--- title: "Get Carter" year: 1971 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/get-carter" fi1m_id: "get-carter" imdb_id: "tt0067128" tmdb_id: 1485 wikidata_id: "Q511591" fi1m_score: 86 critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 7 published: "2026-09-12" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:54.952043+00:00" region: "SK" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Get Carter (1971) Directed by Mike Hodges · 1h 52m · Crime, Thriller ## Identity Get Carter - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/get-carter - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** get-carter - **IMDb ID:** tt0067128 - **TMDB ID:** 1485 - **Wikidata ID:** Q511591 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067128/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1485, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q511591 **Fi1m score: 86** · Critics 81 from 7 reviews *In a sentence:* Michael Caine asks the questions as though he has already decided what to do with the answers > Mike Hodges’s crime thriller is tense, vicious and worth the discomfort, with Michael Caine giving Jack Carter no reassuring decency. Its treatment of women is harder to defend, even when the cruelty is plainly meant to repel us. ## Synopsis London gangster Jack Carter (Michael Caine) goes to Newcastle to investigate his brother’s death. He brings the habits of an enforcer to a search that takes him into the city’s criminal underworld, where asking questions carries the threat of violence. Carter wants answers, and his pursuit of them becomes a matter of revenge. Mike Hodges directs this crime thriller, with Ian Hendry as Eric, John Osborne as Kinnear and Britt Ekland as Anna. The story follows a man accustomed to making other people afraid as he tries to find out what has happened to his family. ## Review A revenge thriller usually asks us to accept a little brutality once the grievance has been established. *Get Carter* pushes that permission until it becomes unpleasant, and we think it is a forceful, absorbing crime film for precisely that reason. Mike Hodges follows Jack Carter, a London gangster investigating his brother’s death in Newcastle, into a criminal world where his methods scarcely distinguish him from the people he questions. The search gives the film its direction without making Carter someone we can comfortably support. Michael Caine understands how little this man needs to advertise his capacity for harm. His composure is frightening because there is no suggestion that he needs to work himself up to anything, or seek anyone’s approval before doing it. We were unnerved by that dead-eyed calm; even when Carter is asking questions, Caine makes us watch for what he might do next. The authority of the performance keeps us interested in a man whose company would otherwise be intolerable. Wolfgang Suschitzky’s photography gives Newcastle a working life beyond Carter’s investigation, and the film gains weight from that sense of ordinary business continuing around him. Assheton Gorton’s production design makes the criminal surroundings look used and uninviting, avoiding the temptation to turn access to the underworld into a treat. We believe people spend their days here, including people who have no choice about it. Hodges makes Carter’s violence feel like something inflicted on a place, with other lives inconveniently in the way. John Trumper’s editing keeps the pressure on without requiring every passage to hurry, giving Caine’s watchfulness time to become oppressive. The restraint matters because constant bustle would make it easier to enjoy Carter’s efficiency without thinking about his behaviour. Roy Budd’s score is more inviting than the people on screen, and that is an effective, slightly suspect choice. It helps make Carter’s coolness attractive when his behaviour ought to put us off. Hodges is not entirely innocent of enjoying his leading man’s assurance, either. The treatment of women is the substantial reservation. Britt Ekland’s Anna and Geraldine Moffat’s Glenda belong to a film that gives male viciousness far more attention than what women think or want, and pointing to the ugliness of these men does not settle the matter. Hodges can show us a rotten attitude without giving the person on its receiving end enough room to exist. The performances cannot quite overcome the sense that the women matter chiefly because of what men want from them. Even with that limitation, Hodges gets more out of the revenge story than the satisfaction of watching an efficient man take charge. The hard-boiled plotting asks us to follow the search closely, but Caine’s control supplies a steadier source of tension than the question of who knows what. There is dry humour in Carter’s coolness, though it offers little reassurance about him. We can enjoy the performance without needing the film to invent a kinder man underneath it. The severity