Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Review: Charade (1963).

IMDb Synopsis: Romance and suspense in Paris, as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Who can she trust?
















Charade is directed by Stanley Donen, but is often referred to as "the best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made"- and for obvious reason. The opening titles are very similar to those in Vertigo, while the cinematography and Donen's direction are both somewhat reminiscent of films like Rear Window and North by Northwest. 


I can't even begin to say how much I enjoyed watching this film. I think it's definitely Donen's finest work as a director and one of both Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn's best films.


Grant and Hepburn both delivered marvelous performances. Anyone who doesn't like Audrey Hepburn's acting should really give this film a try before judging her only by Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady (Both of which are films I dislike.) The chemistry they had together is part of what really makes Charade a wonderful movie, and I really wish they had worked together more than once.


Screenwriter Peter Stone deserved an Oscar for the script. Every bit of dialogue is both witty and clever. I can honestly say that the story kept me guessing throughout the whole film and I was genuinely surprised by the ending (which I won't spoil).


Charade is among my picks of the best thrillers of all time, and one of the best films to come out of the nineteen-sixties. I'm willing to bet that any Hitchcock (or classic film) fan would enjoy this gem from Stanley Donen.


5/5 stars

Academy Awards, 1964:
Best Music, Original Song Nominee

4 comments:

  1. You really hadn't seen it before?? Well, great you did. Welcome to the club of Charade-addicts, Meredith :) Nice review.

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  2. I love this film! It's so fun and suspenseful from beginning to end.

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  3. As for best Donen film, I still can't choose between Charade and Signin' in the Rain.

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  4. I absolutely agree, it is definitely one of the sixties best films. I saw it on the big screen 5 weeks ago and I had a huge stupid grin on my face right throughout!!
    It is pure fun and the repartee between Hepburn and Grant is brilliant.
    I personally love Breakfast at Tiffany's...again I saw it on the big screen 4 years ago. The party scene is my favorite film scene ever. Superb choreography and hilarious in the process. As a film I like it more than Capote's novella. But I still think A Nun's Story is Hepburn's best acting.

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