Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Charade (1963)
Director:Stanley Donen
Should You See It? How can you pass up Cary Grant romancing Audrey Hepburn?
What a surprising and delightful film. It is half 1930s screwball comedy – Cary Grant still dashing in the lead only this time the Hepburn is Audrey – and half Hitchcockian thriller. And the soundtrack! Usually the soundtrack is like a dream to me – I know it was there but I hardly remember it. Not Hentry Mancini’s soundtrack. It is memorably and very front and center, and is particularly good in the final chase sequence.
Hepburn and Grant are great together. Audrey has as much screen chemistry with Grant as any of Grant’s other amazing leading ladies. These 30+ years after Grant began in film he still has the on screen charisma and is the model for all of us who want to be dashing and distinguished. Audrey is wonderful playing her role romantically pursuing Grant. She mixes 1 part screwy innocence with 1 part schrewd sophiscation. Their backhanded romantic scenes are by far the best moments of the film. In fact without their chemistry you got nothing.
There are 2 stories running side by side. One asks will Audrey and Grant end up together? The other asks, where is Audrey’s dead husband’s stolen loot and who is killing everyone to try and get it? Well, she gets him, of course, and Grant figures out where the loot is and saves Audrey from the fake CIA agent who is really the killer.
There aren’t many great early 60’s films but this is one.
Should You See It? How can you pass up Cary Grant romancing Audrey Hepburn?
What a surprising and delightful film. It is half 1930s screwball comedy – Cary Grant still dashing in the lead only this time the Hepburn is Audrey – and half Hitchcockian thriller. And the soundtrack! Usually the soundtrack is like a dream to me – I know it was there but I hardly remember it. Not Hentry Mancini’s soundtrack. It is memorably and very front and center, and is particularly good in the final chase sequence.
Hepburn and Grant are great together. Audrey has as much screen chemistry with Grant as any of Grant’s other amazing leading ladies. These 30+ years after Grant began in film he still has the on screen charisma and is the model for all of us who want to be dashing and distinguished. Audrey is wonderful playing her role romantically pursuing Grant. She mixes 1 part screwy innocence with 1 part schrewd sophiscation. Their backhanded romantic scenes are by far the best moments of the film. In fact without their chemistry you got nothing.
There are 2 stories running side by side. One asks will Audrey and Grant end up together? The other asks, where is Audrey’s dead husband’s stolen loot and who is killing everyone to try and get it? Well, she gets him, of course, and Grant figures out where the loot is and saves Audrey from the fake CIA agent who is really the killer.
There aren’t many great early 60’s films but this is one.
