‘I blamed myself for it’: Jude Law regrets starring in this film, which was a big flop in cinemas 20 years ago.

It was with Alfie Flirt in 1966 that the great Michael Caine was finally able to establish his reputation. Thanks to this seductive role opposite Shelley Winters, under the auspices of director Lewis Gilbert, Caine will also receive his first nomination at the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Hollywood loves nothing more than remakes, so 38 years after the original film, a new version was released, this time directed by Charles Scheer, who has since fallen into near-total anonymity. Exit Michael Caine and make way for Jude Law, who plays the role. Flirty Alfie becomes Irresistible Alfie. In parallel, the 1966 film even had a sequel, Alfie Darling, which was released in 1975.

Two-time Oscar nominee Jude Law regrets starring in this remake, as he recently confided At the microphone of GQ. A “miscalculation” According to him, in the footsteps of Return to Cold Mountain and the talented Mr. Ripley; Two films that earned him two Oscar nominations.

“Maybe I paid too much”

“I was in a strong position at the time because I had received my second Oscar nomination for ‘Return to Cold Mountain’ and decided to do ‘Alfie’ too soon, a miscalculation. The actor admits.

Vin admits that he was disappointed when he saw himself on the screen after the test screening. “I just felt like it didn’t elevate the source material and it was a little too light, a little too corny. I think it was designed for a lot of money and probably overcharged me, which I didn’t appreciate at the time. I blamed myself with this charismatic main character and it didn’t work out.

A welcome act of contrition from Law, for a film that took a severe thrashing at the box office. Irresistible Alfie, which Paramount made for $60 million, grossed just over $35 million. Not quite a triumph then…