Alfie (Widescreen)

Michael Caine plays the ultimate player in Alfie. He’s seeing several women at once. He tells one she wasn’t as ugly as he initially thought. Another time he tells her not to cry on his shirt. The first woman he’s with in the movie he calls “It.” His selfish feelings are expressed directly to the audience as Caine constantly talks right into the camera. I love how the story develops and he gets shock after shock at the hands of women. The end however questions whether he learns anything or will continue on with his womanizing ways. It really is a classic and hep make Caine a star.

In the mid-Sixties British film makers turned to London. For over a decade before the subject had been the industrial midlands and their angry young men. But things had abruptly changed since then and between the Beatles and James Bond, England was suddenly the center of world hipness and foggy London had become Swinging London. director Lewis Gilbert was not one of the British New Wave directors, but had previously directed traditional films like Sink the Bismark and Damn the Defiant. Nevertheless he went straight into the contemporary scene and did it with a really experimental style and came out with one of the best films of the mid-Sixties.Alfie is a truly loutish character who is vain, self-centered, amoral and mostly irresponsible;he is the guy you don't want your daughter to meet and to whom you'd best not introduce your wife. He is a classic womanizer, a man who is totally dedicated to affairs and one night stands with as many women as he can comfortably fit in. The film opens with him finishing up a tryst in a parked car and later shows him not above leading girls on so they will clean his house and make him dinner. All along he shows nothing but contempt for the women he seduces and always makes sure they know he is free to come and go and do as he chooses. Yet such is Michael Caine's charisma in this early role (right after The Ipcress File), that you get taken by his charm and can't help but think he's a nice guy, at least for a while. But an exchange with Harry pretty much says it all. Alfie says, "I never meant to hurt anyone"" to which Harry replies, " I know. But you do."The film was very experimental in it's day. It used a jazz score by Sonny Rollins instead of the usual orchestration, and it seemed to fit Alfie and his lifestyle better than a traditional orchestral score could have. It also had Alfie constantly addressing the audience directly to the point that you feel you are his friend and confidante, another reason you tend to like him. You hear only his side of the story, but seeing what is actually going on you eventually know how much he is deluding himself. He gives up chances for a happy life, causes real and serious trouble that he simply can't face, and when he finally gets a comeuppance, you're really glad to see it.Alfie is often seen as a film of Swinging London and though it was filmed when Swinging London was really getting going, he is not part of that scene. Swinging London was not a particular place nor was it the entire city. It referred mostly to a particular hip crowd who went to certain clubs and parties and, as one of its members once said, "Was never more than about two thousand people". Alfie was not a member of this set. He was fairly low in the English class system, with a Cockney accent, and took jobs driving cars. His women were mostly working class and the one rich woman he was with was an American. Alfie was more a member of the Swinging Sixties, a time when old moral strictures about sex were breaking down and people were doing things openly that had been hidden before. It's not like men like Alfie hadn't always existed, it was now it was easier to be that way. A fascinating and serious film that is as good today as it ever was.

Saw this movie in the sixties when released. It was very impressive. Now…..quality of dvd is good, but story line is way too obvious for today’s audiences. Almost offensively preachy. Will probably keep just as an example of a classic.

What's ALFIE all about? If you were to ask the principle character he'd probably say freedom. Moving from one "it" (his term for girl - almost an abstraction) to another - no commitments or attachments and only an "honest" assessment that love is illusory or at best fleeting and therefore "the moment" is king. Alfie is caught in the crossfire of birth and death and refuses to confront either because he cannot understand the relationship of the past and future to his present. Alfie is the eternal mischievous boy who has charmed his way in and out of trouble (and women's underwear) his entire existence. An astute observer of the folly and frailty of human emotion, he is content to remain on the outside, unaware that there might be something of value superseding immediate gratification. As the film progresses, Alfie's charm is wearing thin and he starts experiencing the fallout from his years of shallow depravity. On those rare occasions when he chooses to confront the unfortunate but inevitable consequences of his behavior, he is disgusted and ashamed but ultimately unable to put these feelings of revulsion into a context and therefore continues his detached existence in ignorance. But he's no longer funny. In fact, by the films close, Alfie has become painfully sad. A flawed film in many ways (the ludicrous bar-room brawl comes to mind), ALFIE nevertheless succeeds primarily due to Michael Caine's performance. His ability to take the audience with him, as co-conspirators, in a lascivious game that is both intoxicating and shameful is remarkable. Unfortunately, while the emptiness of his character has had a sobering effect on us, Alfie has learned nothing of the experience and helplessly asks us, "What's it all about?"

A funny movie about a real cad, a user of women -- but somehow naive and somewhat loveable to the audience. Alfie talks directly to the camera about what he's thinking and his twisted views of women. And although Alfie's quite despicable, somehow you laugh because he's so pathetic -- tribute that to a great script. There is a dark scene when he's acted abominably and Alfie finds himself regretful and emotional, a touching scene by Michael Caine -- he's just a brilliant actor. Shelley Winters, another brilliant actor, plays an older, independent woman who is a flirt and sexpot -- she's more than Alfie can handle.

