User reviews

I was one of those people who was convinced this was a Hitchcock movie when I first saw "Charade". I think this is because the idea of the plot, some of the set pieces and the style of direction are remarkably similar. The director here is Stanley Donan(co-director with Gene Kelly of "Singin' In The Rain"), and I thought he did a great job directing.

The real stars of this classy, entertaining and I think underrated Hitchcockian-like comedy thriller are the clever plot(with an ingenious McGuffin) and the marvellous romantic score from Henry Mancini. The cinematography is skillful enough and the Parisian locations are ravishing. Not to mention some truly wonderful set pieces such as Grant taking a shower fully clothed, Grant and Hepburn falling in love on a river boat, a hair-raising cliffhanger on the roof, the priceless funeral scene and the sequence under the stage.

The acting is marvellous, with charming, brooding and urbane Cary Grant and lovely and equally charming Audrey Hepburn making a dream pairing and making the most of a crisp, funny and sophisticated script. James Coburn makes a star-making turn, Ned Glass is deliciously obnoxious and Walter Matthau, a wonderful comic actor in his time, in an understated performance here that I personally think is the strongest one of the film. In fact, while I have nothing against George Kennedy, I did feel as though he was slightly phoning in his performance here, but considering how good this film is that is a minor criticism.

Overall, this film is terrific, not the best movie ever made but a long way from the worst. It is such a shame people have to be so derogatory to not only this film in general, but also about Grant, Hepburn and other movie stars like James Stewart when they have a lot more talent than most of the actors working today and that is a fact. Not trying to sound opinionated, but I'd rather watch any Hitchcock or this than any of the Friedberg-Seltzer spoofs or Steven Seagal's most sloppily paced, lazily acted film. 9.5/10 for "Charade". Bethany Cox

Just one of the many marvelous moments in "Charade", one of Cary Grant's and Audrey Hepburn's best films. There's a quarter of a million dollars floating around instant-widow Hepburn but nobody can SEE IT (it's right in front of their eyes). Filled with running jokes, colorful and eccentric oddities (such as trenchcoat-wearing George Kennedy with his hook and the little guy who won't stop sneezing), funny set-pieces (like the funeral scene, and Audrey's priceless exaggerated reactions) and suspenseful sequences, not to mention Audrey and Cary looking smashing together. This is one of 50 best films ever made, as good as "Casablanca" and "My Fair Lady". In fact, I think it's better.

Let's see: what we got here is one of the best romantic-comedy/thriller scripts ever made, one of the best Hollywood directors from 50's and 60's, the more elegant and classy actress ever (Audrey Hepburn), the more elegant and classy actor ever (Cary Grant), two of the best "tough guys" from the big screen (G. Kennedy and James Coburn), one of the best comedy actors ever (Walter Matthau), and the city of Paris. Nothing could possibly go wrong, don't you think?

Audrey Hepburn is Reggie Lambert, an American girl married to a swiss guy called Charles Lambert (at least that's what she thinks)... She's spending her holidays in some ski resort with her best girlfriend Sylvie and the son of hers. Reggie has decided to divorce her husband, so she gets back to Paris. Once there she found out that her husband's been killed. From this moment on she gets involved in the funniest spy plot ever.

Watching Charade you'll have an smile on your face from the beginning till the very end. And you'll burst out laughing in many moments of the movie. Stanley Donen gets out of every sequence very skillfully and, as he did before in Seven Brides or Singin' In The Rain, he probes he's an outstanding filmmaker. There're two names that come into my mind every time I watch this movie: Alfred Hitchcock and Blake Edwards. In Charade, Stanley Donen merged suspense and romantic-comedy in the best possible way. Actor's selection is just perfect, the chemical between Hepburn and Grant is simply unbeatable. One more perfect couple to add to Hollywood's Couple's Hall Of Fame: side by side with Katharine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn-Cary Grant (him once again!), Lauren Bacall-Humphrey Bogart... It's not easy to find two actors so compatible. What to say about George Kennedy or James Coburn? Best known for their roles in action movies, they do their best as CIA agents. And least but not less, we got Walter Matthau, one of the best comedy actors ever (I should've put Walter Matthau-Jack Lemon in my Couple's Hall Of Fame!) doing the best he can (that is a lot!) as (in principle) an American Embassy employee.

