Alfie is an american remake of the famous movie that launched the career of michael caine in the 1960s. With the 60s in full swing and london the centre of the universe, michael caine shot to stardom as a callous cockney womaniser alfie started out as a stage play by bill naughton, and it was a bold decision of director lewis gilbert to break naturalistic conventions and film the monologues and asides straight to camera. The film went on to be nominated for five oscars at the 39th academy. Michael caine is at once both lovable and detestable, perfectly characterizing the ageold dynamic between the need for love and the need for physical pleasure. Alfie caine is a charming, rogueish cockney who cannot get his fill of.
Alfie caine is a charming, rogueish cockney who cannot get his fill of women. Waynes advice was ideal for someone who hoped to break into westerns but less useful for the young michael caine. The rakish alfie moves from woman to woman with the. But this is not a feelgood movie, it is a movie that explores the difficult decisions that confront a person as they mature in both life and love, and it conveys the basic feelings. Alfie hadnt changed in any waythey didnt develop him, complained caine. I bought this box set a while ago, and i bought it for the michael caine film. Lewis gilbert, director of alfie and 007 movies, is dead at 97. In director charles shyers updated version of alfie, jude law plays a man who is more upmarket, less a predator and more a needy hedonist than michael caine s portrayal in the 1966 original. The film went on to be nominated for five oscars at the 39th academy awards ceremony, including best picture and. Anchored by michael caines charmingly droll performance, alfie is an equally.
Nearly 40 years later, jude law steps into alfie s fashionable shoes as a new york limo driver forced to admit that his hedonistic worldview is beginning to show some cracks. It is credit to michael caine s talent and charisma that he plays such a self centered prick, yet you still find yourself liking him. I suppose you think youre goin to see the bleedin titles now. Alfie is a charming, rogueish cockney who cannot get his fill of women. Lewis gilbert would go on to direct pauline collins as the title character shirley valentine 1989, in which she also spoke her thoughts directly to the. Ive seen both the original version of alfie with michael caine and the remake with jude law. When he finds out the mother of his child has been proposed to by another man he says, you better marry him. In fact, caine claims that the role was turned down by every actor in england. However, what i remembered as a fun film hasnt aged all that well. But when the script for the movie sequel, oh, alfie, was presented to him, michael said no thanks. Buy michael caine blowing the bloody doors off and other lessons in life by michael caine online from the works. When i look back on my little life and the birds ive known, and think of all the things theyve done for me and the little ive done for them, youd think ive had the best of it along the line.
Caine s acting career began in the 1950s, when he was cast in many small, often uncredited roles in british films. He has brought some of british cinemas most iconic characters to life and introduced his very own laidback cockney gangster into pop culture. The ipcress file laid the foundations for caine as a leading man and alfie builds a mansion on top of it. Michael caines first starring role was a foray into dramatic irony, scripted by bill naughton from his novel and play. Michael caine has been personifying british cool since the swinging sixties. Vivien merchant left to right, jane asher, julia foster and shelley winters with michael caine laying across them getty images few in the business believed in.
Bacharach, in california, was inspired by a rough cut of the film about the cockney womanizer played by michael caine. You know the type that justifies their own completely selfish behavior by telling themselves that they are just doing what everyone else is doing, namely looking out for number one. The alfie theme song is pretty good, we need to bring those back. You can tell that it is one of his early roles and was not. Pal nat murray melvin suggests alfie michael caine take up street photography, whereupon he meets his next conquest ruby shelley winters in the 1966 hit alfie. Alfie michael caine drops in on his bird gilda julia foster, checks the calendar, offers career advice then narrates a demonstration in alfie, 1966 view the tcmdb entry for alfie 1966. If you replaced the word bleeding with fucking this movie might have beat goodfellas.
The composers agreed to submit an alfie song if they could complete it within three weeks. The film went on to be nominated for five oscars at the 39th academy awards ceremony, including best picture and actor. As alfie, jude law channels michael caine in the 1966 film but puts his own stamp on the role. An unrepentant ladies man gradually begins to understand the consequences of his lifestyle. Lewis gilbert, director of alfie and 007 movies, is dead.
The ending, for me is the key point in liking caine s character, as without spoiling the film, the final scene, set against the thames at night, is an outstanding piece of writing and direction. Alfie is a legendary scumbag and michael caine plays the role perfectly. Embittered husband cartoonist jon lansdale michael caine assaults his wife anne andrea marcovicci when she announces her decision to leave him in this explosive scene from the hand, an orion pictures release through warner bros. In this extremely grim comedy, michael caine plays a neerdowell who never does good. He carelessly roams from one of his many birds girls to another without any care for emotional or physical consequences. The rakish alfie moves from woman to woman with the emotional maturity of bill clinton, and even less morality. Michael caine was born maurice joseph micklewhite in london, to ellen frances marie burchell, a charlady, and maurice joseph micklewhite, a fishmarket porter. Click through the gallery for a look at michael caine s greatest films and highest accolades. As the title character, caine plays alfie, a freewheeling, promiscuous bachelor in 1960s london. With michael caine, shelley winters, millicent martin, julia foster. Nov 03, 2018 caine was a character actor, and one of the great strengths of his career has been his ability to cope with demanding and varied dialogue. Michael caines greatest films and highest accolades. Having seen most of michael caines work before, it was a pleasant surprise to see one of his first films.
