You know what I mean?” One of the most classic ending scenes and lines ever in a movie where Michael Caine breaks that fourth wall of film by speaking directly to the camera as if he’s speaking directly to you, the viewer, and in doing so reveals that life hasn’t turned out the best for him, who up to that point had been a self-centered, shallow, me-me-me individual in search of nothing but his own pleasure, finally realizing how disenchanted and unhappy he was with the course he had taken. The movie I speak of is the 1966 breakthrough role for Caine, Alfie.
Ironically, I recently began reading his 1992 autobiography What’s It All About? when, lo and behold, Alfie showed up on my cable system. Surprisingly, as big a Michael Caine fan as I am, I’d never seen it. But in finally seeing it, I realized what a truly great actor he was. Though he’d up to that time been in eighteen films, this was only the fourth one he was credited in, mostly having played minor roles. The first time I ever saw him was in his first major role in the 1964 movie Zulu, a true depiction of the heroic 1879 stand at the mission station Rorke’s Drift by just over 150 British and colonial troops against an intense assault by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu Warriors during the Anglo-Zulu War in South Africa. My brother and I were adolescents when we watched this on ABC’s Sunday Night Movie and we were transfixed. What an exciting, historical movie it was and, of course, the next week when I went to the library, I asked my ‘Angel’ librarian to find me a book about the battle which she immediately obliged me with.
Michael Caine has the distinctive Cockney accent, considered that of the working class, which is the area he hailed from, south of the Thames River. Initially, he tried to get the part of a Cockney soldier in Zulu, only to find that it had already been filled. On his way out, the director halted him and asked it he could do an upper-crust accent of the elite British class because they needed someone to play a snobbish officer. On telling the director he could do it, he had a screen test and thus began his road to fame after so many years of hard work.
A funny thing about his accent, he had to postsynch Alfie in a clearer and cleaner English, where he lip-synched his voice onto the audio track in time with the picture on the screen so the movie could possibly be released in America where it was felt that no one would understand what he was saying in the film that was to be released in England. The proof of that fact is that Shelly Winters, one of his American co-stars in Alfie, later told him that she had never understood a word he said to her during the filming and had just waited for him to stop talking, taking that as the cue for her to do her lines. But in watching the movie myself, I do believe I saw the English cut because the accent and Cockney slang was definitely there and it did take a few rewinds to totally understand his lines.
But in getting back to his book, I came across something that spoke to me in a personal way. One of the chapters is titled “My Worst Location”, where he speaks of the most terrible place he ever had to go to shoot a movie. It was a World War II story titled Too Late the Hero about a jungle battle between a unit of British soldiers and the Japanese which took place in the Philippines, a place I’ve been to and the place from where my wife Lynndee comes from. The cast and the film crew were there for twenty-two weeks and Caine tells of all the insects, thorns, 120 degree temperatures and immeasurable humidity that had to be endured on a daily basis. But most telling in his narration is his take on all the poverty he saw in the villages. He, himself, had a poor childhood, but when he saw children rummaging through the garbage cans outside a house in the capital Manila, not a poverty-stricken village, where he went to a party hosted by of all people, President Ferdinand Marcos, he was overcome with anger, wondering how any society could treat and ignore their own people like that. In my travels there, I’ve seen things myself that makes me wonder the same thing. And even here in the good ol’ US of A there is poverty and hungry children, evidenced by the number of food banks we have, one of which we as a family donated some time to.
Michael Caine has had quite a career appearing in some 115 movies. Of them, I have a few on my all-time favorites list: Zulu; A Bridge Too Far; The Battle of Britain; The Cider House Rules; and The Quiet American. And now, Alfie can be added to that list. It’s so strange to look back on that time, the swinging 60’s, the era I came of age, and see it depicted at the time it was actually happening as opposed to looking back on it through the lens of rose colored glasses.
Nostalgia can be misleading, but one thing that always brings a smile to my face is to hear the opening line of the theme song of the movie: What’s it all about, Al–fie? I was surprised to see that it was Cher who sang it for the movie soundtrack. I’ve always remembered the cover that Dionne Warwick did that filled the radio airwaves. But that is an interesting question, one most likely asked by all of us at one time or another: just what is it all about? Only each individual can answer that one, and hopefully the question will be rhetorical and not be asked in the circumstances that Alfie found himself in.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
I had never heard that line before & I Have never heard of that movie, but I think I will check Netflix to see if it’s there so I can watch it.
Harry says
You certainly need to see the movie to understand the power and meaning of that line.
Michael Caine is one of my favorite actors. I’ve always loved the way he approaches his roles, and his voice is just so great.
Yeah, I really love that Cockney accent.
I have never seen Alfie! I love love love him in A Muppet Christmas Carol! He is just the best Scrooge! I do love when the actor talks to you….like Ferris Bueller 🙂
So true; I love that concept too. I’d never heard of that so-called ‘fourth wall’ where the actor speaks directly to the camera. That I discovered in reading his book.
Oh Michael Caine. I adore him. He is such a terrific actor but I will admit I haven’t seen those two films. I will see if I can search for them!
Those are two powerful historic events in which he portrayed true real-life heroes. Ironically, ‘A Bridge Too Far” is about an allied defeat in WWII and is very historically accurate, based on the fantastic book by the late Cornelius Ryan who also authored ‘The Longest Day’ which was also made into a great movie with an all-star cast.
