The Whistle Blower (1986)

Glasses: No

Doing an Accent?: No

Accent for whole film?: N/A

Hair: Yes

Does he point at someone?: Yes. Ranty point too.

 

Best Line: "If you believe in all that, why don't you bloody go and live in Russia!?" (that old chestnut!)

 

One genre that tends to appear within the works of Sir Maurice is the spy film, with our man having a reasonably large amount of genre roles in his wallet from Harry Palmer back in the day through to the more recent Kingsman: The Secret Service.

 

Theres probably a good case to be made for MC to be crowned as the best spy actor these shores have produced due to a decent number of killer films within this particular branch of Caineology. The man knows when to simmer, when to tear into the action and when to genuinely ACT in relation to the events unfolding.

 

In "The Whistle Blower" Caine plays a retired officer with some connections to the old firm, now in business, and with a son who works in code breaking and linguistics. Its clear that he loves his son dearly and see's him as the focus of his life, with Caines wife having departed and him not really being much of a socialite.

 

Caine plays this very well by not actually doing a lot on camera other than passively watching and observing the goings on around him - in an ACTORLY way and not a "dunno what I'm supposed to be doing here" way that lesser mortals than Maurice "Muthafuckin'" Mickelwhite would.

 

Now, when the son becomes privy to information that the establishment may not be as upright and square as they should be and the establish begins to move against him.........then its time for the old man to step in and start taking matters into hand and wanting some serious justice.

 

Frankly, its a rather bleak downer of a film, this one. Its not bad per se, but its rather glum autumnal melancholic air is the overriding memory that one takes away from it. It has a futile atmosphere to it, whether by chance or design.

 

Rubbish poster an' all.

 

Minutae.

 

1 - Unintentionally or not, theres a few riffs on the Ipcress File within this film, from the tone of the thing to the particular angles chosen for the cameras. Ol' Harry even turns up as a picture of a younger Caine in the background of his sons flat.

 

2 - A friend of Caines character appears and is wonderfully played by Barry Foster, who steals the film as is his wont. We here at Mickelwhite Towers are confirmed fans of the BF.

LOVELY!!!......LOOOOOVELLY!!!

 

3 - That most 80s of aviation designs, Firefox, makes an appearance at one point, instantly stamping this film with "1980s" in bold.

 

4 - From time to time, Bike Mike finds the need to deploy his "drunken" method of acting. Always a joy, always a pleasure and always welcome. And we get a peach of a scene here with it........cheers, old boy

 

 

5 - Big plot drive is the springing of an exposed Ruski agent............who appears to be none other than esteemed horror icon Garth Marenghi......

 

 

6 - This film takes place in some real grubby locations, what with motorway hotels, smoky pubs and rubbish strewn streets. All of which add to the general atmosphere of the film.

Even the supposedly nice locations (some of which are indeed very nice in real life) look drab.


Outfit of the film.

Slim pickings here as its mostly autumnal overcoats with nary a flamboyant scarf in sight. At least, not until Gielgud turns up. However, when shit gets real..........Jack Carter returns.