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Show WAS IMPRESSED,” Michael Caine was explaining to me. “I’d always steered clear oftelevision movieswith special effects, because they didn’t do them well. They didn’t have a quality look. But now, with the UF: MIGHAEL = AINE flat in London's Chelsea district and a country in computer, they can do extraor- Born Maurice Micklewhite, March 14, 1933, Haines, pageee, one dinary special effects. I saw what they were ableto do in Gulliver's Travels. So I wentforit! [loved it! There isn’t a lemonin the cast {which includes Patrick Dempsey, Bryan Brown and Mia Sara]. And there was a $15 million budget, which for a TV movie is huge.” What Caine wasraving about was an ABC miniseries to be shown tonight and tomorrow night, anew and apparently dandy version of Jules Verne’s classic adventure 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Hestars as the mysterious Captain Nemo,thebrilliant but menacing skipperofthe great submarine Nautilus, a fictional craft so ahead ofits time as described by the visionary Veme that when nuclear-powered subs came alongin ourtime,the U.S. Navy named the Nautilus Class afterit, Shooting along Australia’s “Gold Coast”and elsewhere Down Under, the production team not only built a large-scale Nautilus butalso a full-rigged sailing ship of those hi beginningsin a gaslit, tworoom London flat when it his fate was to become fish Would Be King, of the era and an underwatertank ragle as Landed, large enoughto hold what's supwre, California posed to be thelost city of At- movies, novels seats at The Old Vic lantis. I suppose that’s where some of the $15 million went. Caine was in London when we spoke but was getting ready for a Micklewhite three-week stay in New York to film a new comedy.“It used to have a name,”hesaid, “but now My ownfi ‘as a boy and about Michael Caine *ae man. memory unhim theytell meto call it Untitled.” Before London, he’d been in was as oh-so-snobbish aristocratic British officer Miami to open a new restaurant, the South Beach Brasserie. And South Beachstill the ? “It was very trendy for atime, photographers and cover girls everywhere,then it went a bit off, and nowthe heavy[financial] hitters are comingin,” Caine the Sea, 1997. Include What's It All About?, 1989; Acting in Film, 1992. said. “So,yes,it's very hot, very muchthe placeall over again.” Caine is a very successfulrestaurateur, with five restaurants in the U.K. and now this Miami place. He may be openingelse~ where in the States, “but not until we see how Miamidoes,”he said. The food business may be in his blood. Caine's father worked eee see and his parents ms mother was a charwoman) intended the boyto become a fish porter as well. But young MauTice Micklewhite (his real name) had other ideas and began studying acting after a tour with Royal Fusiliers in Korea. Caine has been nominated for four Oscars and won for Woody Allen's Hannah and Her. Sisters. er ? hasn't chael, sounding a bit mystified. Michael Caine as the Funnything is, when Caine is in Manhattan, and Woodyhave have te bles at the same restaurant, Elaine’ Caine also isa writer on booksinclude the autobiography What's It All About? and Acting ps Film. Got another one cooking? “I'm writing a novel, a thriller actually,” he said. “Noth- hi ing earthshaking but doingit for fun. I haven't made a publishing distinctive deal yet and don't want one.If Cockney they give you the money,they 1 had youaccent, expect the book, and I’m doing fooled at least.” this one at my own pace.” PAGE 16» MAY 11, 1997 + |