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Charade (1963) More at IMDbPro »

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206 reviews in total

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Little known gem that surprises to the end, 7 May 2002

Author: Cue-ball from Austin, Texas

It's hard to decide what genre this movie really belongs to. It's a romantic comedy built around a mystery surrounding a mcguffin. In this case, the mcguffin is a quarter of a million dollars. The money is supposedly in the possession of Reggie Lambert's (Audrey Hepburn) husband (one of several unlucky folks who aren't around for the final reel) but, after he is murdered, the money is not anywhere to be found. To help Reggie cope with her husband's murder, the divorcee Peter Joshua mysteriously appears in her apartment, having first met her briefly on a ski vacation. To her dismay, she discovers that some rather unsavory folks are looking for the money -- and think she has it. A CIA agent named Bartholomew (Walther Matthau) offers to help her, as long as she helps him find the money. From this point, the movie takes a long of unexpected twists and turns that will frighten and delight you the first time you see it, and amuse your memory every time after that. You will NOT know the entire story until the last scene.

If Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, and a Parisian setting don't sell you, than add Matthau, George Kennedy, James Coburn, Ned Glass, great dialogue, and a soundtrack by Henry Mancini. I was very excited to see that Charade has a place in IMDB's top 250. This is a GREAT rainy night romantic treat!

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Puzzling till the end, 3 February 2002

Author: Tigerhawk_11 (Dragonbane_11@yahoo.com) from Charlotte, NC

and the only thing that puzzles me today about this film... is why some moron would want to try to remake, a work of art which is allready perfect in itself?

Cary Grant, and Audrey Hepburn lead one of the most entertaining detective/romance/comedy/suspense stories i've ever seen... its witty, its clever, its fun, and its interesting, from back to back. For those Cary Grant fans, and those who just like a good movie... check this one out!

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Entertaining but flawed, 10 January 2002
Author: Rrrobert from Australia

Pale attempt to mimic those light romantic Hitchcock thrillers "North By Northwest" and "To Catch a Thief" with an intriguing tale full of twists and turns.

Unlike the films that this tries to emulate, this one has a lot of heavy-handed attempts at humour. Unfortunately these are very clumsy and most of the jokes fall flat. Most (although not all) of the plot twists are predictable, and the casting of such familiar actors as George Kennedy, Walter Matthau and James Coburn was a big mistake in a Paris-set film. They seem out of place and don't fit the film at all.

Audrey Hepburn mainly manages to transcend the thin script, though Grant generally comes off looking ill-at-ease, and in his comedy scenes he seems goofy and immature. The two do have great chemistry together, but in a warm uncle-niece kind of way, so the heavily emphasised romantic angle seems awkward and very forced.

Criticisms aside, this is an entertaining film. The plot is reasonably engaging, and Audrey's character is appealing.

Locations and cinematography are excellent.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Everything you could want in a movie!, 1 July 2001

Author: snoball_1 from Florida, USA

Charade is, without a doubt, one of the most delightful movies ever! Not only are the two lead actors, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, marvelous in well-written roles, but the supporting cast (which includes Walter Matthau, James Colburn, and George Kennedy) is also magnificent. The scenery is beautiful and a great background for a great story. The upbeat music, composed by Henry Mancini, is perfect for this thriller. And of course, the script is wonderful with it's different themes like romance, suspense, and thriller. And you just have to love those comedic quips.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Intelligent mixture of Mystery, Romance, Suspense, and Comedy, 18 June 2001

Author: davidking from Absent and unaccounted for

The movie Charade is unique, in that it seems to flawlessly blend the

genres of the Mystery of who killed Charles Lampert and his associates,

the Romance between Regina Lampert and the elusive 'Peter Joshua', the

Suspense Regina experiences trying to figure out what's going on and

avoid getting killed, and the ever present comedy, like the way each of

the victims is killed, and that all of them, except Tex, are found in

their pajamas by the police.

Cary Grant, like usual, does an excellent job of portraying his

character without dominating the screen, allowing Audrey Hepburn proper

exposure when they're together; she, of course, returns the favor

spectacularly. The other primary actors also give their best, and help

make the film a pleasant (or frightening, depending on your point of

view) experience for the audience. Walter Matthau is also great, goofy

enough to lead you on until you discover who he really is. Jacques

Marin is also wonderful as the film's police detective, able to rant and

rave about the various complications of the plot without spoiling the

movie, or compromising its intent.

