Charade

Rating:
Summary: An Example of Pure Class
Review:
I personally think, whenever anyone wants to make or write or watch a suspenseful mystery with wit and real style, they should stop, get a copy of Charade, get comfortable and prepare for one of the best treats they're ever going to experience.

From the word go, you're experiencing pure class. Cary Grant, who was never better (Father Goose, perhaps- and also written by Peter Stone), and Audrey Hepburn had chemistry that I don't think either ever had with anyone else. In fact, they may be 'the' example of chemistry. Age difference? Really? You would never know it, seeing the love unfold between them.

Add James Coburn, Ned Glass, George Kennedy (an example of a pre Bond villan if ever there was one)... and Walter Matthau. It doesn't get any better. They hold their own with terrific performances against two of Hollywood's best- and that's no easy feat.

The story unfolds the way a great mystery should. Who killed Lambert, and what has happened to the money that has drawn them all together? It keeps you guessing- as does Grant's identity, right til the end. Peter Stone's dialogue, pacing and wit lift this from period piece work to timeless entertainment. It doesn't matter what generation watches this- they'll learn the lines and introduce it to others.

One of the things I always found interesting about it- apparently Cary Grant was offered James Bond when the series was first being pitched (as was James Mason). Both would only do one movie and the producers knew it was going to be a series of films. If anyone ever wondered what Grant's Bond would have been like, watch this film. I swear the future Bond screenwriter's did. Listen to the great one liners! The fight on the roof with Herman's hook and the " I left him hanging around the American Express building! "

This is another one for the personal library. Pure fun and what entertainment is really all about.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, But Definitely a 1960s Movie
Review: "Charade" is enjoyable, but not as much as one would expect. Having seen the film for the first time on DVD, I thought it was a generally well-crafted tale, but wondered why on earth would Hollywood want to make a re-make of this film that is clearly a product of the 1960s. It's no wonder that "The Truth About Charlie" died a quick death at the box office last year.

First of all, "Charade" requires the audience to accept a lot. The film's credibility rests squarely on Cary Grant's shoulders. We are to assume that the man called Peter Joshua (Grant) is so dashing and charming that Reggie (Audrey Hepburn) will side with him no matter what. That might have worked for 1960s audiences, but for contemporary audiences that's pushing things a bit.

However, if you are willing to accept that (or simply overlook it), you're in for a nice ride. The film has plenty of plot twists and turns with some great set pieces. The scene with the trap doors is a classic.

With the exception of Grant and to a lesser extent Hepburn, the performances are rather broad. The supporting players generally fall into familiar "types." George Kennedy is a classic "heavy," for example.

The DVD includes audio commentary by producer/director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone. The bickering that goes on between them is quite amusing at times. It starts off with Donen's insistance that Stone not reveal any of the "clues" in the film. Meanwhile, Stone argues that anybody listening to the audio commentary has already seen the film and wants to know how the clues were set up. Another example is when Donen gets into a disagreement with Stone about whether or not Stone "wrote" a particular shot in the morgue scene.

Between the bickering, there are several intriguing anecdotes about the making of the film including how the original studio passed on the film. Also included is an abundant supply of trivia about the film. For example, in one scene we see Peter Stone, but it's actually Donen's voice we hear coming out of his mouth.

Overall, "Charade" is a very entertaining film, if a bit dated. If you're a fan of the two leads, it's a must-see. If not, it's still worth serious consideration because of the craft in which it was made.

Rating:
Summary: Save Your Money
Review: "Charade" is one of the most clever and classiest productions ever to come out of Hollywood. Too bad this widescreen transfer is total junk! Absolutely no effort was made to salvage this cinematic gem of the 1960's. The colors are faded, the image fuzzy, the soundtrack appalling. ...

Rating:
Summary: Good Film, But Beware Poor Quality Versions
Review: "Charade" is good fun, but buyer beware: the film's copyright was accidentally not renewed, and it has fallen into the public domain. The film has been released by a number of small video companies at a very low price---but you get what you pay for, which is terrible video and audio quality. Given the care that Criterion usually takes with its transfers, "Charade" should look great on DVD. But avoid other versions that are not released by a major company.

Rating:
Summary: "A gem, in every sense of the word..."
Review: "Charade", is often called the best Hitchcock piture, that Hitchcock never made. It really isn't hard to see why either. It has all the classic elements of a good Hitchcock caper, and while it might not be as significant as a Hitchcock film, "Charade" still holds it's own.

The film relies primarily on the charm of its leads to carry the film. Two upper-class, sophisticated people who must rely on their own wits to help them succeed. Two such people are Cary Grant, charming as ever, and Audrey Hepburn. Despite their age difference, they really sizzle on screen, with undeniable chemistry. Grant's usual sophisticated stranger persona, and Hepburn's almost adorable little personality, but is still beautiful, classy, and strong as she is perplexed by her strange situation. You'll just love them together, doing what they do best.

Stanley Donen's extremely stylish execution and production is something to marvel at. The gorgeous locales, nail-biting suspense, and sophisticated wit... it's really very 'Hitchcockian'. The scirpt is marvelous, and Henry Mancini's excellent score is wonderful. Donen never meant to make a film with such an obvious Hitchcock vein, but the film stands, for me atleast, as one of the most infinitely enjoyable pictures ever made.

