Review of Charade (1963) by Paul B — 27 Jul 2009
It's sacrilege to like this movie better than anything Hitchcock himself made, but I can't help myself. The irresistibly smart, dialogue-driven humor of Stanley Donen's film is more than enough to recommend it.
Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn both put their unique personalities into the humor as well, so that I don't think I can see anyone else doing it exactly the same way. Grant had already enjoyed a long career exhibiting the sophistication he has here, so his performance is natural and familiar, almost as if his character reminds us of someone else.
Hepburn is lovely as always, and she proves in this film to have a wonderful gift for comedy to boot. The age difference between the two stars doesn't get in the way for a second; intellectually, at least, they are on exactly the same level.
All in all, this is a suspense-comedy with accent on the comedy, but the thriller aspects of the story are pulled off with great skill. Donen and writer Peter Stone allow the plot to be revealed in bits and pieces, funneled through several different sources, so that the viewer develops significant doubts about whom to trust.
Whenever the situation threatens to get too light, another in a series of murders takes place to turn the plot into a new direction. The twists and turns continue until almost the very end, followed by a decisive and thrilling standoff.
Again, this is the kind of movie that Hitchcock put a definitive stamp on at least a decade earlier. If pressed, I would probably admit that he did it better than Donen. This film will always be special to me, though.
It has stood the test of time with its humor and star power.
This review of Charade (1963) was written by Paul B on 27 Jul 2009.
Charade has generally received very positive reviews.
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