will be too much for some evenings, and the film offers little relief from its ugly view of people. That is a fair reason to leave it for another night, though not a reason to overlook how carefully Hodges controls our attention. At 112 minutes, it has enough discipline to make the discomfort count. Choose it for Caine, but do not expect to feel better for having spent the evening with Carter. *Fi1m score 86, published 12 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics regard Get Carter as a forceful British crime film, with praise concentrated on Michael Caine’s cold authority, Mike Hodges’ controlled direction and the bleak working-class setting. The reviews repeatedly find that its brutality has purpose: it makes revenge ugly and its central gangster difficult to admire, however compelling he is to watch. Variety particularly values the adaptation’s restraint and clarity, while The Guardian emphasises the combination of violent pulp and working-class realism. The disagreement concerns how much that control compensates for the ugliness, and whether the thriller always convinces. The New York Times admires the acting and taut construction but recoils from the relentless violence and view of humanity. The Times flags the dated treatment of women. The Telegraph offers a sharper dissent, finding the plotting unclear and the thriller implausible. The balance is strongly positive, but these reservations range from discomfort with the material to objections about its execution. ## Straight answers **Is Get Carter worth watching?** *Get Carter* is worth watching for anyone prepared for a vicious, unforgiving revenge thriller, and we scored it 86. Michael Caine's dead-eyed calm as Jack Carter gives the film its tension, and Mike Hodges controls the discomfort carefully. The women barely exist beyond what the men want from them, and the severity will be too much for some evenings. **How long is Get Carter, and what is it rated?** *Get Carter* runs 1h 52m. It is a crime and thriller film. **Where can I watch Get Carter in Slovakia?** *Get Carter* is not on any streaming or rental service in Slovakia at the moment. It is available in 8 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Get Carter, and is it suitable for children?** *Get Carter* is an 18 certificate and earns it: the violence is brutal, the men are repellent and the film offers little relief from its ugly view of people. It is not for children or younger teenagers. Adults should also know that the treatment of women, including Britt Ekland's Anna, is cruel and gives them little room to exist. **How does Get Carter compare to The Long Good Friday?** *Get Carter* is the colder and more disciplined film, while [*The Long Good Friday*](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday) is the more talkative and more enjoyable one. Michael Caine's Carter never needs to raise his voice; Bob Hoskins's gangster is funny, frightening and increasingly panicked, and Helen Mirren gives the later film a woman worth watching. Choose Carter for dread, Hoskins for bluster and wit. **What should I watch after Get Carter?** After *Get Carter*, try [*Point Blank*](https://film.one/film/point-blank) (1967, Fi1m 84): Another revenge thriller that makes its relentless central figure difficult to cheer. Then [*The Long Good Friday*](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday) (1980, Fi1m 88): British criminal authority begins to falter, with more room for panic and bluster; and [*A Prophet*](https://film.one/film/a-prophet) (2009, Fi1m 86): Prison crime treated as work, with power acquired through watching and waiting. ### Reviews we read (11) - **Empire**, Mark Dinning (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it arguably the best British gangster movie ever made, praising its brutal, bleak mood and unflinching revenge tale that never lets up. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-get-carter-review/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (85/100, inferred): Ebert calls the film a tense, hard-boiled crime movie that showcases Michael Caine at his most authoritative and vicious. He praises its sure feel for the proletarian underbelly of society and Hodges' skillful direction that gives it the quality of a strong American detective novel. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/get-carter-1971) - **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): The review highlights the film as a Brit classic with Michael Caine at his most relentlessly malicious, noting Carter's cool lines and evil nature make it a movie to love despite its bleak tone. