Alfie

1 9 6 6 (UK)

The story of a cockney Don Juan who finally finds out the truth that to make birds and brass (especially birds) the object in life brings disillusionment with the passing years.

Before he became associated with restaurants, Michael Caine was absolutely excellent as the foul-mouthed anti-hero. You may not like Alfie, or the way he constantly confides in you from the screen, but you will find him interesting. It was a screen persona so effective that Caine used it for the next 20 years!

His combination of emotional detachment and male chauvinism could easily stick in the throat, but that persuasive Caine charm, directed as much to the audience (through asides direct to camera) as his female targets, is shot through with vulnerability.

Paramount made the movie on a shoe-string budget expecting little from it, and ended up with a potential Oscar-winner.

The movie received a nomination for Best Picture, and Caine was nominated for Best Actor. Also nominated were actress Vivien Merchant and Bill Naughton who wrote both the screenplay and the original stage play. Even the title song (composed by Burt Bacharach and sung by Cilla Black) won a nomination.

Downbeat ending aside, this frank (for its time) movie was a smash at the box office, won critical acclaim, and became a lasting tribute to sixties London vibrancy.