Alfie (1966 film)

Infobox Film
name = Alfie


caption =original movie poster
director = Lewis Gilbert
producer = Lewis Gilbert
writer = Bill Naughton
starring =Michael Caine
Shelley Winters
Millicent Martin
Vivien Merchant
music =Sonny Rollins
cinematography = Otto Heller
editing = Thelma Connell
distributor = Paramount Pictures
released = March, 1966 (UK release)
runtime = 114 min
country = UK
language = English
budget = $800,000 (estimated)
gross = $8,500,000 (USA only)
followed_by = Alfie Darling
amg_id = 1:1446
imdb_id = 0060086

"Alfie" is a 1966 British film starring Michael Caine. It is an adaptation by Bill Naughton of his own novel and play of the same name. The film was released by Paramount Pictures.

Premise

The film tells the story of a young man who leads a promiscuous lifestyle until several life reversals make him rethink his purposes and goals in life. Alfie frequently breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the camera narrating and justifying his actions. His words often contrast and/or totally contradict his actions.

Production

Terence Stamp turned down the role of "Alfie". He recommended Caine for the role.

The film features music by noted jazz musician Sonny Rollins, backed by Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Cleveland, J.J. Johnson and Roger Kellaway arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson. [ [http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist/releases/default.aspx?pid=9497&aid=2694 vervemusicgroup.com] Alfie by Sonny Rollins]

The end credits are unusual in that not only photos of the principal actors are featured,but also the main technical crew,including director Lewis Gilbert and cameraman Otto Heller.

Plot

The films begins with Alfie Elkins (Caine) ending a relationship with a married woman and getting another of his affairs pregnant. The film then follows his life for a few years, documenting events that lead to the character's emotional growth starting with the birth of his child.

Watching his child grow brings out a more caring side of Alfie, including his having a health check in case of hereditary diseases, but his inability to commit to the child's mother leads to her marrying a bus conductor. The health check reveals Alfie has shadows on his lungs. This combined with being banned from seeing his son leads him to have a small breakdown.

Alfie then spends some time in a convalescence home. Here he meets Harry, who confronts him about his delusion that he is doing no harm, and Harry's wife, whom he gets pregnant in a one-night stand. The subsequent abortion is a turning point for the character and the only time other than his passing out/breakdown where he exhibits real emotion - breaking down in tears at the sight of the aborted fetus.

At the film's climax, Alfie decides to change his non-committal ways and settle down. He chooses Ruby (Shelley Winters), who is an older voluptuous and promiscuous American he met while working in taking holiday photos. Unfortunately the day he chooses to suggest this to Ruby, he finds a younger man in her bed, leaving him disheartened at the film's end and wondering “What's it all about? You know what I mean”.

Reception

The film was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Michael Caine), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Vivien Merchant), Best Song (Burt Bacharach and Hal David for "Alfie"), Best Picture and Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium).

In 2004 the magazine "Total Film" named it the 48th greatest British film of all time. Fact|date=March 2008

Awards

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Special Jury Prize, Cannes
years=1966
before="Kwaidan"
after=award discontinued

Remake

The film was remade in 2004 in an updated version starring Jude Law.

Popular culture references

*Much dialogue from the film was sampled by the band Carter USM for their 1991 album "30 Something".
*The Divine Comedy released a single called "Becoming More Like Alfie" which features sampled dialogue from the film.
*Burt Bacharach was inspired by the film to write the song, Alfie, which became a top ten hit in the UK for Cilla Black. However, the song was never used on the British print of the film but it was included on the US version over the final titles when it was sung by Cher (produced by Sonny Bono). Even though the Cher version was used in the US version of the film, it was Dionne Warwick who had the biggest US hit with her cover version. Bacharach was pleased the song was used because it gained him (and Hal David) an Oscar nomination.

References

External links

*
*, Screenshots from the film