Sunday, December 16, 2012
Charade (1963)
This. THIS
is what “Tourist” -– the dull-flat romantic caper with Johnny Depp and Angelina
Jolie -– wanted to be, and failed. Starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, with
assist from George Kennedy, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau, twisty-turny, tongue-in-cheek thriller/comedy “Charade” follows a new divorcee (Hepburn)
whose Parisian rich ex-husband turns up dead before the legal papers can be signed. Woe
for her, because $250,000 is missing, and the cops and the crooks know in their
blood Ms. Hepburn has it. Enter Grant’s slippery admitted conman who switches
identities quicker than he does clothes, and this film -– directed by Stanley
Donen (“Singin’ in the Rain”) -– is a hoot of 1960s cool/suave. The turncoats,
betrayals, and reveals are played for suspense and laughs, alternating one
after the other, none better than when a parade of men stalk into dead
hubby’s funeral, studying and abusing the corpse, making sure he’s dead. Grant
is old enough to be Hepburn’s father, but the “ick” factor is joked away, with
Hepburn on top, so to speak, even if some of the “you’re-just-a-girl” shtick is sexist. Doesn’t distract, though, from this cinematic shell
game. Hepburn shines, as always. B+
Labels:
1963,
Audrey Hepburn,
Cary Grant,
Charade,
conman,
cool,
crime,
George Kennedy,
murder,
romance,
Stanley Donen,
suave,
Tourist,
Walter Matthau
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