Charade: "... best on the bill..."

[Algernon]

I saw Charade (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0056923) on Turner Classic Movies last night. Given my age and my love for movies, one could say it's about time.

Even from when I was a kid, it's a movie I've always intended on watching someday and never got around to it. A couple of times while flipping throught the channels I'd see that it was on, but I wanted to watch it from the beginning, so I'd continue channel-surfing. I should've just gone out and rented it, but never did.

Anyway, I had the chance and had the time, so what the heck.

The movie exceeded all of my expectations. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant were wonderful in this romantic, light-hearted thriller. Accenting this fine pair of actors was George Kennedy, James Coburn, and Walter Matheau.

Audrey Hepburn was beautiful as usual. There is this memorable moment where Audrey is hiding from the killer in the theater, and most of her face is in shadow except for her gorgeous eyes. Very well done visually.

I was surprised to see that the movie didn't win any Academy Awards, not even for the Mancini score (which was nominated at least). (Best picture in 1963 went to Tom Jones; best actor to Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field; best actress to Patricia Neal in Hud.)

I'm not much of a film critic... I just wanted to share how much I enjoyed this movie.

[CalMeacham]

I love it, too, but mainly for someone who never gets credit when the film is mentioned -- screewriter Peter Stone. The movie is practically a textbook on How to Do Exposition. There are a lot of very cute touches, and the comedy-romantic interplay between Grant and Hepburn is beautiful.

Stone had worked with director Lumet before on the equally wonderful (but darker and, probably therefore, less well-known) Mirage. When Lumet tried for a third go at the romantic mystery thriller, he did it without Stone, and the result, Arabesque, was pretty forgettable.

Stone went on to do the play and movie 1776 and the light thriller Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe, as well as the rtecent stage musical Titanic (not the Cameron movie).

I haven't been to see the recent remake The Truth about Charlie. From what I hear, they jettisoned all of Stone's script. Yechhh.

[WordMan]

Director Lumet? That didn't sound right, so I checked the Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/Title?0056923), which confirms my memory that the director was Stanley Donen.

As for Charade - I enjoy it, too. I asked my mom about it (it came out pretty much when I was born), and she said that it was considered a bit of a trifle - a fun little film without much substance that relied on a decect script and excellent stars. The biggest issue that drew attention was the age difference between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn - its his last romantic lead, IIRC. Anyway, that's why it wasn't really considered Oscar material - it was not weighty enough.

[Algernon]

Mirage huh? I'll have to try it.

Gergory Peck is no Cary Grant, and Diane Baker cannot possibly hold a candle to Audrey Hepburn, but on your recommendation CalMeacham, I'll give it a whirl (I won't wait years and years this time ~grin~). A quick peek at IMDB tells me that Walter Mathau and George Kennedy appear here too.

(an aside... I can't picture Diane Baker, even though I see that she was in Silence of the Lambs, The Net, Courage Under Fire, etc.)

Wordman, I can see how the movie certainly wasn't "weighty" enough for the Academy. I read on IMDB how Carey Grant was uncomfortable with the age difference himself, so Stone wrote it so that Audrey would be the pursuer.