Alfie (1966)

In this extremely grim comedy, Michael Caine plays a ne'er-do-well who never does good. The rakish Alfie moves from woman to woman with the emotional maturity of Bill Clinton, and even less morality. Alternately talking up to the camera and talking down to his sexual conquests, Alfie maneuvers through the minefield of emotions by remaining aloof, until of course, he is left alone. A fine performance by Shelley Winters as the wealthy woman Alfie seeks to court rounds out this well-aimed attack on the lady's man lifestyle. Nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. --James DiGiovanna Amazon.com essential video

Horrible

How people like this movie is beyond me. Alfie is a complete jerk (and that's being nice). I watched this movie with my mouth hitting the floor a couple of times. Alfie was a complete dog and was just down right mean to women...and they put up with it. Was this truly a reflection of the times? Lord, I hope not. I understand this movie was up or won a quite a few awards and all I can say was that it must not have been too much competition that year. Skip this movie if you can.


August 2, 2008

The best of Michael Caine

This is the movie that caused Michael Caine to be shunned by filmmakers for quite a long time after it's release. He is SO good as Alfie, the penultimate seducer - and deserter - of women, that he became associated with the character to the extent that many people - women especially - despised him for years. Enough time has passed now to be able to just enjoy a particularly fine movie. Even though the role of women has progressed beyond Alfie's "birds", and we have attained a status that precludes being referred to as "it", this is still a timeless and brilliant movie. April 29, 2008

Grandest Batchlor of Them All

Watching this DVD makes me understand why some of us love the single life.

Michael Caine is just perfect in the role of Smoothie, Alfie. Talking to the camera about his private thoughts while entertaining a lady adds much interest to his activities.

Narcissistic, handsome and very charming Alfie is confident even stealing a girl away from a buddy. Concerned, as he picks up one of his girlfriend's hand and tell her he doesn't want her hands getting ruined as she washes his floors on hands and knees, he doesn't want her making him "puffed" from the kidney pies she bakes for him, after his friends tease him about his appearance.

Heartbreaker Shelly Winters is his psychological twin. Playgirl doesn't want love, just a little fling.

The horrible scene of his debilitated friend's wife's pregnancy is why I skipped 5 stars.

It end with Alfie walking and concerned, ego broken by Winter's affair with a very young guy.

Lastly, the song "What's it All About" is great. July 9, 2007

The original Alfie

Based on the play by screenwriter Bill Naughton, director Lewis Gilbert's "Alfie" is a black comedy of mores and manners about a naïve womanizer who wonders, as in the title song, "What's it all about?" Caine, in a star-making role, is sensational as the charming but emotionally clotted Alfie, whose hilarious asides to the camera leaven the film's heavier moments. Just as good is a brassy Shelley Winters as Ruby, a seductive vixen who turns Alfie inside out. Even today, Gilbert's unsparing riff on the emptiness of sexual conquest still resonates, and the film also benefits from the palpable electricity of London in the swinging sixties. June 27, 2007

Charming Misanthrope

It took me a number of years to finally catch up with "Alfie" and, boy, did I have a misconception about the film. I thought Alfie was a free-spirited dandy who loves and leaves the ladies. Little did I know that he's a self-loathing misogynist.It's a brilliant device to have Alfie address the audience. Alfie may think he's pleading his case but instead he digs a deeper hole for himself. Unlike the angry British young men of a few years prior social conditions don't seem to have effected his mindset. Nope, Alfie was probably always a louse. Credit Michael Caine for making this cretin if not sympathetic at least palatable. I also found the film's decidedly pro-life stance refreshing. The irony is that the case for the sanctity of unborn life is delivered most compellingly by of all people an abortionist played by Denholm Elliott. This film is an interesting counterpart to the 2004 remake. Jude Law's gives a more sympathetic rendering of Alfie even though the character is no less of a cad. June 11, 2007

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