So if you liked North By Northwest or Breakfast At Tiffany's, if you think that there's never been a more classy actress than Audrey Hepburn, if you do believe that Cary Grant's been one of the more talented actors ever (and one of the funniest ones)... please, don't miss Charade. You'll spend one of the times of your life.

Aur Voir, Mon Amis!

My Rate: 10/10 or even higher.

I'll be brief. This romantic comedy thriller hybrid is an absolute treat. Starring the classiest of actors in both Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn and directed with continental style and flare by the incomparable Stanley Donen, this film is not to be missed. The photography (especially noticable in the new DVD version), Henry Macini's score, the taught and crisp script, the perfect supporting cast all add up to make a perfect piece of entertainment. I agree with many of the other IMDB writers- it is criminal that this film is not respected more. It is a blueprint of what makes a movie fun. A perfect 10 out of 10.

CHARADE is the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made! With romance, sophisticated comedy, and stylish suspense (including a smattering of graphic-for-its-era violence) balanced out deftly, CHARADE is the movie that made me a fan of both Peter Stone and Stanley Donen (yes, I actually saw this before I ever saw one of Donen's musicals!). Every other line is sparklingly quotable, and Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn are among my favorite screen couples; pity this was their only big screen teaming (I liked the wry way they kidded the age difference between them, too). James Coburn, George Kennedy, and Walter Matthau (all Oscar winners now!) are in top form in these early screen appearances of theirs. Both Hepburn and Paris look their sophisticated best, and the theme is my favorite by Henry Mancini next to the PINK PANTHER theme. Do try to get ahold of the marvelous Criterion Collection DVD of CHARADE; it's well worth seeking out, with nifty extras including an utterly delightful commentary track by Stanley Donen and the late Peter Stone. By the way, CHARADE is also piggybacked onto the DVD of Jonathan Demme's well-meaning but disappointing remake, THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE. On a related note, Donen's second Hitchcock spoof/homage, ARABESQUE, was released as part of a Gregory Peck boxed DVD set. I'm glad ARABESQUE is available on DVD, but I wish they'd recorded a commentary track by Donen and Sophia Loren while they're both still alive and reasonably well. But I digress...watch CHARADE today! :-)

When I first saw "Charade", I was convinced for the longest time this was a Hitchcock movie. Small wonder; Hitchcock all but set the standard for quality mystery films. Still, I give director Donen my sincerest apologies. Anyway, where did this film go?? Its tasteful humor, colorful characters and intelligent plot make "Charade" one of the best mystery movies ever made, but it's not well known even among classic films.

"Look for it. Look as hard and as fast as you can." This film ranks with "Clue", "The Name of the Rose" and "The 39 Steps" as one of the most enjoyable mysteries of all time. Makes a great dating/party movie.

"Charade" seems to exist in a parallel universe, where it is not only humanly possible for a man to be as dapper, sexy and urbane as Cary Grant, and a woman to be as chic, adorable and beautiful as Audrey Hepburn, but for them to be a romantic couple, to boot (the mind reels at what the children would look and sound like). Long underrated and underappreciated (and only available in horrible-looking, grainy video prints), this fabulously entertaining comedy-thriller is the cinematic equivilant of a champagne cocktail. Often compared (perhaps unfavorably) to Hitchcock's films of the period, "Charade" contains little of the heavy psychological tension that marked Hitch's work. Instead, the film concentrates on witty banter, Audrey's wardrobe and a clever script--and we're the richer for it. Audrey is a sudden widow who is terrifyingly thrust into a web of deceit; her late husband, it seems, was being hunted by three ex-war buddies with whom he stole $250,000. Audrey, they think, has the money--and if she doesn't come up with it quickly, she'll be joining him. Cary Grant is the handsome, mysterious stranger who may be friend or foe. It had been done before, and it's been done since, but never with such panache. Henry Mancini's stylish score adds immeasurably to both the fun and the tension; and the ever-nimble Stanley Donen directs the suspense scenes just as deftly as the comic ones. My favorites: Audrey trailing Cary dressed "inconspicuously" in a white Givenchy trenchcoat and huge movie star sunglasses, while giving a poor German tourist the fits; Audrey finally cornering Cary in her hotel room and lightly kissing her way down his face--today's filmmakers might take a page from her book: this scene is intensely romantic without ever seeing a bit of exposed flesh or dueling tongues; and of course, the fabulous opening scene (I won't give away the surprise)--with Audrey wearing one of my favorite Movie Star get ups of all time: a hooded mink poncho over a catsuit. This is entertainment with a capital "E", made all the more enjoyable because it never panders to the lowest common denominator, never dips into "camp," and never breaks a sweat. Today's films continue to mine the same territory, and the results are ceaselessly boring, tawdry or both. You can FEEL the strain of the writers and actors as they attempt the kind of slick interplay that came naturally to those involved in "Charade." The beautiful, magnificently restored Criterion DVD edition now allows us to revel in this film like never before.