He has a series of reversals in which his health is threatened, he. Michael caine collection sleuth the italian job alfie zulu funeral in berlin anglais. Mar 02, 2012 michael caine s first starring role was a foray into dramatic irony, scripted by bill naughton from his novel and play. He beds em but never weds em, and new york provides ample opportunity to continue the processuntil reality slaps him in the face. Trailer for lewis gilberts film starring michael caine, shelley winters, millicent martin, julia foster, jane asher, shirley anne field, vivien. Michael caine is an english actor who has appeared in over films and has had multiple television appearances. Pal nat murray melvin suggests alfie michael caine take up street photography, whereupon he meets his next conquest ruby shelley winters in the 1966 hit alfie view the tcmdb entry for alfie 1966. He lives for sex and steers clear of emotional attachments, taking up with one bird after another. Michael caine blowing the bloody doors off and other. Alfie is a playboy who uses women and throws them away. Alfie waltzes through all these sequential affairs with aplomb. Actors michael caine a list of 47 titles created 18 aug 20 films of 1966 a list of 47 titles created 10 jul 20 new movies i watched in 2020 a list of 47 titles. May 27, 2010 alfie 1965 is the movie that gave british actor michael caine one of his first starring roles.
Filming locations for alfie 1966, with michael caine. He won a golden globe and an academy award for his roles in the films respectively. Its rather directionless for most of the run time but worth a watch. Alfie is a textbook example of a fairly common personality we have all met. At the end of the film there are several attempts to humanize alide, to give him his comeuppance, to make him a sympathetic character. Also in the biography caine states, many times, that he was angry and obnoxious. Alfie is a 2004 britishamerican romantic comedydrama film inspired by the 1966 british film of the same name and its 1975 sequel, starring jude law as the title character, originally played by michael caine in the 1966 film and alan price in the 1975 sequel. While the 70s saw the release of some of the best michael cane films such as a bridge too far, the. This modern update of the 1966 michael caine film cant match the originals shock factor. List of all michael caine movies including most successful and top grossing as well as worst films.
Alfie 19 movie clip a married woman 1966 hd youtube. Alfie helped turn caine into a star, capitalizing on the. It takes a story very much associated with a particular time and place london in the swinging 60s and successfully transplants it to modernday new york city. Alfie michael caine maintains his spectacular running commentary for the camera as a lady doctor eleanor bron delivers stunning news in the original alfie, 1966. Caine is regarded as a british cultural icon, with mairi mackay of cnn stating. Caine gained recognition as one of the most famous actors of the 1960s through his breakthrough role in the film zulu 1964. Rent alfie 1966 starring michael caine and shelley winters on dvd and bluray. Alfie 1965 is the movie that gave british actor michael caine one of his first starring roles. Michael caine on five decades of being the coolest man in the. In 1966, michael caine s alfie was lauded by some for its quirky, unflinching portrayal of a jovial and heartless london womanizer who faces the consequences of his lifestyle. Michael caine is alfie, a workingclass londoner who weaves his way in and out of episodes with various birds, referred to using the neutral it, as in its all in love and ghosty now, and the consequences grow more dramatic. Amazingly michael caine, alfie refers to women as girl, and even more shockingly as, it.
A rarity in movies, alfie sir michael caine sporadically engages the audience by looking straight into the camera as he voices his thoughts, a technique known as breaking the fourth wall. Jude laws alfie, much like michael caine s alfie in the 1966 original, is what youd call an unrepentant womanizer. Michael caines first starring role was a foray into dramatic irony. English playboy alfie michael caine is a charming don juan in the freespirited 1960s with an insatiable appetite for women. Caine gives an unforgettable performance, highlighted by the moments where alfie breaks. Michael caine s performance is, of course, quite wonderful and the style of the film with alfie looking straight into the camera and into the viewers eye while telling his story is novel and iconic. Alfie 59 movie clip live for yourself 1966 hd youtube. Cockney playboy alfie elkins, michael caine, plays around with several women including the married siddie, millicent martin, and gilda, julia foster, who wants him to commit to her as she has. Visit now to browse our huge range of products at great prices. He uses them without shame or malice, jumping from one promiscuous females bed to. Law, though lacking the more rugged masculinity and raw sensuality of caine s alluring alfie, gets.
Alfie is an excellent introduction to michael caines work and, for all its flaws, it remains an outstanding film. Michael caine is a good actor with a fabulous screen presence. Alfie s philosophy, delivered face to camera, as in the first film, is the same love em and leave em. Michael caine celebrates his 87th birthday on march 14, 2020. Alfie is a 1966 british romantic comedydrama film directed by lewis gilbert and starring michael caine. He also rarely gets emotionally involved with them. Alfie is an excellent introduction to michael caine s work and, for all its flaws, it remains an outstanding film. Although set in new york city, jude law still plays alfie as an englishman, but without the cockney accent michael caine used. The ending, for me is the key point in liking caines character, as without spoiling the film, the final scene, set against the thames at night, is an outstanding piece of writing and direction. Its hard to imagine now that anyone else could have been alfie, yet it was a role michael caine almost didnt play, as paramount executives originally wanted caine s former flatmate, terence stamp, who was the broadway lead in the original play. Adapted from bill naughtons original 1963 play and given a film reboot in the 2000s with jude law in the lead, it is michael caine s incarnation in the swinging 60s film version of alfie that remains the most compelling and memorable. Jude is exactly right for the part and makes alfie both repellent and sympathetic. Trailer for lewis gilberts film starring michael caine, shelley winters, millicent martin, julia foster, jane asher, shirley anne field, vivien merchant, eleanor bron, denholm elliott, alfie bass.
Even michael caine s career would have gone nowhere if he had made this version of alfie. Alfie 1966 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Sir michael caine, cbe born maurice joseph micklewhite jr. Get carter 1971 official trailer michael caine, ian hendry movie hd duration. Michael caine on five decades of being the coolest man in. The useless advice john wayne gave to a young michael caine. He has appeared in more than films in a career spanning over 60 years and is considered a british film icon.
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