Alfie (1966 film)


Alfie is a 1966 British romantic and sex comedy-drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Michael Caine. It is an adaptation by Bill Naughton of his own 1966 novel and 1963 play of the same name. The film was released by Paramount Pictures.
Alfie tells the story of a young womanising man who leads a self-centred life, purely for his own enjoyment, until events force him to question his uncaring behaviour, his loneliness and his priorities. He cheats on numerous women, and despite his confidence towards women, he treats them with disrespect and refers to them as "it", using them for sex and for domestic purposes. Alfie frequently breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the camera narrating and justifying his actions. His words often contrast with or totally contradict his actions.
This was the first film to receive the "suggested for mature audiences" classification by the Motion Picture Association of America in the US, which evolved into the modern PG rating. The film had its World Premiere at the Plaza Theatre in the West End of London on 24 March 1966.

Plot

A handsome Cockney, self-centered, narcissistic chauffeur in London named Alfred Elkins enjoys the sexual favours of married and single women, while avoiding any commitment. He ends an affair with a married woman, Siddie, just as he gets his submissive single girlfriend, Gilda, pregnant. Alfie thinks nothing of pilfering fuel and money from his employer, and tells Gilda to do the same. Although Alfie refuses to marry Gilda and cheats on her constantly, Gilda decides to have the child, a boy named Malcolm Alfred, and keep him rather than give him up for adoption.
Over time, Alfie becomes quite attached to his delightful son, but his unwillingness to marry Gilda causes her to break up with him and marry Humphrey, a kindly bus conductor and neighbour of hers who loves her and is willing to accept Malcolm Alfred as his own son. She also bars Alfie from any further contact with Malcolm, forcing Alfie to watch from a distance as Humphrey steps into his fatherly role. When a health check reveals Alfie has tubercular shadows on his lungs, the diagnosis, and his fear of death, combined with his separation from his son, leads him to have a brief mental breakdown.
Alfie spends time in a convalescent home, where he befriends a fellow patient named Harry, a family man devoted to his frumpy wife Lily. Alfie makes out with one of the nurses, which disgusts Harry. Alfie thinks nothing of cheating, lying, stealing, or taking other men's wives. When Alfie flippantly suggests that Lily might be cheating on Harry, Harry angrily confronts Alfie about his attitudes and behaviour. Alfie is released from the home and briefly stops working as a chauffeur to take holiday photos of tourists near the Tower of London for five shillings each. Here he meets Ruby, an older, voluptuous, affluent and promiscuous American, who, even though she is accompanied by an older gentleman, gives him her address and telephone number. Alfie returns to the convalescent home to visit Harry, who asks him to give his wife Lily a ride home. Neither Alfie nor Lily initially want to spend time together, but they agree to please Harry, and the ride home turns into a one-night stand.
Later, Alfie becomes a chauffeur again and picks up a young red-headed hitchhiker, Annie, from Sheffield, who is looking to make a fresh start in London. He manages to steal her away from a lorry driver who had given her a lift, and she moves in with him. Annie proves preoccupied with a love left behind, scrubbing Alfie's floor, doing his laundry, and preparing his meals to compensate. The lorry driver finds him in a pub, punches him in the face and a barroom brawl ensues. Alfie comes home with a big black eye. He grows resentful of Annie and drives her out with an angry outburst, immediately regretting it. Around the same time, Lily informs him that she is pregnant from their one encounter, and the two plan for her to have an illegal abortion to keep Harry from finding out. Lily comes to his flat to meet the abortionist. During the abortion, Alfie leaves Lily and walks around. He catches sight of his son Malcolm outside a church, and witnesses the baptism of Gilda's daughter with Humphrey. He watches as they exit the church as a family. The abortion proves traumatic for both Lily and Alfie, with Alfie breaking down in tears upon seeing the aborted fetus, the only time Alfie truly confronts the consequences of his own actions.
The stress of the situations with Annie and Lily makes Alfie decide to change his non-committal ways and settle down with the rich Ruby. However, upon visiting Ruby, he finds a younger man in her bed. He encounters Siddie again, but she has lost interest in him and returned to her husband. Alfie is left lonely and wondering about his life's choices, then asks the viewers "What's it all about? You know what I mean."

Cast

The film is unusual in that it has no opening credits and the end credits feature photos of the principal actors, as well as of the main technical crew, including director Gilbert and cameraman Otto Heller. It was shot at Twickenham Studios with scenes shot at several locations in London; including Waterloo Bridge which is seen at the beginning and end of the film where the title character walks into the distance accompanied by a stray dog and Tower Bridge which is the backdrop for the photography scene with Shelley Winters.
Several well-known actors, including Richard Harris, Laurence Harvey, James Booth and Anthony Newley turned down the title role due to the then-taboo subject matter. Despite having played "Alfie" on Broadway, Terence Stamp categorically declined to reprise the role on film, so he and casting agents approached his good friend and then roommate Michael Caine: not one to then snub a role about a common man, Caine agreed to do it. He won huge acclaim for the breakthrough role of his career and continued to land better parts.

Music

The original film soundtrack featured jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins with local musicians from London including Stan Tracey on piano, who improvised "Little Malcolm Loves His Dad", Rick Laird on bass, Phil Seamen on drums, Ronnie Scott on tenor sax.
The Sonny Rollins album Alfie, orchestrated and conducted by Oliver Nelson, was recorded in New Jersey, United States in January 1966. It features Rollins with J.J. Johnson – trombone, Jimmy Cleveland – trombone, Phil Woods – alto saxophone, Bob Ashton – tenor saxophone, Danny Bank – baritone saxophone, Roger Kellaway – piano, Kenny Burrell – guitar, Walter Booker – bass and Frankie Dunlop – drums
The title song, "Alfie", written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was sung by Cher over the film's closing credits in the US release reaching #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became a hit for British singer Cilla Black and for Madeline Eastman and Dionne Warwick.

Reception

Alfie currently holds a 96% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 26 reviews with an average rating of 7.9/10.

Awards and recognition

Academy Awards
BAFTA Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Cannes Film Festival
The 1966 film was followed by Alfie Darling, with Alan Price replacing Caine. An updated 2004 remake starred Jude Law in the title role.