The similarities with Hitchcock's movies are too numerous to mention, other than to comment that CHARADE may well be the best Hitchcock film that he never actually made (that honour goes to Hepburn mainstay Stanley Donen). This is a witty and affectionate comedy/romance/mystery featuring impeccable performances from Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn as two people thrown into a mystery involving a hidden fortune and some deadly foes.

CHARADE has a lot going for it, not least the crisp, neat, early '60s style. Grant is at his charismatic best, even though it's clear he's past his prime here, while Hepburn plays the usual intelligent, glamorous and slightly fragile character that she's so adept at. Film fans will be in their element with the presence of numerous soon-to-be-famous actors, including George Kennedy, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau.

The story twists and turns at a merry place, ably mixing romance with murder and coming off well as a result. I particularly liked Grant's murky character motivations and how you're left constantly wrong-footed as to his character's true intentions. There's little to dislike here.

Perfection! Truly funny with the two greatest stars to light up the screen and a terrific cast of supporting players. I watch this whenever I'm down in the dumps or need cheering up. (It's on tonight on TMC; don't miss it.) And those one liners! I can't imagine any stars today who could deliver such lines as "You know what's wrong with you? Absolutely nothing." There are a zillion such lines. And I don't think Audrey Hepburn ever co-starred with anyone who she didn't click with. Sean Connery, Humphrey Bogart, Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney.

You can have sexual chemistry on the screen without showing it. Today, they would have these Reggie and Brian (et al.) in bed together.

A wonderful movie!

I prefer to think of Charade as more of a light-hearted suspense movie more concerned with romance than a hard nosed thriller. Though the film can be classified as such, the screenplay takes more time to work on the relationship between the two main characters than the average thriller does. And of course it doesn't hurt to have Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, two wonderfully charismatic actors, as your leads. Very well written dialogue for the characters only increases the enjoyment. The film wisely focuses on them and leaves the thrills to the background. Not to say that stuff isn't well written. The idea isn't terribly enthralling, but it's executed with enough twists and turns to keep you interested, though if you're anything like me you'll see the surprises coming a mile off. That was probably the weak point of the film. It was simply too predictable. And though I loved the two main characters and I'm glad the film focused on them, I would have like to have seem just a bit more time allotted to the three bad guys. A little more sculpturing could have made them more effect heels than they were, not that they were bad.

Thanks to Grant and Hepburn, and a devotion by the screenwriters to make their characters great, the film is fun to watch. The suspense is there, but not amazingly thrilling.

7.5/10

* * * 1/2 / * * * *

I have found many films just aren't as good as I remember seeing as a kid. A wide-eyed youngster gaping at a big silver screen at the theater can be more memorable than a middle-aged guy seeing that film decades later on a small television.

However, here is one film that is EVEN BETTER than I remembered it. Yeah, it's a little dated here and there, but not much, just mainly Audrey Hepburn's dialog. However, the story with all its twists is just as suspenseful and fun to watch as it was over 50 years ago. I've seen this three times in the last two years, after that long, long absence. (Tip: spend the extra money to get the Criterion DVD disc. It is the only clear, sharp copy of this film I have seen.)

The story's strength lies in getting the viewer involved. One never knows whether Gary Grant is a good guy or a bad guy. The dialog between Grant and Hepburn is very entertaining as the latter tries to figure out the same thing. There are lots of good lines, particularly by Grant. That in itself makes this film fun to watch multiple times. The pacing of this story also is good; the film moves fast and spaces the action out smartly.

This has to be one of the best movies ever to come out of the 1960s. I have never known anyone who didn't like this film.

This is definitely a fun watch. There are a lot of twists and turns that hold you to your seat and make you wonder what exactly is going on – and who is really who. It is basically a comedy mystery-thriller with a good mix of stars; suspenseful, with some comic dialogue and interludes. There is a reasonably good resolution at the end.

