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So what's it all about ?
Alfie was a major hit in 1966 and a major hit for Michael Caine. The lead
Alfie giving him international star status as a brilliant actor, and
providing a startling performance as a young womanising cockney.
The character of Alfie is a strange one, his womanising is borderline misogynist, women are either birds or "it's" and are only there to satisfy his desires and needs. He refuses to take responsibility for anything he does, resulting in the ruin of his life and everyone around it. |
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| "she's a stand-by and she knows it. And any bird that knows its place in this world can be quite content" | ||
| He sleeps with married
women, single women, infact, even a close friend's (he met in hospital)
wife, after bedding the nurse behind a screen during visiting hours.
There are some wonderfully powerful scenes that really bring this anti-hero alive even though his lack of humanity makes him incomprehensible. |
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| The scene of his friend's wife's illegal abortion in his flat is extremely powerful. She pays £30 (which unusually for Alfie is returned) and is then induced and left by Alfie until it is over. He, in the meantime, continues his escapades. On his return he sees the body of the child and is reminded of the one he lost to another man. His son was possibly the only human being he cared about and he promptly breaks down and cries. | |
| Of course, the ultimate conclusion to
this film is a reversal of his treatment to women. After meeting a woman,
(a buxom man-eater), whom he felt he could settle down with, he arrived at
her apartment with flowers, only to find her with another man. The reason?
"he's younger than you are," the final slap in the face and the lonely reality of being an aging heartbreaker and womaniser.
If you only ever see one Michael Caine film (and I suggest that you do see more!!!!!!!!!!) this is the one. |
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