Alfie

I watched the movie "Alfie" the other day. The 1966, Michael Caine version. I was too young to see it in the theater at the time, but really loved the song as sung by Dionne Warwick. I was really surprised that the US release featured Cher singing the title song. I don't remember ever hearing her sing it back in the day. It was always Dionne Warwick.
When I got the movie on DVD, I was expecting a fun, frothy romp from the swinging '60's. I've always loved Michael Caine and was looking forward to seeing him as a lovable scamp, always after the ladies.
I was very disappointed. What I saw was a sad, sordid little movie about an absolutely soulless cad. Alfie went through women like Kleenex with no looking back. He did seem to care for them in his own limited way, but it was VERY limited, and only extended to his own pleasure and convenience. He did "take care of" the married woman he got pregnant, and even cried when viewing his aborted child, but it was too little, too late.
He seemed genuinely bewildered at the end of the movie. He truly didn't know "what it was all about" and I doubt he ever would.
I found it rather bleak. I could imagine Alfie as a middle-aged roué, burned out by life and abandoned by the women he'd carelessly used, sitting in his cramped little apartment and still wondering what it was all about.
I still love Michael Caine, though.