Review of Love in the Afternoon (1957) by Spencer S — 11 May 2011
The premise, that of a gamine and inexperienced French girl infatuated with an American playboy, to the point of enchanting him and foiling a murder attempt, was genius. Audrey Hepburn plays a darling cellist, the daughter of a detective (Chevalier) who comes across a chance to save the dashingly handsome Frank Flannagan (Cooper) from an angered husband.
With an air of mystery around her, Hepburn lies about her own sexual prowess in order to drive Flannagan into envy at the thought that the two are evenly matched. Though Wilder made the film into the cute romantic comedy it was meant to be, his own misgivings about the film were correct.
Though Hepburn is perfectly cast, Cooper feels a tad out of his element, used to playing the hero in Westerns. Cooper never quite fits in when he's cast in comedies, and his stiff performance seemed the result of yet another awkward casting.
The ending (for American audiences) includes an aside by Chevalier that Hepburn and Cooper are not living in sin, but married in New York. It feels patronizing to a modern audience, and if ever there is a director's cut, it should be discarded.
This review of Love in the Afternoon (1957) was written by Spencer S on 11 May 2011.
Love in the Afternoon has generally received positive reviews.
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