In this book actor Michael Caine describes being a leading actor in films, he says that his job is the carry the entire film and give life to the filmmaker’s vision. Caine uses humor and personal experiences from the start to the height of his career to impart knowledge about the do’s and dont’s of the acting business. A professional killer crying about the loss of innocence and the brutality of human beings, which sends him into a savage rage of anger. Including a comprehensive filmography of his best and not so good films, this booklet covers a great deal.

He talks about entering sets where he only had one line to speak, waiting for hours to say that one line and that many stars on the film sets could be very arrogant and refused to talk to anyone below them. This book also shows you how acting worked in the 1960's,1970's and beyond, the differences in the way that staff behind the scenes worked, even gender differences and technical advances which changed the way actors worked in the film world.He talks about his role in Alfie and how he understood Alfie but was not like him, so he pictured a friend that was very much like Alfie’s fictional character stood next to the camera and imagined him talking. I was hoping for more insight on techniques in front of the camera - similar to Michael Caine's great acting masterclass from 1987 (I believe), which can be found on YouTube. At the time he is watching a pornographic film that has his school girl niece being taken advantage of by corrupt adults. He also states that it is his responsibility to fully engage the audience, to make them believe in him, not to see him as an actor speaking lines, but to see the character from the screenplay, he describes how he does this as an actor and his methods are interesting to read. I did very much enjoy what Caine had to say, even when I did not understand what he was talking about.

His first major starring roles, beginning in the 1960s, include 'Zulu,' 'The Ipcress File,' and 'Alfie. Caine, because his book is so honestly and efficiently helpful you can tell his intention is to educate and improve the art, not blow smoke. It's brief and to the point, full of common sense advice that makes as much sense now as it did in 1990. The close-up camera he tells us can pick up the minutest fluctuations in emotion and magnify them hugely, the close-up camera misses nothing, he says, it registers every subtle change on our faces and in our eyes, which is why he says actors must master it, or their performance will not be believed by the audience. Michael Caine teaches the art of movie acting to five young actors, who perform scenes from Alfie (1966), Deathtrap (1982) and Educating Rita (1983).Sus consejos son directos, nos cuenta sus anécdotas, nos muestra cómo funcionan los rodajes y su impresión de la industria. The beautiful partnership he had with Connery in Man Who Would Be King, and how they supported each other, made each other better, and made a better film. He has tips and tricks when it comes to acting, but he truly just teaches you how to be a human in this industry.

I also have to add that one of the main treats i took from reading this short gem was how Caine, as big a movie actor as he is, imparts his knowledge with such warmth. I found some surprising info here, little-known rules-of-thumb for entertainers I wouldn't have been able to guess at.Biometric tests on cinema audiences, such as pulse rates, are used to advise the film companies on just how much viewers are immersed in the experience.

Sir Michael Caine, CBE was born Maurice Joseph Micklewaite near Elephant and Castle in South London. Acting students attending auditions now might face a completely different landscape when it comes to auditions and getting parts. Rather than try explaining everything with endless details, Michael Caine just gives it to the reader plain and simple, which is the reason why i truly appreciate this book. When sitting around set, waiting for the lighting professionals to make it just right, I'll turn to my fellow actors and say: "We're paid to wait. This book is particularly helpful to actors who are crossing over from theater acting to film acting.

This is a quick read, but one that looks as pretty much every aspect of the film industry from an actors perspective.