Alfie (Burt Bacharach song) version of "Alfie" was released at the end of June 1966 almost two months prior to the film's US premiere (August 25, 1966); Sonny Bono's production showcased the song à la Phil Spector. Despite being the follow-up to the #2 hit "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", "Alfie" rose no higher than #32. It was also a top 40 hit in Canada, reaching #36. The versions of "Alfie" by both Cilla Black and Cher were released in Australia in July 1966, with Black's becoming the major hit at #22; the Cher version's Australian chart peak was #96. "Alfie" was
Michael Caine supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" by Caine was voted favourite film one-liner in a 2003 poll of 1,000 film fans. After working on "The Italian Job" with Noël Coward, and a solid role as RAF fighter pilot squadron leader Canfield in the all-star cast of "Battle of Britain" (both 1969), Caine played the lead in "Get Carter" (1971), a British gangster film. Caine was busy with successes including "Sleuth" (1972) opposite Laurence Olivier, and John Huston's "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975) co-starring Sean Connery which received widespread acclaim. "The Times" applauded the "lovely double act of