In Boty’s first and sadly, only, film role she appeared briefly as the manageress of a dry cleaners where she and Michael Caine’s Alfie share an embrace as they disappear behind racks of clothes – “And I was getting a suit clean in the bargain. Well. You can’t turn sometime like that down!” The images show Boty and Caine both in their roles inside and in conversation outside, presumably with director Lewis Gilbert on Earl’s Court Road where the building was located.
In addition to Caine, the film starred Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Shirley Anne Field, Vivien Merchant, Eleanor Bron and Shelley Winters and had its premiere at the Plaza Theatre in London on 24 March 1966.
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The contact sheets are currently available for sale on eBay – the listing’s description includes the following:
“Alfie (1966). A unique important collection of 70 original silver gelatin contact sheets.
Provenance: from the collection of the director and producer of the movie; Lewis Gilbert.
A total of 70 contact sheets containing a complete sequence of images from ‘ALF 1’ through to ‘ALF 1,481’. The BFI (British Film Institute) has around 300 stills from the movie in their archive – here there are 1,481 across the 70 contact sheets. Essentially a museum/exhibition piece with the ultimate provenance.
Alfie is the seminal ‘Swinging Sixties London’ movie that turned Michael Caine into a movie superstar and global icon, and likewise the breakthrough movie for Lewis Gilbert who went on to direct three James Bond movies and later worked again with Caine on Educating Rita.
The images are a mix of frames from the movie, outtakes and photography stills, on set scenes, off set, production team, movie promos etc, probably many never seen before..
In very good condition, some with very slight imperfections from gentle handling. Probably never removed since 1966 from their original album sleeves until now for listing photography.
Absolutely unique and rare with second to none provenance.”
More images of the sheets uploaded to Instagram can be seen by searching the hashtag #alfiecontactsheets
The eBay listing can be seen here: [link]
Pauline Boty 