Credible Credits
Year: 1963
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, Ned Glass, and George Kennedy
Tagline: You Can Expect the Unexpected When They Play ... "Charade"
Synopsis: After the mysterious death of her husband, a woman finds herself tangled in a web of mystery, danger, and lies ... all in pursuit of a vanished treasure.
Tagline: You Can Expect the Unexpected When They Play ... "Charade"
Synopsis: After the mysterious death of her husband, a woman finds herself tangled in a web of mystery, danger, and lies ... all in pursuit of a vanished treasure.
Review
This film stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. That alone is reason to see this classic film. Also fabulous is the fact it is both a suspense/thriller and a romantic comedy. What's not to love?
Charade has been dubbed "the best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made." The suspense/thriller aspect of it is simply that good. But while there was often plenty of romance in Hitchcock's films, there wasn't a lot of comedy. So I'm glad it was actually Stanley Donen who directed the film. Incidentally, Donen was also the directorial genius behind Singin' in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. (In case you are now wondering, Charade is not a musical.)
The script for Charade is one of my all-time favorites. The dialog is terrific from start to finish, especially the banter between Reggie (Hepburn) and Peter (Grant). They play off each other perfectly, whether it is an intense moment or a frivolous one. The quips never feel forced and the witty charm is the natural result of casting such witty and charming stars.
Charade also has one of my favorite theme songs. It was composed by Henry Mancini, who you might say was the John Williams of his day. It is perfect for the movie and also perfect for the opening credits. Yes, back in the day the opening credits were the big deal. And Charade has an awesome animation sequence to start it out.
Lastly, Charade is fabulous because it is simply classy. Grant is debonair and Hepburn is her usual flawless (and flawlessly dressed) self. But more than that, it is morally classy as well. Charade came out a year after the first James Bond film. I've never been fond of 007 and his habit of going through numerous "Bond girls" in each of his films (Wikipedia lists over 80 over the course of 24 films). Charade is wonderful in that it is "old-fashioned." The film doesn't "show" anything because there isn't even anything to show. Grant's character is ever the gentleman and Hepburn's character keeps her ardent advances within bounds. It's a lot classier and thus a lot more romantic than anything in a Bond movie or anything in most suspense films of today.
I suppose I should mention that as a suspense/thriller, yes, there is a little violence. But it is utterly tame compared to anything you'll see today.
I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't love Charade. The only sad thing about that is, I don't remember the first time I saw it, and thus don't remember my initial reactions to the twists and turns of the plot. If you've never seen the film, I highly recommend hunting it down. It has action, it has romance, it has comedy. It has Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Basically, Charade has it all.
Charade has been dubbed "the best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made." The suspense/thriller aspect of it is simply that good. But while there was often plenty of romance in Hitchcock's films, there wasn't a lot of comedy. So I'm glad it was actually Stanley Donen who directed the film. Incidentally, Donen was also the directorial genius behind Singin' in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. (In case you are now wondering, Charade is not a musical.)
The script for Charade is one of my all-time favorites. The dialog is terrific from start to finish, especially the banter between Reggie (Hepburn) and Peter (Grant). They play off each other perfectly, whether it is an intense moment or a frivolous one. The quips never feel forced and the witty charm is the natural result of casting such witty and charming stars.
Charade also has one of my favorite theme songs. It was composed by Henry Mancini, who you might say was the John Williams of his day. It is perfect for the movie and also perfect for the opening credits. Yes, back in the day the opening credits were the big deal. And Charade has an awesome animation sequence to start it out.
Lastly, Charade is fabulous because it is simply classy. Grant is debonair and Hepburn is her usual flawless (and flawlessly dressed) self. But more than that, it is morally classy as well. Charade came out a year after the first James Bond film. I've never been fond of 007 and his habit of going through numerous "Bond girls" in each of his films (Wikipedia lists over 80 over the course of 24 films). Charade is wonderful in that it is "old-fashioned." The film doesn't "show" anything because there isn't even anything to show. Grant's character is ever the gentleman and Hepburn's character keeps her ardent advances within bounds. It's a lot classier and thus a lot more romantic than anything in a Bond movie or anything in most suspense films of today.
I suppose I should mention that as a suspense/thriller, yes, there is a little violence. But it is utterly tame compared to anything you'll see today.
I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't love Charade. The only sad thing about that is, I don't remember the first time I saw it, and thus don't remember my initial reactions to the twists and turns of the plot. If you've never seen the film, I highly recommend hunting it down. It has action, it has romance, it has comedy. It has Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Basically, Charade has it all.
Quotable Quotes
- "You're blocking my view." "Oh. Which view would you like?" "The one you're blocking." -- Reggie and Peter
- "I already know an awful lot of people and until one of them dies, I couldn't possibly meet anyone else." "Well, if anyone goes on the critical list, let me know." "Quitter." -- Reggie and Peter
- "What are you doing in here?" "I'm having a nervous breakdown." -- Peter and Reggie
- "I'm beginning to think women make the best spies." "... Agents." -- Reggie and Bartholomew
- "Of course you won't be able to lie on your back for a while. But then you can lie from any position, can't you?" -- Reggie
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