Michael Caine is one of my favorite actors and only saw this film for the first time years ago. I've watched it several times since and it doesn't age for me. The scenes in which Alfie breaks of the fourth wall gives us an insight into his thought processes but, they're almost too callous and selfish to be believed. In the end all of the women resolve to get away from him, of course with good reason. He has an opportunity to learn about himself through these losses and that of his children. He's not without feelings. You wonder if he will or will he be a feral dog forever. But the whole thing is a masterpiece with a lot of brilliant contributors from Sonny Rollins to Caine and Lewis Gilbert and many more. The only misstep was using Chef's version of title song instead of Dionne Warwick's.

I just love this 1966 movie.it is a UK productionOne immediately notices this from the accents, characters, wonderful dialogues, the way people and the camera move around.It is a joy to listen English accent.Story takes place in London.Prime character of the story is a single man, Alfie, and he is a womanizer.He has a very natural self centered personality, with lack of empathy.He is a car driver in a company, not having big ambitions in life, and living the moment.In flow of the story, Alfie has relation with five women in a linear form.In these relations he displays not caring, not emphatic, disrespectful, self centered personality.And when arguments pop up he has an explanation for everything. And his explanations usually sound "logical".One unusual feature of the movie is that Alfie also talks to the viewer explaining why he acts like that at key moments.These were the best parts making one laugh, even justifying him. :-)But also leaves the viewer in doubt with questions like is he right? Should I have some empathy for him?Does he sound logical/nonsense , genuine/fake? Is he nothing but a self obsessed psychopath?Two of the girls have genuine love for Alfie, but other two women are with him just for fun, they are settled with their life.And arguments are always with the ones in love with him.These girls demand commitment to their relations. On one of them, they have a son.And these loving girls are very altruistic and bear with him, but up to a point.But among the five women, most interesting, more strong, most sympathetic one was the wife of his friend he met at Health Recovery Compound.After a while, particularly after leaving his son, Alfie has health problems, and stay in a Health Recovery Compound for a while.Here he meets another patient, Harry, whose wife visiting him regularly.On one of these visits, Harry asks Alfie to take his wife, Lily to back to home.And on that journey, Alfie has a one night stand with her.But Lily has great respect for herself, for her husband.And maybe this is the only woman among all others who gets Alfie's empathy, understanding, even sacrifice.Movie resurfaces moral questions like should man be responsible, or is he naturally irresponsible, self centered creature, or is this a psychopathic personality?Should women bear follow their feelings against such type of men, or be logical?Starting with Michael Caine, all the cast were wonderful, Vivien Merchant, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Shelley Winters.

Although set in the apparent good times of the "swinging sixties"It shows the general poverty just below the surface.The use of the "4th wall" is central to the film. Although deceiving..... As as the film proceeds the reasons given cannot excuse the actions taken.Obviously the main protagonist Alfie lives and perpetuates a pure hedonistic lifestyle, Even he eventually becomes aware of the consequences of the ripples he causes.The hope is that he learns - it's left ambiguously open for the viewer to decide and maybe even to learn from.Ultimately a tale out of time - very well made and despite attempts to repeat has never been equaled.

I've seen both the original version of Alfie with Michael Caine and the remake with Jude Law. I enjoy both perhaps in equal measure.Amazingly Michael Caine, (Alfie) refers to women as "Girl," and even more shockingly as, "It." He is a true cockney character and I'm not sure how many characters are still out there in modern day London who would today fit his mould, (although obviously it is a film!)Alfie appears to have no moral compass and is literally only interested in having a good time with the women of his life.One moment, (which is repeated in the remake) is when towards the end of the movie he goes back to visit an older lady, (who he had met previously when he was taking photographs of tourists at Tower Bridge), and he discovers she has another man in her bedroom. He is shocked that she has chosen another man over him and asks why to which he is told that he is younger! (This same event happens in the remake too).On the surface it appears that he is living an amazing life going from woman to woman but he ends up losing Gilda who he had a child, (Malcolm) with. She marrys a bus conductor who in her words she doesn't love but respects. (I presume the point being she loves Alfie but doesn't respect him. She doesn't want a, "Weekend father.")While in hospital he meets the wife of a patient and after leaving hospital has an affair with her. She becomes pregnant and she has an abortion in Alfie's flat. Which is a very harrowing experience for the both of them. She is devastated and Alfie equally so.At this point the viewer is thinking is Alfie going to change his ways? Yet as he waxes lyrical at the end of the film next to the river Thames it is left open as to what he will do next.Caine's performance is fantastic and although the movie was made in 1965 it doesn't seem to have aged that much. What I would say is that a lot of the characters sound very British. (I.e. not how they would sound today in modern day Britain).

Alfie, I remember his type, and in fact they are still around to some extent. Michael Caine portrays well the arrogance of a young man who does not look at the consequences of his actions. Although dated in terms of clothes, it is not dated in terms of some of the beliefs and attitudes of the actors. I found this film evocative, sad, and funny. I want to use the word "enjoyed" but that does not describe my experience, I am glad i watched it, glad it was made and pleased that it is still out there as a message about male chauvinism, albeit that this is portrayed tongue in cheek.

Jack the Lad , with every care free fling comes its consequences. Very much a era of change and time marches on and leaves Alfie behind... a old lonely dog.5 Star film 5 Star DVD quality , better than some blu ray transfers