Day 51-- Charade movie review

You haven't been to college if you didn't own a Audrey Hepburn poster, or had a roommate who did.  Chances are, Breakfast at Tiffany's is the only Audrey Hepburn movie you've seen, and Charade is the perfect movie to change this.

I was perusing Hulu last night when I stumbled upon Hepburn's 1963 classic Charade.  In truth, the reason I had even heard of it was due to a New York Times piece on revisiting this classic and pondering why on earth it's been so forgotten.  I wholly agree with their confusion.

Charade is a highly clever, witty, sexy, twisty mystery comedy that's a true lost gem in cinema.  Audrey Hepburn stars as Regina Lampert, a new widow of Charles Lampert who we quickly find out, isn't all that he seems.  Very quickly three ex-CIA thugs are on Mrs.Lampert's trail, for they believe Charles has stolen $250,000 and Regina is hiding the cash.

Cary Grant enters the picture as Peter Joshua, a charming gentleman who comes to the aid of Regina's welfare, if not for something more.  Grant and Hepburn are in a league of their own with their stylish banter and flirtatious situations.  In the first scene that they met each other Peter coyly asks, 'We don't know each other, do we?" Reggie: Why? Do you think we're going to? Peter: I don't know -- how would I know? Reggie: Because I already know an awful lot of people; until one of them dies, I couldn't possibly meet anyone else. Peter [smiling]: Mmm. Well, if anyone goes on the critical list, let me know. [he starts off] Reggie: Quitter!

Regina and Peter stroll the streets and nightclubs of Paris between fight scenes and comic interludes with the three would-be assassins, all the while trying to find the huge sum of money that everyone, including the French government and the CIA want their hands on.

This is the kind of movie where the criminals have allergies, where Hepburn can battle wits with the killers in a little black dress while sharing the same hotel as them, where Grant is just as handsome showering in a suit as he is battling on a roof top with a clawed assassin, and where the plot surprises about Charles and his goons leave Regina more charmed than baffled (this is elegant Hepburn of course).

From the opening sequence with its sensual tango theme, to the twisty witty plot, to the very end with its stylish conclusions, Charade is thoroughly enjoyable martini of a film, filled with sweet charm and a little bite.

Here are some more of my favorite quotes from the film:

Reggie Lampert: Is there a Mrs. Joshua?
Peter Joshua: Yes, but we are divorced.
Reggie Lampert: Oh, that wasn't a proposal. I'm just curious.

Peter Joshua: Is there a Mr. Lampert?
Reggie Lampert: Yes.
Peter Joshua: Good for you.
Reggie Lampert: No it isn't, I'm getting a divorce.
Peter Joshua: Please! Not on my account.
 

Reggie Lampert: Here it comes, the fatherly talk. You forget I'm already a widow.
Peter Joshua: Well, so was Juliet, at fifteen.
Reggie Lampert: I'm not fifteen.
Peter Joshua: Well, that's your trouble. You're too old for me. 

Reggie: Do you know what's wrong with you?

Peter: No, what? 

Reggie: Nothing!