That being said, it just goes on – for me anyway – a little too long. The meandering relationship between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn does become strained and repetitive. Some scenes could have been shortened or simply edited out – like that overly long boat ride on the Seine that was suppose to be romantic, but dissolved to schmaltzy. The pace of this movie was too uneven for me to give it a stronger rating.

If you're in the mood for a clever mixture of suspense, romance, humor and some fantastic location shots, treat yourself to CHARADE. Audrey Hepburn was never more appealing than she is here--badly in need of help to discover the whereabouts of the hidden money her late husband's enemies want to find. With her life hanging in the balance, she enlists the aid of Cary Grant--but since all is not what it seems, you're in for some surprising plot twists along a very merry ride.

Just relax and let Cary and Audrey do all the work--with the help of a great supporting cast including Walter Matthau, superb in a surprising supporting role. Stanley Donen keeps it all moving at a brisk pace and Henry Mancini's music is a sheer delight.

Highly recommended as an expert, elegant mixture of humor and suspense, even if it does seem to imitate the Hitchcock way of filmmaking.

Terrific movie that can be perceived both as a first-rate piece of straight entertainment, and as a meditation on the thin line separating truth and lie. Ingenious script, dialogue filled with funny interplay, great chemistry between the two charismatic stars, vivid and fast-paced direction by Stanley Donen. Not quite in the league of "North By Northwest", but still a very entertaining and recommendable picture. (***)

"I don't bite, you know. Unless it's called for." "How would you like a spanking?"

A woman on a ski holiday (Audrey Hepburn) talks about getting a divorce, but it turns out she doesn't have to, because her husband has been murdered. Worse yet, three men are now after her because of some money they think she might have gotten from him. They were with her husband behind enemy lines during WWII as part of a covert operation to give a quarter of a million dollars to the French Resistance, but decided to bury the money instead, and dig it up after the war. Another man (Cary Grant) has turned up as well and seems to be her protector, but is he really on her side?

It's a fantastic concept, and as everyone and their grandma has noted, the film is reminiscent of Hitchcock. We see that in its tension, shots like the view from the perspective of a corpse as a morgue drawer closes, and dramatic scenes using the environment, like the fight on the roof behind the giant neon sign, or the chase down in the Paris Metro. Maybe it's also got a bit of Clouzot's Diabolique in a bathtub scene, or just how long the viewer is held in suspense before knowing who the bad guy is.

It's lighter than the average Hitchcock fare and in ways that sometimes border on silliness, but on the other hand, the chemistry between Hepburn and Grant is far greater than anything Hitch ever produced with his obsession over icy blondes. The banter is risqué and Hepburn's come-on's to Grant are steamy, even though Grant's character regularly reminds Hepburn's how much younger she is. This has to be one of my favorite performances from Hepburn, as she ranges from comedy to flirtation to frightened for her life seamlessly. Meanwhile, you have Cary Grant at 59 still getting it done as a debonair romantic lead, and also cutting loose with silly faces, getting into a shower in his suit, and trying his best not to grope women as he plays Pass the Orange with them in a nightclub.

Does it all hold together? Hepburn's character knowing so little about her husband, falling in love again so quickly, or how several characters figure out how the money is hidden? Maybe not completely, but I don't care. It's a rare film that has fantastic moments as a thriller, comedy, and romance, and the star power is through the roof. Besides the leads, the supporting performances from George Kennedy, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau make for a very strong cast. There is depth in other ways as well, e.g. Little moments of humor in places like Matthau asking Hepburn if she knows how much cigarettes cost when she wastes one, or the lovely shot of the reflection of the lights from a boat going down the Seine. Hey, I'd love for the 60's animation style over the opening credits to make a comeback too; between the dead body being tossed from a train and the snazzy graphics, this film hooked me from the beginning. All in all, it's a charming package.

Seeing Cary Grand and Audrey Hepburn in 1960s Paris in the lush colour film of the time makes this film worth watching. The setting reminded me a lot of The Pink Panther, also made in 1963.

This, and the chemistry between the leading lady and man make up for a plot which I found contrived, and not particularly credible. The other characters are also not well developed and don't combine very well in the film

Imagine a more light-hearted and Paris-based version of to Catch a Thief, with the mysterious and cool Cary Grant once again beguiling a beautiful and wealthy young woman.

