‘ALFIE’, 1966 – BILL NAUGHTON AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT LETTERS & ‘ALFIE’ CHARACTER NOTES (QTY)

An important series of letters between Bill Naughton and Lewis Gilbert, comprising five one-page autograph letters from Naughton to Gilbert, all on Park-Sheraton Hotel New York headed stationery, one undated, the other four dated from 14 January – 9 February 1965; with two file copies of replies from Gilbert, dated 22 January and 5 February 1965 – the letters discussing starting work on the screen play and how soon Naughton can return from New York where his play All In Good Time was in rehearsal on Broadway; in a letter dated 2 February 1965, probably in response to Gilbert’s letter of 22 January asking him how soon he can return to England as he needs the screen play completed by end of March latest, Naughton tries to reassure Gilbert….As you know, I work very hard when I start – and you need never worry about my delivery…Who have you got for Alfie?; in Naughton’s letter dated 7 February, in response to a letter from Gilbert dated 5 February suggesting Naughton and his wife Erna join him and Hylda in St. Lucia, he tells Gilbert that he is working on `Alfie’ and comments on suggested casting: JOHN NEVILLE: at 40 is too old to be just right.  He needs to look as if women would long to get in bed with him. / MICHAEL CAINE: could be very good – and comical. / TERRY STAMP: he is not lovable. But he can be brilliant. (I won’t go on – but suggest you put off casting it until we’ve had a chat.); and a two-page typescript letter, signed, from Naughton to Gilbert, 16 March 1965….Here are a few notes about the first part of the first draft…. categories include DOGS, STORYLINE, OTHER IDEAS, DORA, RUBY, NAT, GILDA on HUMPHREY’S BUS….There are lots of new things to come….I’m looking forward very much to our working together and I think Michael Caine will be very good indeed, with a handwritten post-script, Theme tune: can we get an ALFIE theme tune; and

- An important set of handwritten ‘character notes’ for Alfie, written by Bill Naughton and given to Lewis Gilbert it would seem, to assist him with his preparation for the film; the notes largely comprising Naughton’s observations on Alfie’s personality and the delivery of his responses, and including some stage direction, costume and set details; written in blue ballpoint pen on 19 sheets of lined paper taken from a notebook, the first page appears to start halfway through a sentence suggesting that the notes are incomplete, the first page annotated at the foot in black felt pen in an unknown hand 1964; the notes, at times random and often indecipherable, appear to have been written hurriedly in large loose script, observations include:

page 1 – Yet he wants OUT/ Alfie never accuses / Never feels emotion / related to his words / Breath out FINGER / ON NOSE / ACT ONE went to / the examination /Alfie monologue is good open to ATTITUDE

page 2 – Harry’s got a photograph / of wife – kids -/ he keeps looking at it / Wheels trolly - /  / carries food in / - Own dressing gown / - Alfie gets Harry’s / fags..

page 3 – Alfie would rise / is Detached / [Dying out?] (wrong place / to rise ) - / Our little Charlie? / - a bit of Laughter/ Ave a giggle - / that’s all life / - is – a giggle –

page 4 – Sunday:  The rain / killed it / (AFTER the [---?] wolf) / Yeh, [m---?] / his wife he / will

page 5 – Dressing table (WRONG) / He wont sit / ALFIE HAS a certain delicacy of intellect / Alfie a unique / unrelated character. / Only trivial things /  excite / Emotional moments / bring the greatest detachment. / It’s more a [revelation?]

page 6 – Alfie even / sighs with boredom / as he talks to you / - I will order / that brown ale / Poncified – me ? / LOOKS IN MIRROR

page 7 – Alfie reels it off / bored . As fast as / he can. No / enthusiasm for anything / -- [--------------?] / eyes with you / (Mrs Smith goes to  / raincoat.

page 8 – wot they call / “a moral lapse” / He’s a right [wrong on?]/ he is / Alfie / NO FEELING [at all?] [always?]

page 9 –. [?] COLD / Ambulance – police – / the lot - /  He often talks as / thought talking to / a child. He believes / he knows all -- / Pauses only between [disconnected?] / thoughts. No [connection?]

page 10 - Alfie, Don’t Forget / If I was to /  marry you /  might gain a / husband – but /  you’d loose a /  bleedin’ good /  friend wouldn’t you, See / wot I mean

page 11 – Alfie / No turn-ups / 16” buttons grey / 16” blue / Very clean fronted / black  trousers / [Semi? Drape?] jacket / turn ups / [h--------?] worsted - / well ,[----?] and mohair

page 12 – Intimacy – is what / Alfie needs / No emphasis [on any?] / word / ALFIE Less expressive / The [perfect? moment?] / is all [---------?]

page 13 – [------?] is  feeling / the suit / Top range / to express this pausing / of thought – [Weight?] – more [shock?]

page 14 – Needs audience / touch space / Examination – he’s been carried / away by holding / emotion down - / Lightness – keep his / own natural / lightness in

page 15 –  £300 to P.O / Post office Savings / Building Society / Lily never looks / for Alfie. All eyes for Harry / - He’ll be a nut [crossed out] / More like a bleeding nut / case

page 16 – Lily – it was / lovely when he  / was [-----?] / I’d better go  - or / I’ll miss the / bus - / [Bastard?] Alfie / Racing to door

page 17 – Never call me that / Reproving / Alfie goes / out pulls / [-------? p--g?] / in place / - Pub scene / cut out  2  ‘Alfie’

page 18 – [Lofty? surround?]  you / yet [----d?] if Alfie. / [Poncified? Walk?] / very good / - Annie packs / with a certain / inevitable sadness –

page 19 – 10 minutes before / he could get / down to it / - [Promises of?] / they  can CAN / HE PUT COAT DOWN; the pages stapled at the top left corner, front page detached – 20 x 16 cm.

 Footnote: Lewis Gilbert regarded Alfie as his ‘breakthrough’ film.  The chapter devoted to the film in his autobiography is entitled ‘The Film That Changed My Life’.  In it he recounts how it was his wife Hylda who, following a chance encounter at her hairdressers with the actress Margaret Courteney (who was appearing in Alfie at the Mermaid Theatre), went to see the play and immediately realised it would be a great vehicle for a film.  Gilbert saw the play on the strength of his wife’s recommendation and recalls…. the subject fascinated me….because Alfie was a new kind of hero….he had a cockiness and an energy that was mirrored in the real life of the 1960s….

 Alfie broke numerous box office records on its release and was lauded by the critics as a result the film shot Lewis Gilbert and his unknown lead Michael Caine to international stardom. Alfie was nominated for 5 Academy Awards including: Best Picture for Lewis Gilbert and Best Actor in a leading role for Michael Caine. It won 3 BAFTAs including Best British Actor for Michael Caine; and was nominated for 3 others including Best British Film for Lewis Gilbert. At Cannes Lewis Gilbert won the Jury Special Prize and was nominated for the Palm d’Or. The film also won 4 Golden Globes including Best Director for Lewis Gilbert and Best Actor for Michael Caine and was nominated for 3 others.

 In a recent interview for The Guardian  newspaper with Xan Brooks, 18 October 2021, Michael Caine’s remarked: “Alfie is probably the best film I ever made”.

Literature: GILBERT, Lewis All My Flashbacks The Autobiography of Lewis Gilbert, Sixty Years A Film Director, Reynolds & Hearn, London, 2010

Bellmans is grateful to Wallace and Hodgson for their assistance with cataloguing the Lewis Gilbert Film Script and Production Archive.