Barnes & Noble

Zesty, raw, and uninhibited, Alfie initially shocked moviegoers unused to frank talk about sexual gamesmanship, but it was a rousing success that earned multiple Oscar nominations, solidified the international standing of top-billed Michael Caine, and became one of the most influential films of the 1960s. Caine's tour de force performance as Alfie -- the glib, cynical Cockney bachelor who devotes every waking moment to chasing and conquering women -- remains magnificent to behold. He's democratic in his philandering; females of all shapes, sizes, and dispositions are deemed to be worthy of his attentions. Caine pulls off the neat trick of making Alfie likable if not admirable, and even today's viewers will be captivated by his sardonic charm. Director Lewis Gilbert (Educating Rita), working from Bill Naughton's adaptation of his own play, elicits similarly effective performances from the distaff cast members, including Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, and especially Vivien Merchant, who got an Oscar nod for her portrayal of a married woman forced to get an abortion. While often hilarious, Alfie makes shrewd points about the spiritually empty life of its main character, revealing a thoughtful if melancholy strain to which contemporary viewers can relate. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Michael Caine's first starring role was a foray into dramatic irony, scripted by Bill Naughton from his novel and play. Alfie (Caine) is a charming, rogueish Cockney who cannot get his fill of women. He uses them without shame or malice, jumping from one promiscuous female's bed to another without much thought or feeling. Of course, Alfie's not as carefree as he would have the audience -- to whom he often speaks directly -- think: he treats his pregnant, common-law wife, Gilda (Julia Foster), quite shabbily, and has an affair with a married woman (Vivien Merchant) that leaves her pregnant, for which Alfie arranges an abortion. In the end, Alfie never finds lasting meaning or pleasure but remains an unrepentant, if low-class, Don Juan. Caine was Oscar-nominated for his performance. Don Kaye

Product Details

• UPC: 097360660449
• Source: PARAMOUNT
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 1:53:00
• Sales Rank: 6,072

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