This isn’t Michael Caine’s first autobiography. He wrote What’s It All About in 1992 when he felt he was a washed-up movie star and his days in film were over. He wasn’t being asked to play the “lover" parts in movies like his famous Alfie role but rather father figures. Encouraged to come back to Hollywood in more mature roles, his career took a wonderful turn. He became known to a whole new age of filmgoers with his roles in The Cider House Rules, Miss Congeniality, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Batman Begins and The Prestige playing the wise and respected elder. This book still follows Caine from his birth in the Elephant and Castle slums of London (hence the title) to small theatre jobs to the British Army. He rose to stardom in the sixties and enjoyed swinging London during that time as well as the glamour of old Hollywood. The book reveals his astonishment at being able to have acted with iconic stars like Elizabeth Taylor as well as new movie sensations like Heath Ledger and Scarlett Johansson. He also reflects on the changes in British theatre and film that allowed working–class actors like himself to work in the field they loved – a field that had been exclusive to upper and middle classes in years before him. Caine also expresses much love for family and friends. In all it is a rich life to read about.