How sad is this?

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Do I want to thump him.or be him? His treatment.of Jane Asher made me want to do the first - rest of the film I wanted to be him, a smòoth-talking bird bandit. I ain't got my.piece of mind either. Idea-combine it with Georgy Girl. First he pulls Meredith - then James dies of.a heart. attack leaving Georgy his money....

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.

Alfie is very much a film of it's time, it's purpose to be a critique of the swinging 60's lifestyle. Why it was remade I do not know.Michael Caine plays Alfie, the hedonistic, sexist, hypercritical, narcissistic cockney who breaks the fourth wall letting us into his thoughts and feelings. Caine is great in the role showing the ability that would make him a household name in years to come.Lewis Gilbert's direction is extremely detailed and symbolic as meaning can be found everywhere, mainly to symbolise Alfie's inner conflict as well as the real Britain in the 60's as opposed to the media's representation of "Swinging Britain".This Kitchen Sink film stands out for its use of 4th wall breaking. Although criticised, Alfie has become infamous for his ability to break the fourth wall. This allows the audience to react to him rather differently (sort of positively) as he allows us into his life and mind.The film deals with some rather interesting issues that were deemed controversial at the time and still are today. The issues of abortion, gender equality, homosexuality, divorce etc are all at least touched on in this film. The abortion scene in Alfie (Where Alfie goes behind the blue curtain) is in my opinion the best scene in the film, as even watching it now I was shocked and to think how people would have reacted in the 60's I can only imagine. Also in the scene Alfie finally lets out a cry bringing his feelings to the surface which is the best acting Michael Caine's puts on display in the film.Alfie is a classic film, a film of its time that can be looked back at as a part of cinematic and British history of the 60's. It's a good film I just simply have no idea why this would be remade, being a film that is set, made and about the 60's. But that's a review for another day.

I am very glad I finally got around to seeing "Alfie". For years I incorrectly assumed two things--that it was a smutty little film and that it was a comedy. While the film does have a very strong message about sex and the title character seems to be sexually addicted, it is far, far deeper. And, while the film appears to be a comedy, as the film progresses it becomes more and more serious. All in all, I was very impressed by this film--it had far more depth than I'd assumed.The film begins with Alfie (Michael Caine) making it with a married lady in a car. You don't see any of it but hear them as he tries to convince her to go all the way. Now here is where it gets weird--Alfie gets out of the car and then begins addressing the audience. In fact, throughout the film he stops to talk to the audience--to discuss his philosophy about women, marriage and relationships. Now MOST of what he says is pure drivel--a guy coming up with 1001 reasons why it was okay to use women and why emotionally connecting with any of them was a BIG mistake. However, as the story unfolds, Alfie discovers that staying that emotionally distant is very difficult. I could easily say more--but don't want to give away the plot twists.I really loved this film. Michael Caine was at his best as a lovable but emotionally stunted rogue. But what really impressed me was the writing. This film would be WONDERFUL to show to young men--especially since there are so many 'Alfies' out there and seeing how lonely this sort of life could be is a great lesson for young folks. See this film--it's so much more than I'd expected and had amazing depth.