Michael Caine is one of the most beloved actors in history, but recently his 1864 film Zulu was questioned as a potential “culture piece inciting the far right to terrorism”. However, the multi-award-winning actor has hit back in defense of the movie, playing an officer in the 19th century Anglo-Zulu War.
According to Britain’s anti-terrorism program Prevent, the film is a “key text” for “white supremacists.” The main purpose of the report was to make it clear that the government is not fighting cases of non-violent Islamic extremism vigorously enough to prevent escalation. The criticism was mainly aimed at the British government, but Zulu was singled out because it had the potential to incite terrorism and extremist hatred.
However, Michael Caine responded to the suggestion by immediately rejecting it. During an interview with The spectatorCaine was told Zulu specifically mentioned as a film that could have extremist connotations in modern times. In direct response to the news, Caine said:
“That’s the biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard.”
During the interview, Caine commented that as far as he’s concerned, “there aren’t any movies” he wouldn’t have wanted to make, including Zulu, which he noted was the film that made him a star. When it comes to the movie itself, the movie is a historical war epic dramatizing the Battle of Rorke’s Drift that has stood the test of time and still holds an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is considered a movie classic.
Michael Caine has no plans to retire as he approaches his 90th birthday
With over 160 movies to his name, you might think that Michael Caine would just want to put his feet up and relax as he approaches a milestone birthday of 90. In a 2021 podcast, the actor appeared to suggest that he retired from acting and focused on other work, such as writing. He said at the time:
“Funnily enough, this actually turned out to be my last role. Because I haven’t worked for two years and I have a spinal problem that affects my legs, so I can’t walk very well. And I also wrote a book, a few books, that came out and were successful so I’m not an actor now I’m a writer That’s great because as an actor you have to get up at 5:30 in the morning and go to the studio As a writer you start writing without getting out of bed !”
However, he later clarified his comments, commenting on his Twitter account that he “didn’t lose my alarm clock”. Caine certainly proved this to be true after appearing in the movies Twist And Bestsellers in 2021, Medieval in 2022 and currently filming The great escape with fellow veteran Glenda Jackson.