All About Alfie

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From the earliest time I can remember I was taught and inculcated to believe that life was economically organized, i.e.: a series of commitments and contracts based in a world of give and take, where the ideal is to wind up ahead in terms of what you’ve gotten for what you’ve given. In 1994, Whitney Houston performed the song on select dates during her Bodyguard Tour, and her 1997 HBO televised concert, Classic Whitney: Live from Washington, D.C.. When I consider the question of “a life well lived” what comes up in the form of the mythological lessons available shows me that those most celebrated for having lived lives in exemplary ways pursued passions — that while possibly providing them with wealth, even great wealth — were beyond the economic equation of accumulation, and instead these unique individuals sought expression. So why do we hold those that pursued and succeeded in finding a unique expression of what it means to be human so extraordinary? Ebert, Roger (November 5, 2004). "Alfie review". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010 . Retrieved July 11, 2010.

Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning. Roger Ebert enjoyed the film, praising Law's performance and saying that "on its own terms, it's funny at times and finally sad and sweet." [8] In 1968, Stevie Wonder released a harmonica instrumental version. This version made the Hot 100, peaking at #66, and it was also a Top 20 Easy Listening hit. Wonder's single was made for Gordy Records and released pseudonymously as Eivets Rednow - an inversion of "Stevie" and "Wonder". In Canada the song reached #83. [19] At the end of that one-year doctoral fellowship, I ended up working for that same university on a project that was Federally funded until the grant funding ended in the fall of 1994. From that point on I worked at two private colleges and a state university in that same state until 2008, when the division I was working in at the time was dismantled, and I began a job search that ended when I was hired for the Director position at the for-profit college in a different state in the fall of 2008. To choose a life of expression over accumulation requires a rejection of the messages installed and inculcated to induce you to join in the toil of production for the sake of production, and often unwittingly for the benefit of providing others with the best and most desirable fruits of your labor. This game has been the mainstay of a certain class of humans since the beginning of recorded history, a history of enslavement and production for the benefit of the ruling class, the nobles, who place themselves above others, and claimed to be their betters .. all the while requiring and demanding servitude with little or no reward for the sometimes profound expressions of value that their “lessers” provided.

Original Literary Source: Bill Naughton, Alfie, (London, UK), ISBN 0-7490-8387-5, ISBN 978-0-7490-8387-8 Now, put aside all the rationalizations and arguments about pursuing and attaining wealth, e.g.: how you can help others when you have the resources to do so (are you really seeking wealth so that you can help others first and foremost, really?) … or, the ideal of the freedom to live a you like when you have enough wealth (how much is “enough” and are you truly free when you are obsessed, even in part, by hoarding and managing your wealth?). There are other rationalizations and arguments, but we want to consider the point about the installation of the belief that wealth has the inherent ability to create deep, profound satisfaction … when all the evidence seems to point to another reality. Although Bacharach has cited "Alfie" as his personal favorite of his compositions, he and Hal David were not eager to write a song to promote the film Alfie (a release from Paramount Pictures, which owned Famous Music) when approached by Ed Wolpin of the Composers' Guild. David thought the title character's name pedestrian: "Writing a song about a man called 'Alfie' didn't seem too exciting at the time." Disgraced 'Southern Charm' Alum Thomas Ravenel Fuming Over Craig Conover And Shep Rose's Kathryn Dennis Compliments at BravoCon 2023: "Total Losers"

This is one of Caines best films and proof that with the right material he can be a very good actor. The story is based on the popular 1960's British theme of human emotions and how the central character faces up to their shortcomings. Alfie, the character, is a dinosaur by today's standards, but there were, and still are men who behave in this way. The film broke new bounds at this time, particularly with the abortion scene. It is said that many cinema-goers walked out in disgust at this harrowing point in the film. How times change. Denholm Elliot's short performance as the sleazy abortionist is worth a mention here as it captures the filthiness of the moment perfectly.

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Well, what if should be more famous than Gogol, Pushkin, Shakespear, Molière, – than all the writers in the world – well and what then? I could find no reply.” Awareness of a deeper purpose Singer/songwriter Tori Amos performed the theme as part of her repertoire as a teen, and references it in the song "Gold Dust" from her 2002 album Scarlet's Walk. In an article published in The Atlantic on April 28, 2022, titled, “ The Real Reason Cancel Culture is So Contentious ,” by Conor Friedersdorf , staff writer at The Atlantic , he opens his article with the following statement: The View's Sunny Hostin Suggests Trump Is Using Racist "Dog Whistles" When He Confuses Biden And Obama: "That's What's Happening" The running time of the album is a little over 30 minutes, but it is pure brilliance every second of the way. The album was released on Impulse!, and reached No.17 on the Billboard R&B chart, while in the UK, the album was originally released with the title Sonny Plays Alfie on the HMV label before resurfacing in 1972 as Alfie on Impulse!