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/get-carter-review/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (80/100, inferred): The review deems it a superior crime action meller with Michael Caine as an English hood seeking vengeance. It highlights Mike Hodges' top-notch adaptation that maintains interest with rare artistry, restraint, and clarity amid brutal and sordid plot turns. [Read](https://variety.com/1970/film/reviews/get-carter-1200422503/) - **Financial Times**, Rob Crossan (70/100, inferred): The piece positions Get Carter as a landmark that rewrote the gangster movie with its cold, nihilistic violence and pitiless portrait of Newcastle’s underworld. It notes the film’s initial critical dislike on 1971 release before later re-evaluation as a social document. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/25adefe8-9c0f-11de-b214-00144feabdc0) - **The New York Times**, Peter Schjeldahl (70/100, inferred): Schjeldahl finds the film ghastly in its unremitting violence and vile view of humanity, yet finely acted and crafted in a way that makes it spectacularly better than most of its genre. He singles out Michael Caine's performance as a ticking, glinting bomb and the film's overall taut execution. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/14/archives/youll-hate-yourself-for-loving-carter.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Tom Milne: The critic finds the film a cool, clinical neo-noir that exploits its Newcastle setting well and shows promise in Hodges' direction and strong performances, but notes it lacks the mythic aura of classic American thrillers and includes some contrived or sentimental elements. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/get-carter-review-clinical-cynical-film-noir-1970s-britain) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The critic calls Mike Hodges’ 1971 film a Brit-crime magnum opus and a stone-cold classic on re-release. He singles out Michael Caine’s dead-eyed, ruthless performance as gangland enforcer Jack Carter and the film’s blend of violent pulp with dour working-class realism. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/may/25/get-carter-review-michael-caine-delivers-in-stone-cold-classic-mike-hodges) - **The Telegraph**, Patrick Gibbs: The original review finds the film ridiculous and unconvincing as a thriller, failing to match Chandler or Bogart. It criticizes the off-hand style, unclear plotting, and the protagonist’s implausible paragon status amid a confusing trail of violence. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/10727750/Get-Carter-original-Telegraph-review.html) - **The Times**, Ed Potton (★★★★☆): The review hails Michael Caine’s tour de force as the cool, quotable London gangster Jack Carter investigating his brother’s death. It praises the film’s stylish brutality and iconic lines while noting dated elements in its treatment of women as a reflection of the unpleasant characters. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/get-carter-1971-review-michael-caines-tour-de-force-as-a-london-gangster-f8xgjjcn9) - **Eye for Film**, Stephen Carty (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a tough but groundbreaking British gangster movie with gritty realism and an uncompromising vision. Caine's iconic, cool performance is singled out as making it arguably his finest hour and a landmark picture. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/get-carter-film-review-by-stephen-carty) ## Details - **Director:** Mike Hodges - **Director:** Mike Hodges - **Writer:** Mike Hodges, Ted Lewis - **Cinematography:** Wolfgang Suschitzky - **Editor:** John Trumper - **Music:** Roy Budd - **Production design:** Assheton Gorton - **Costume design:** Evangeline Harrison - **Producer:** Michael Klinger, Michael Caine - **Cast:** Michael Caine as Jack Carter; Ian Hendry as Eric; Britt Ekland as Anna; John Osborne as Kinnear; Tony Beckley as Peter; George Sewell as Con; Geraldine Moffat as Glenda; Rosemarie Dunham as Edna - **Runtime:** 1h 52m - **First release (Denmark):** 3 February 1971 - **Genres:** Crime, Thriller - **Budget:** $2 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NtstlDW0Zo ## Where to watch in Slovakia Not streaming, renting or buying in Slovakia at the last check. Also available in: AU, CA, ES, GB, IT, NL, RO, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Point Blank* (1967), Fi1m 84: Another revenge thriller that makes its relentless central figure difficult to cheer. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/point-blank.md) - *The Long Good Friday* (1980), Fi1m 88: British criminal authority begins to falter, with more room for panic and bluster. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-long-good-friday.md) - *The American Friend* (1977): A slower, sadder crime film about ordinary vulnerability and the business of killing. - *A Prophet* (2009), Fi1m 86: Prison crime treated as work, with power acquired through watching and waiting. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-prophet.md) - *Sonatine* (1993): Another frighteningly composed gangster, with stranger and quieter diversions between the violence. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/get-carter