Editing Lewis Gilbert (section)

===''Alfie''===
Gilbert directed ''[[Alfie (1966 film)|Alfie]]'' (1966)<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9507EEDE1F31E43BBC4D51DFBE66838D679EDE | author=Bosley Crowther | author-link=Bosley Crowther | date = 25 August 1966 | title=Screen: 'Alfie,' Story of a Cockney Anti-Hero, Begins Run Here:Movie More Effective Than Stage Play Other Features Open 'Batman' Has Debut}}</ref> starring [[Michael Caine]]. Gilbert's wife Hylda discovered the play by [[Bill Naughton]] when she visited the hair salon and sat next to an actress who was in a production. Upon seeing the play, Hylda urged Gilbert to make it into a film. Gilbert used the technique of having the lead character speak directly to the viewer, a technique he later also used in ''[[Shirley Valentine (film)|Shirley Valentine]]'' (1989). Gilbert said ''Alfie'' was only made because the low budget was "the sort of money Paramount executives normally spend on cigar bills".<ref>''Halliwell's Film & Video Guide 2000'', 1999, London: HarperCollins, p15</ref> The film won the Jury Special Prize at the [[Cannes Film Festival]], and was nominated for five [[Academy Awards]] including Best Picture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1967|title=The 39th Academy Awards – 1967|date=4 October 2014 }}</ref> Gilbert was also nominated for a [[Golden Globe]] for Best Director.

In 1967, Gilbert was chosen to direct [[Lionel Bart]]'s musical version of ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'', but he was already contracted to another project and had to pull out; he recommended [[Carol Reed]], who took over.<ref name="BFI_biography"/> "It was the lowest point in my life," said Gilbert. "I'd developed ''Oliver!'' with [[Lionel Bart]]. I had to do ''The Adventurers'' instead... While doing this film, I signed to do ''[[The Godfather]]''. Because of their financial problems, Paramount could only find $2m to make it. I said it needed $7m". So, instead, Gilbert made ''[[Friends (1971 film)|Friends]]'' (1971 movie).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/mar/10/culture.features2|title=Of human Bondage|date=9 March 2000|author=Nicholas Jones |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>