There are few actors alive today who are more iconic than Sir Michael Caine. The actor, whose career has spanned over seventy years, has taken on iconic roles in films such as The Quiet American, The Cider House Rules, and Alfie, among others. But it looks like his career is coming full circle with his newest role in The Great Escaper, an upcoming Pathé project, in which he stars opposite Glenda Jackson, with whom he last shared the screen 47 years ago in the Joseph Losey classic The Romantic Englishwoman. And in honor of the new project, two contrasting images have been released showing Jackson and Caine together, showing the pair as they were in their first collaboration, and now as they are on their latest project.
The new image, released today, shows Caine and Jackson sitting hand in hand on a bench, mirroring an earlier image of the pair from their time on The Romantic Englishwoman. The new image gives us a glimpse into their newest collaboration, The Great Escaper, which will tell the true story of octogenarian Bernard Jordan's escape from a care home in order to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France. The film will take us back to the summer of 2014 when Bernard Jordan made headlines with his hard-fought journey to honor his fallen comrades. The film will explore Jordan's courage and strength, and while also taking a bittersweet look at the complexities of aging.
The film will be directed by Oliver Parker, who previously worked on An Ideal Husband. The film features a script from William Ivory. Of the new project, the film's director said, "[n]o one can resist a script that makes people both laugh and cry – I loved Billy’s writing and the story itself, so inspirational and so moving; to have Michael and Glenda - two iconic actors - agree to honour this story with their brilliance, it’s the cherry on the cake!"
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Caine and Jackson are, in fact, both iconic actors in their own right. And though Caine is perhaps a more high-profile household name, Jackson's career has been no less prestigious or enduring. Most recently, Jackson starred in the films Mothering Sunday and Elizabeth is Missing. Her career has also extended beyond film and into politics, having served in several positions as a Labour Party representative.
The new images, released today, give us a look into the full depth of meaning behind Caine and Jackson's most recent collaboration on The Great Escaper, which has just begun principal photography.