I haven’t heard anyone speak of Michael Cain in a very long time! He is on the classic lists for sure. Thanks for bringing him back to light, I wonder where he is now?
You’re welcome, Tanya. He’s still acting; he recently appeared in 2014’s ‘Interstellar’ and in this year’s ‘Kingsman’: The Secret Service.
First time i heard of this. I must go to Netflix to check it out. I love finding things on netflix I heard from other people, word of mouth.
Wow! 115 movies? I’ve never heard of him before until now. Sounds like some great movies though.
I always get excited when I see Michael Caine appearing in a new movie. I need to look into that book of his.
It’s a great read; I’m sure you’d enjoy it.
Ah! I have been meaning to see this. I have nothing much to do tonight so maybe I’ll check the Netflix and see if it’s available for viewing.
I did not realize how many movies Michael Caine has done. I watch him a lot on AMC he is timeless. A true movie legend. Thank you for sharing now I am going to read the book. 🙂
Your’re welcome, Laura, glad to share. He truly is timeless seeing that his first movie was in 1956, six decades ago. And I’m sure you’ll truly enjoy the book.
I know Michael Caine, but I’ve never seen the movie. My husband probably had seen this.
I always loved Michael Caine, too. I had never heard the story about Shelly Winters not being able to understand him. That’s funny.
Yeah, that was too funny. The book is full of so many great anecdotes such as that.
I am THE BIGGEST Michael Caine fan and would never get tired of watching and re-watching Zulu! He is an extraordinary actor who has led an incredible life! I have always thought he has the most beautiful wife!
I find it interesting that a lady is such a big fan of ‘Zulu’; that’s too cool. I’ve watched it dozens of times and still feel like the little boy I was when I first saw it. And yes, his wife Shakira is gorgeous.
I love Michael Caine! My husband is addicted to Netflix and this would be something he would watch!
I didn’t know he wrote a book? I know him as an actor and loved some of his movies. How interesting! Be sure to check it out!
He actually has written several books. He wrote a follow-up book to this biography called ‘The Elephant to Hollywood’, referring to the lower-class Cockney area he came from in London called Elephant and Castle. Both books are good reads.
I’m not a huge fan of Michael Caine, but he looks awesome actor. His movies looks really interesting to watch.
I’ve totally missed the Michael Caine bus. I don’t know how he could be so popular having done so many movies and I not know. I need to catch up because clearly I’m way behind.
Yeah, try to check some of them out; you’ll not be disappointed.
I’ve heard of Michael Caine before, did he play in Batman as the Butler? He’s a great actor.
Yes, he did play Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s butler, in ‘Batman Begins’. He certainly is a fantastic actor.
ok, these seem like some pretty neat movies. I’ll have to add this to my list of summer movies
if am not mistake Michael Caine is a famous actor, I hear a lot about him on TV. As for the movies I hope I can find them on Netflix if not I hope I can find a couple copies online
I don’t think I have seen any of his films. I’ll have to check out his list of movies and see if there is anything interesting to watch.
These look like great movies. I will have to check them out. I love Michael Caine.
They are fantastic movies.
I would like to watch that “A Bridge Too Far” looks like a kind of movie that hubby and I would enjoy watcing.
It is a powerful movie with an all-star cast telling the true story of a chaotic operation that was actually a defeat for the allied powers in the fight against Germany in WWII.
Alfie is one of my favorite movies and Michael Caine is one of my favorite actors. Sleuth is also one of my favorite movie in which Michael Caine stars. I bet this was a great read.
Absolutely a must-read if you like Michael. By no means have I come close to seeing all his work and ‘Sleuth’ is one I missed. But, ironically, while reading the book I learned he was in ‘Sleuth” with the great British actor Lawrence Olivier and the following week I was able to DVR the movie. I’m yet to watch it but I look forward to seeing it.
I’ve never heard of this actor before or his movies, but I’m always up to trying something new so I will have to check out these movies on Netflix soon.
Poverty is an ugly thing. And I’m always amazed in a bad way, that it exists right here where we live.
It truly is ugly and it’s a crime that it goes on here in the US, the richest nation in the world.
MIchael Caine is a brilliant actor and I’ve always enjoyed his movies. This is one film that I haven;t seen so I’m definitely going to look into it!
I haven’t seen any of his movies yet, but adding to the list of shows I want to see.
Michael Caine is one of my favorite actors! His voice is one of the best, and he’s just a great actor!
Gotta love his Cockney accent.
Gah, I love him. He’s such a class act, a funny man and he can play pretty much any role. Alfie is an absolutely fantastic film- and I love your other picks as well! I never knew that, about going for the original Cockney role and landing the upper crust instead.
He found that ironic that he got to play the elite part. He’s always had a problem with the class structure in England and felt it was poetic justice that he got that part seeing that as a Cockney he’d been looked down on.
I don’t think I’ve heard that line before. I will need to see Michael Caine’s movies!
I’ve seen some of his movies but I didn’t know Michael Caine by name. He sounds like a great person. Does he gets his answer in the end?
Ironically, that was the last line in the movie. No answer was given, but, basically, he was just questioning himself, knowing what a sexist jerk he’d been, taking all and giving nothing in return, possibly reaching a point where he’d change his ways.
I can tell I am too young. But I know this name from my parents. I like to watch classic movies, always have a good story.