Overall, I think this is certainly one of Cary Grant's best films, and

after viewing it on DVD for the first time, and reviewing it again with

the audio commentary, I learned more about the film's creation, and

enjoyed it more. Overall, I've seen Charade at least six times, and

have thoroughly enjoyed it.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
The Best Film Hitchcock Never Made, 15 June 2001
Author: Mike (msspurlock) from Missoula, MT

It's not surprising that people mistake it for a Hitchcock film, but I would dare to say it's actually better in many ways than most of his works. There's the same subtle sophistication that Hitch achieved in many of his color works, but it's coupled with a potent sexiness lacking in his movies. It's all the more impressive considering Grant's age at the time.

True, the symbolism in the film is nowhere near as subtle as Hitchcock's, but it's just plain fun from start to finish. The Mauritius Penny, Hawaiian Blue and other stamps just have to be a nod to "The Purloined Letter." The succession of names Grant goes through in his ongoing charade: Peter Joshua, Alexander Dyle, Adam Canfield, and the rest. Classic and classy. If only I could get my wife to watch movies made before 2001...

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
A Hitchcock classic EXCEPT Hitchcock didn't make it!, 19 May 2001

Author: (schuchat@hotmail.com) from Miami, FL.

Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud to have this film as part of his legacy. That is the compliment one can say about a movie with great twists and turns in the plot, drama, and comedy to boot. Yet this is not a Hitchcock movie but has all the requisite intrigue.

Factor in a terrific cast with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn playing wonderfully together. This is a rare movie for Grant. Ordinarily Grant never allowed himself to be filmed with his gray hair exposed, however in this production he allowed himself to be natural. Hepburn is just one of the all-time greats of the movies. A lithe waife of a woman she exudes marvelous style, grace, and sex appeal.

James Coburn, Walter Matheau, and George Kennedy help round out the cast and play their roles with typical expertise and aplomb. Charade is one of my very favorites and it'll be yours too.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Wonderful, 6 March 2001

Author: Kathing from Ohio

The first time I saw this movie I was amazed at how wonderful it was. Witty, intelligent, and thoroughly confusing at times, you become engrossed in trying to figure out just who is trustworthy or not. Of course, Cary Grant never hurts to have on-screen, and this is actually my favorite of Audrey Hepburn's roles. It holds up perfectly. If you want to have fun while watching a movie, start here.

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0 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Audrey Hepburn and Gary Grant in a Standley Donen picture, what more can you ask for?, 19 August 2000

Author: angles924 from Michigan, United States

This is one of the best movies of all time. This is a mystery/thriller/comedy/romance and absolutely succeeds in everything. The cast is superb, with Audrey Hepburn, Gary Grant, and Walter Matthaue. The chemistry between Hepburn and Grant are amazing. The dialogue is sharp and witty and the cinemotography is great. The movie was shot on location in Paris and you get to see some great shots of the different monuments and sites in Paris. For any lover of classic movies with real movie stars, don't miss this. Bottom line: Audrey Hepburn, Gary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Gary Grant. Have I mentioned, Audrey Hepburn and Gary Grant? 10/10

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1 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Only Hepburn gets to be herself, 8 January 2010

Author: Polaris_DiB from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Stanley Donen and Audrey Hepburn certainly had a lot of chemistry as a director/actress duo, one only slightly matched by Hepburn and Cary Grant's on-screen chemistry. Charade is just simply damned good mystery entertainment, at times thrilling, funny, and occasionally bewildering. It's one of them twist upon a twist upon a twist movies (see: Paris When It Sizzles, also starring Audrey Hepburn) set in the gorgeous backdrop of Paris (see: Paris When It Sizzles, also starring Audrey Hepburn) and featuring an almost automatic romance between a couple who are basically ready to jump each other's bones from frame one but have to worry through all that plot first (see: Paris When It Sizzles, also starring Audrey Hepburn). Unlike Paris When It Sizzles, however, it's not all just meta ultimately pointing to one sole purpose, but has some really gripping storytelling.

This is the type of movie where I had the killer figured out within a moment, but it didn't exactly mean the story was all that predictable. My favorite part of it is the constantly changing relationships of the characters as they all vie around each other attempting to gain the upper hand. Hepburn's own doe-faced surprise at every turn is less a character under duress and more an audiences' chorus as she watches with bright eyes the layers peeling back in front of her. If there's any real unbelievability to the movie, it's that she has so much patience for it, or if she has that she's ever telling the truth during the many times she says, "I'm scared".

--PolarisDiB

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