# The “second-rate” 1983 movie Michael Caine only made to pay for his “first-rate lifestyle”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-second-rate-1983-movie-michael-caine-only-made-to-pay-for-his-first-rate-lifestyle/
- Published: 2026-11-12T16:15:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T17:54:11+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/second-rate-movie-michael-caine-made-pay-for-first-rate-lifestyle/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Caine said some roles paid for his expensive tastes.
- He made the remark while promoting The Honorary Consul.
- The film failed to recoup half its production budget.

## Summary

Michael Caine said he made some “second-rate movies” to fund his “first-rate lifestyle”, remarks that damaged the prospects of the 1983 drama The Honorary Consul, which he was promoting at the time. The candid admission highlighted his willingness to take roles for money, even as he continued to win acclaim for other performances.

The article contrasts the film with Educating Rita, released earlier that year, which earned Caine a Golden Globe and a Bafta and an Academy Award nomination. The Honorary Consul, adapted from Graham Greene’s novel, struggled at the box office and recovered less than half its production budget; its US release was retitled Beyond the Limit, a change Caine also criticised.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.