DVD Charade
Audrey Hepburn plays a Parisienne whose husband is murdered and who finds she is being followed by four men seeking the fortune her late spouse had hidden away. Cary Grant is the stranger who comes to her aid, but his real motives aren't entirely clear--could he even be the killer? The 1963 film is directed by Stanley Donen, but it has been called "Hitchcockian" for good reason: the possible duplicities between lovers, the unspoken agendas between a man and woman sharing secrets. Charade is nowhere as significant as a Hitchcock film, but suspense-wise it holds its own; and Donen's glossy production lends itself to the welcome experience of stargazing. One wants Cary Grant to be Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn to be no one but Audrey Hepburn in a Hollywood product such as this, and they certainly don't let us down. --Tom Keogh |
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Review(s): DVD Charade | |
This movie begins to misdirect you from the very beginning. There are a number of plot devices that the avid mystery fan will recognize, but their reuse in this film provides only a minor distraction from the fun.Reggie Lampert, very convincingly played by the always beautiful Audrey Hepburn, is informed her husband has died at the beginning of the movie. Reggie quickly becomes the target of a group of nefarious individuals played by James Coburn, George Kennedy and Ned Glass. While the role of these three is clear, what is less clear are the roles of Mr. Bartholomew (Walter Matthau) and Peter Joshua (Cary Grant). Both the latter appear to want to help Reggie, but in very different ways. Adding to Reggie's initial confusion is why everyone is after her. As the movie slowly reveals, her husband was not all that he appeared. Her husband conspired with a group of others to steal a quarter of a million dollars during World War II. However, Reggie's husband apparently decided he wanted all the money for himself and took it without the other's consent. Naturally the other partners were a bit upset and took out their frustrations on Reggie's husband. The question everyone asks of Reggie is where the money is located. Unfortunately, Reggie's husband neglected to advise her where he hid a quarter of a million dollars in stolen loot. Reggie must find the money to save her life. This movie intentionally misleads the viewer from the beginning. Cary Grant consorts with the characters we know are criminals, yet he initially appears to be a good guy. Walter Matthau is much less helpful than he should be given that he has an office in the U.S. Embassy. There are even brief moments at the beginning of the movie where I wondered whether Reggie might know more than she revealed. Paying attention to the movie, you may find that you guess the location of the cash before Reggie and Peter. The plot is prepared for your guess, and both characters lose the money just when they discover where it is hidden. You may guess the other secrets of the movie as well, but the fun is trying to guess before everything is revealed in the final minutes. This movie combines moments of humor and fear in a style that borrows much from Alfred Hitchcock's movies. The plot and cinematography do not quite achieve that lofty peak, but rise high enough and move along quickly enough that this film is thoroughly enjoyable. I recommend this movie for the collection of any Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn fan, and for those who liked movies such as "To Catch a Thief."
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Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, to put it mildly, are two of the most irreplaceable stars in Hollywood history. Grant did everything so well, he made acting look effortless to the point he was vastly underrated as an actor. Audrey Hepburn was a refreshing breath of fresh air her whole career -- a delicate flower of a woman physically who possessed an iron core of inner strength. It's unfortunate that Charade is the only film Grant and Hepburn made together. Despite the difference in their ages (which is a running joke in the movie), the two have a great chemistry that positively crackles onscreen. Grant reportedly worried about seeming like a dirty old man going after the much younger (25 years) Hepburn. He needn't have worried -- the only time the issue becomes obvious is when the age difference in mentioned onscreen. Add to this mix beautiful location photography in Paris, a stellar supporting cast including Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy and a great score by Henry Mancini, and you get a classic picture. Many critics have said that the plot is too convuluted and complex for its own good. To be sure, Grant's constant identity changes throughout the film do get annoying at times. But this film is so stylish and so classy that that's a minor quibble. Grant and Hepburn are magic together and make you wish Grant hadn't retired in 1966 so the two could have made more cinematic magic together. (The five star rating is for the film itself. The DVD is a little disappointing by Criterion standards. It has very few extras beyond the usual director's notes, commentary by director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone and the theatrical trailer.) See The Truth About Charlie to see how not to do it.
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I saw this movie in 1963 when it was released. I was captivated by it then and remain so. The kaleidoscopic opening credits are as beautiful as I remember, and the chase scenes-- on foot here-- are still exciting. We will never see anyone like Audrey Hepburn again. A total original, she and Gary Grant-- showing considerable skill as a comedian here-- are magnificent as a couple, having both style and electricity, often forgotten qualities in many of today's leading actors. Heburn and Grant are assisted by the likes of James Coburn, a young Walter Matthau and George Kennedy in supporting roles. Then there's Henry Mancini's score and direction by Stanley Donen. The plot takes many interesting twists and turns as Ms. Hepburn tries to figure out just who the dashing Mr. Grant really is-- a criminal or her savior or perhaps both or neither. If you've seen this movie before, you'll enjoy a replay. If this is your first time, you'll in for a real treat, a delightful way to spend an evening.
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