A gem, in every sense of the word, as this film is unfaulted. Call it a Hitchcock wanabe, but it's still an excellent film. And in my eyes, as significant as any Hitchcock film ever made.

Rating:
Summary: Criterion re-releasing "Charade" in anamorphic
Review: (...)

They're also offering to upgrade existing letterbox copies of their previous release for $15. If you're looking to buy this disc I would recommend waiting until Amazon offers the new version (soon, I'm sure), or buying directly from Criterion (no discount). I certainly want to buy this DVD, but I've been waiting for an anamorphic release. And soon it will be here!

Rating:
Summary: The best Hitchcock movie . . .
Review: . . that Hitch never directed! From the music and design of the opening credits to the mesmerizing turns and twists of the plot and its excruciatingly delayed ending, this Stanley Donan picture has all the feel of a Hitchcock classic, complete with Cary Grant!

However, Hitch had a thing for blondes like Grace, Kim and Tippi, so the legend never worked with the greatest actress of all time, Audrey Hepburn.

Beyond Cary and Audrey (and their fabulous chemistry), everything else about this movie is ideal as well. The shots of Paris are magnificent, as is Henry Mancini's music. And "Charade" has one of the best plots you'll ever see.

Particularly memorable are the supporting actors: Walter Matthau of course, but also the odd collection of "bad guys" out to get the money left behind by the deceased husband of Reggie Lampert (Audrey). James Coburn is as 'Tex' as Tex can be and George Kennedy is delightfully vicious with his one steel hand (echoes of 007).

Is Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) a good guy or bad? That bewildering mystery ties us in knots, and is reminiscent of Cary in some earlier Hitchcockian masterpiece. Funny how, good or bad, we still like him.

No one does bewilderment better than Audrey Hepburn. Her husband dead, her very name in question, she spins through a labyrinth of maddening events. However, not helplessly. Audrey always made her characters possess a certain toughness, even as they walk in their cute clothes and say their witty charming things.

Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn was a dream pairing which is almost too good to be true. But what makes their pairing so successful is that they were cast together in a movie with countless other things to recommend it. That means, whether you're fans of these two legends, or not (impossible!), the plot of "Charade" is enough to entertain you through viewing after viewing.

Rating:
Summary: I don't usually review movies but...
Review: ...as soon as Charade was over I had to get online and share my thoughts. I enjoy Hitchcock quite a bit and was expecting a suspense film like some of his movies, but honestly, I enjoyed Charade more than anything Hitchcock gave us. Charade equals Hitchcock in terms of character development, suspense, and romance, but easily outdoes him in the comedy department. This movie is really funny! You should be aware that the Madacy label DVD has about 4 hours of material on it, so don't expect a very clear picture; it's all very compressed. It includes the 1953 version of "Charade" with James Mason (a movie I'd never heard of and still haven't watched yet). I appreciate a bonus feature, but I wonder if all this compression has led to the occasional fluctuation in volume. That's right, sometimes the volume dropped right in mid-sentence! "DVD's aren't supposed to do that," you say, but that's what happens when you jam extra stuff onto a disc. I notice there's a "Criterion Collection" version of Charade, and if you can pick that up I'm sure the technical quality is much improved. But even if you can't find a better quality DVD, this is still a high quality movie. If you're looking for a fantastic story with a fun balance of humor and romance, you can't go wrong with Charade, and probably any DVD label will do.

Rating:
Summary: what could be better???
Review: ...than Hepburn and Grant starring in a movie together. This movie is funny at sometimes, frightening at others, and romantic throughout! I laughed at a friend who told me this was a scary movie...but it is! Also there is so many twists and turns that you don't know what will happen next!!!

Rating:
Summary: "How Do You Shave in There?" The Timeless Question...
Review: ...that Audrey Hepburn poses on Cary Grant (discussing his chin cleft, of course) in CHARADE, an excerise in both anachronism and experimentation.

Suspenseful and charming, funny and frenetic, and making full use of its Parisian location and capable cast (as well as a memorable Mancini score), director Stanley Donen pulls together a superior film that, in many ways, serves as a signpost of the changing times.

CHARADE was released at the end of 1963, after JFK's assasination (in fact, that word was used in the film by Audrey Hepburn, and was dubbed out in certain showings during its initial release), and on the eve of the Beatles invasion. Viewed today, it plays almost like a marriage of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the darker, more explicit modern era of film.

Fortunately, CHARADE moves from dark to light with ease, aided by the cast, with the two leads in fine form, and two more excellent performances from Walter Matthau and James Coburn. Even Grant himself can manage to be sinister at times, and the final chase scene (I won't spoil the ending) is particularly well done.

Another, more subdued sign of change- this was Cary Grants' final film as the romantic lead (he made 2 more films, but neither FATHER GOOSE nor WALK, DONT RUN depict him dashingly wooing or romancing anyone). To see him, even at age 60, playing with the ease and assurance that carried him through his career is a great joy. Hepburn is the perfect foil, and this once-in-a-lifetime pairing shows both to the best advantage.

I guess I got a little deep here, but CHARADE is highly recommended, and fans of both old and new Hollywood will find something to enjoy here...if you're expecting a typical romantic thriller, be forwarned- there is DEFINITELY more than meets the eye here...enjoy...