KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Married Baby Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

leethomas-11621 Caine is magnificent in every scene. Wonderful direction, the risky talk-to-camera succeeding largely because of Caine's charisma. Great score also and two great actors Denhelm Elliot and Shelley Winters as well as Alfie Bass as Alfie's fellow sanatorium patient. What's not to like? as Alfie would say. I love the selfish rogue's optimism and patter. Finally there's the wonderful Cher singing the perfect title song at the end. And the dog bookending the whole film is a perfect touch. SPOILER: Even though we know things will turn pear-shape, I didn't think they would get as dark as they do and Caine and Merchant especially deliver strong performances.

Tweekums Alfie is a young man in sixties London who attracts a string of beautiful women despite the fact that he treats them poorly. When one of them gets pregnant he isn't too happy but she says she will have the baby adopted… but when the time comes she decides to keep the little boy. Alfie isn't willing to be a full time father but he likes the lad and sees him every weekend. A couple of years pass then she decides she wants more and marries another man. Around the same time Alfie discovers that he has a shadow on his lungs and must live in a sanatorium in the country… he doesn't stop his womanising ways though and it isn't long before it is getting him in more trouble.This film is a classic from the 'Swinging Sixties' but is definitely of its time. Michael Caine does a fine job in the lead role… unfortunately his character is hard to like thanks to his very dated attitudes. Referring to women as 'birds' is just slightly dated slang but using the pronoun 'It' must have been offensive even then! This of course makes it rather satisfying when one of his women gets a younger lover. There are comedy moments, notably a bar fight, but also some real tragedy involving an illegal abortion. Much of the dialogue is Alfie talking directly to camera as he tells the viewer his various ideas… mostly about women; this could have been irritating but I found it effective and sometimes comic. The supporting cast do an impressive job; these include Julia Foster, the woman who bears his child; Jane Asher, an attractive young redhead he dates for a while; Shelley Winters as an older American woman and Vivien Merchant who plays the wife of another patient at the sanatorium. Overall I'd certainly recommend this even if it does feel a bit dated it is an interesting look at sixties' attitudes.

Spikeopath One of Michael Caine's launching pad movies, Alfie is a cunning observation of the hedonistic swinging 60s, of a mod London that time has left behind. Adapted by Bill Naughton from his own play, it's directed by Lewis Gilbert and sees Caine supported by Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Shirley Anne Field and Vivien Merchant.Undeniably dated and arguably pushing the boundaries of the war between the sexes, it's a picture that is often wry and bittersweet and yet also so sad. It never shies away from responsibility, deftly showing the pitfalls of the era, with Caine absolutely marvellous as Alfie goes through his armoury of sexual charm and bizarre naivety.The viewing of sex and adultery, from both sides of the coin, is frank and telling, with the smartness of the production garnering 5 Oscar nominations. Come the end of the play, you will have feelings you didn't think were coming your way. Especially after a turn of events that is harrowing and potent in equal measure.Of its time for sure, but relevant film making? Without a doubt. Exceptionally performed in to the bargain. 7/10

jimbo-53-186511 Michael Caine plays Alfie who is a bed hopping care free Jack the Lad. Alfie basically sees women as tools for his pleasure and they are merely objects that are there to bolster his ego. However, when one of his conquests Gilda (Julia Foster) ends up pregnant and subsequently decides that she's keeping the baby, Alfie finds that, for once, he has some responsibility in his life (which he isn't pleased about). However, the addition of a child in his life doesn't faze him and he continues with his philandering ways ultimately to his own detriment.What I really enjoy about these 'character study' type films is that when they're done right they provide so much thought for the viewer. Michael Caine narrates the films partly in person (in front of the camera) and partly through voice-over. Many films use this approach in order to help viewers to get an understanding of its characters and Alfie is no different. It's quite clear that Alfie likes to be in control - he chooses when to visit his conquests and he also never really gets too close to his conquests and tries not to get emotionally involved with any of them. A possible reason for this is that he probably feels that if he gets too attached to any single woman that he may lose control and will leave himself open to being hurt. There is a scene where Alfie is in hospital and he makes an assumption that one patient's wife is having an affair with another man because she's late visiting her husband - he has no evidence that this occurs and I believe that he makes this assumption based on the fact that he cheats on a lot of husband's wives so therefore they must be doing it to their husbands. In a twist of irony, Alfie does end up having an affair with the very women who he accused of cheating on her husband.I suspect that the premise of this film may have put some people off (particularly women) as on the surface it is about a bed hopping womaniser. It also has an abortion scene later in the film which may upset some people (depending upon what your views are on this subject). However, if you look beyond the obvious this is actually an excellent character study and as we witness Alfie losing everything and everyone it highlights the downside of promiscuity. The mother of his child marries Humphrey who is basically everything that Alfie isn't (loving, loyal, caring). The one women that he actually falls for ends up cheating on him with a much younger man - I think this was the key scene in the film as it finally brought everything home to Alfie and meant that for once in his life he wasn't in control of a relationship which was the one thing that he never thought would happen and therefore, in effect, the 'player' had been 'played'. When you think about it at the start of the film he was 'alone' and at the end of the film he ends up 'alone' - although he's learnt a lot of life lessons between A and B.Michael Caine was superb in the lead role of Alfie and due to the fact that this film acts as a character study it's down to Michael Caine to carry the film which he does with ease. Caine is always watchable, but this is probably the best I've ever seen from him. The supporting cast are all good too, but this really is the Michael Caine show.The only very minor criticism I have with this film was with the bar fight scene which just went on for far too long and seemed out of place in a character studying drama - it would have been fine in a Western, but in a serious drama it just cheapened the film a little bit (although I'll admit it was quite fun to watch).Alfie is a wonderful film and is also an excellent character study (probably one of the best I've seen). The film acts as a cautionary tale more than anything else. Alfie is film making at its absolute best. Superb!