Summary
The film starring Michael Caine was adapted from a 1970 Ted Lewis novel set in an underworld of gangsters and teenage pornography. Mike Hodges, Nick Triplow, Pamela Hutchinson and John Gray talk with Matthew Sweet about the influence of the book and film.
Originally set in Scunthorpe, Lewis' novel Jack's Return Home was relocated to Newcastle/Gateshead for the film which Mike Hodges adapted and directed. A series of events marking what would have been Ted Lewis's 80th birthday are taking place at Scunthorpe, Newcastle, Barton-upon-Humber and Hull.
Jack's Return Home (1970) was published in 1971 as Carter and later re-published as Get Carter after the film was made. Nick Triplow is the author of a biography Getting Carter: Ted Lewis and the Birth of Brit Noir
Producer: Torquil MacLeod
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right? |
| 0:23.3 | It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music when it's out of ice cream. |
| 0:28.8 | Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:33.2 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:36.9 | This edition of the Arts and Ideas podcast is about a classic, a cult classic. |
| 0:41.9 | Get Carter, a film that defines the British 70s. |
| 0:45.8 | It's bleak and it's brutal. |
| 0:47.7 | And the panel we've booked are pretty tough too. |
| 0:50.2 | They include the philosopher John Gray and Mike Hodges, who wrote and directed the film. |
| 0:55.5 | Get on the train north with them and with me, Matthew Sweet, after these messages. |
| 1:00.3 | Before your chosen podcast, my name's Ian McMillan, keeper of the box of delights that is the verb. |
| 1:07.0 | If you like poetry and stories and spoken word and performance |
| 1:10.8 | and language that falls between the cracks, |
| 1:14.3 | then the verb is for you. |
| 1:16.1 | Downloaders wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 1:18.7 | It's time to go back home. |
| 1:20.9 | If you call the north-east of England home, that is. |
| 1:24.0 | That's the direction of travel indicated by this music by Roy Budd. |
| 1:30.1 | And there are images that go with it. You may know them. Michael Cain in a British rail |
| 1:35.8 | smoking compartment, his hair over his collar and his cold eyes, pouring over a novel |
| 1:41.5 | by Raymond Chandler. Michael Cain in the buffet car, |
| 1:45.4 | popping two little black pills |
... |
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