The narrative follows a young, womanising man leading a self-centred life, focused on his own enjoyment until events force him to question his uncaring behaviour, his loneliness, and his priorities. Alfie cheats on numerous women, treating them with disrespect, using them for sex and domestic affairs. He frequently breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the camera, narrating and justifying his actions, despite broad contradictions. Gina Hayes recorded an updated/jazzy version of the song, which appears on her 2014 album "Montage". Gilbert was going to make No Bail for the Judge with George Peppard for Paramount but the film fell over. Since Paramount still paid Gilbert his fee, Gilbert offered to make Alfie for them instead at half his usual fee. Terence Stamp read the script and wanted to do it for a reduced fee, which made Paramount happy as Stamp was doing The Collector for William Wyler. Gilbert insisted Stamp do the play on Broadway and Stamp agreed; the play flopped. "He really was bad," said Gilbert of Stamp, "he didn't have the experience." Stamp decided not to do the film. Gilbert says his son suggested Michael Caine who was a friend. Gilbert admired Caine's work in The Ipcress File and managed to get him approved by Paramount. [2] Filming [ edit ] Joe from New Orleans, Louisiana, UsaAmazing the lyricist says this line meant nothing: 'what will you lend on an old golden rule' .... the golden rule is widely accepted in most cultures (even among atheists) as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (as in treat others as you would like to be treated by them) -- a sentiment which fits perfectly with the overall challenge the song poses to its title character, Alfie, a self-centered, post-war, would-be playboy with a love-them-and-leave-them approach to women, even if he impregnates them. The song questions the meaning of life: 'what's it all about, alfie, is it just for the moment we live....are we meant to take more than we give or are we meant to be kind? ... and if only fools are kind, alfie, then i guess we are wise to be cruel, and if life belong only to the strong, alfie, what will you lend on an old golden rule?" the song inventories alfie's shallow, self-centered, self-justifying way of thinking and living to show how misguided and contrary to the golden rule he is.....as are many if not most other humans, especially the unwise when they are young. GEEZUZ ! How can the writer of such a lyric have stumbled stupidly into including it just to fill space and claim it had/has no meaning at all - it must be Divine Intervention that he wrote it at all .... or a demonstration that there is no god and everything is just random and accidental, including the most important message lyric of a great song. The film is unusual in that it has no opening credits and the end credits feature photos of the principal actors, as well as of the main technical crew, including director Gilbert and cameraman Otto Heller.

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Southern Charm' Star Olivia Flowers Shades 'RHOBH' Star Crystal Kung Minkoff After BravoCon: "I Thought She Was Rude" Beyoncé Gave The Beyhive A Little Something To Be Thankful For With A “First Look” At ‘Renaissance' During Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade This idea of “getting one’s needs met economically”seems to apply to almost every area of one’s life, with few exceptions (if any), and I’d argue leads to a life of profound dissatisfaction … a chronic longing for something more that remains unfulfilled for most even when others are busy covering their remains with the dirt from the hole excavated to house what’s left of them. Following repeated failures to achieve an erection, Alfie sees a doctor, who tells him he is perfectly healthy, and his impotence is due to stress. However, he finds a lump on Alfie's penis. They immediately run a test at the clinic and he spends a few anxious days awaiting the results. On a trip to the hospital, Alfie meets Joe, a widower, in the bathroom. Joe gives life advice to the depressed Alfie: "Find somebody to love, and live every day like it's your last". Soon afterward, Alfie finds out he's cancer-free.

The stress of the situations with Annie and Lily makes Alfie decide to change his non-committal ways and settle down with the rich Ruby. However, visiting her, he finds a younger man in her bed. He comes across Siddie (the married woman from the beginning of the movie), but she has lost interest in him and returned to her husband. Alfie is left lonely, wondering about his life choices; he asks the viewers, "What's it all about? You know what I mean." Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ on Apple TV+, a Charming and Typically Tearjerking Adaptation of the Classic Children's BookBacharach, Burt (2013). "11: What's It All About?". Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music. Atlantic Books Ltd. ISBN 978-0857898043 . Retrieved June 13, 2018.