Absolutely wonderful Hitchcockian romantic comedy. The dialogue and staging in this star filled film are what really put this over the top...and then there is the Henry Mancini soundtrack!

Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn are paired in this action packed romantic comedy in which her husband has been murdered and thrown from a train. At his funeral three gentleman show up each supposedly looking for the money that they collectively stole during WWII. Walter Matthau calls her in to the state office and tells her he is part of the CIA and that they are trying to get the money back...shows her a photo of her husband and the others from the war.

"Do we know each other?"-Peter Joshua "Why? Do you think we're going too?"-Regina Lambert "I don't know. How can I know?"-Peter "Because I already know an awful lot of people and until one of them dies I couldn't possibly meet anyone else."-Regina "Hmmm. Well, if anyone goes on the critical list let me know."-Peter "Quitter. You give up awfully easily."-Regina

Meanwhile, Cary Grant, who she met on her ski vacation before she found out about her husband's death, seems to be a same port in the storm...except it turns out he isn't who he says he is either. Each time she finds him with a different name is goes something like this,

"And is there a Mrs. X." "Yes, but we're divorced."

The comedy in this was fantastic...I loved how at the funeral people were checking to make sure he was really dead. It is great when there are lots of suspects and the banter between Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant was great. I know there was a big age gap there...but they were so well suited it wasn't noticeable at all. The supporting cast was so great there were no throw away scenes...they had you engaged at every moment.

I can't believe I haven't seen this film before now. My husband and I loved it!

It makes you wonder what you would do if your husband isn't who you thought he was and you come home from vacation to have your house completely cleared out?

Stanley Donen directed this romantic mystery set in Paris that stars Audrey Hepburn as Regina Lampert, who was about to divorce her husband when he is found murdered, and learns that not only had he converted their(now missing) fortune into cash, but that he got it by stealing a payroll back in WWII. Shocked, she is befriended by a mysterious man(played by Cary Grant) who offers to help her, which she will need since she is pursued by a group of criminals(played by George Kennedy & James Coburn, among others) who are also after the money, and don't mind murder to get it. Walter Matthau also costars in a mysterious capacity. Entertaining film with Audrey once again paired off with an older man, and also has a good score and interesting plot, which keeps viewer guessing.

A Masterpiece, 2 August 2005 Author: annmason1 from Oregon The Best. How could it not be? But then, many a movie has been made with great actors, lovely setting, excellent script, and zilch. It all has to come together. It all has to be magic, and Charade is.

To watch this film is to lament the loss of true movie stars; the Audrey Hepburns and Cary Grants. They had elegance and presence and substance. They are gone and they are missed. Who today could perform the roles in Charade? What female actress comes to mind? Or male counterpart to Grant? Charade is a treasure for many reasons: the color, the plot, the chemistry, the mystery, the surprises- but most of all, for the total experience. This film is both a joy and a sorrow to watch.

Entertaining "caper" with an excellent cast, good direction, but a lackadaisical and very campy plot. Loosely in the Hitchcock mode. Grant takes on 4 names as a playboy "thief"/secret agent/etc. It's just a bit too whimsical, the villains too "bad." Still, it's a fun little romp -- I especially remember the scene where Grant has to fight George Kennedy with a hook-arm on the rooftop. The romantic moments seem contrived, though, and Hepburn is very young for Grant -- as usual, the film takes no notice of this. Nice location photography, solid but not exceptional direction by Donen.

With a whopping 8.0 rating, I expected it to be a fun 60's ride similar perhaps to "Penelope" or "Pink Panther". Turns out to be nothing like these. It's slow and talky. The mystery is barely there, the romance is unbelievable and the comedy and thriller bits get tired quickly because of poor script and heavy-handed direction. Rather than charming and feminine female character I always turn to older movies for, Hepburn is cold and hysterical. No help comes from unmotivated Grant, and Matthau, Coburn and Kennedy are all underused. The most dumbfounding disappointment though is the location: despite being shot in Paris, the movie stays mostly inside seedy hotel rooms and offices, and even when the action takes us outside, we're treated to process shots and fake backgrounds. This gives the film the hopeless, depressing feel of a Disney sitcom, where you know nothing exciting is going to happen as the plot won't escape the constrains of the 5 rooms it's trapped within.

Pros: Henry Mancini score, some witty dialogue in the first act

Cons: Boring, contrived, claustrophobic