'Get Carter' - Narrative Structure

In this blog post we shall consider the narrative structure of Get Carter. Included in this will be the following:

Act Structure
Enigmas
Problematic
Cause and Effect
Character Arc

Act Structure

Syd Field’s 3 Act Theory:

  Act One – the Set Up

  Act Two – Confrontation

  Act Three - Resolution

Act 1 - the Set Up

Carter plans to go to Newcastle to find out who killed his brother

Warned not to ‘interfere’ by his gangster boss

Ignores warning and goes anyway

Arrives in Newcastle

Arranges a meet with Margaret

Meets Doreen, his niece, at Frank’s funeral



Act 2 - Confrontation

Meets with various characters who may have information

Albert Swift

Eric Paice

Cyril Kinnear

Cliff Brumby

Two ‘heavies’ are sent to bring him back to London

Carter begins to unravel the reason for Frank’s death

Sees the porn film – connects Frank’s death to Brumby, Kinnear, Swift and Paice

Kills Swift and Brumby for film involving his niece

Allows Glenda to die for same reason, after killing Peter during the ferry shoot out

Sends evidence of porn film to police and tips them off about Kinnear’s drug and vice 

links

Arranges for Paice to be ‘sacrificed’ by Kinnear for his ‘silence’

Carter kills Margaret – part revenge for her involvement with Frank, and to help set

up Kinnear

Act 3. Resolution

Kinnear is arrested

Carter kills Paice – revenge for his active involvement in Frank’s death

Carter is killed by hit man 

Enigmas

Who killed Frank?

Who knows what and who is involved and how?

Is Doreen actually Carter's illegitimate daughter?

Will Carter get revenge? 

The Central Problematic

What if you go against the wrong people, while seeking justice?

Cause and Effect

Frank is killed (cause), Jack wants answers (effect)

Jack goes to Newcastle (cause), gets 'justice' (effect)

Jack goes against his bosses orders (cause, beginning), gets killed (effect, end)

Character Arc

Jack is unaware of who killed his brother at the beginning

As narrative progresses, he gains understanding of the murder, also shows a 

softer side of his nature towards his niece, Doreen.

Plans new life after gaining complete revenge

Killed in last scene