Billy Wilder himself called this - his own movie - "a pleasant movie in a minor key." In other words, it's not his very best, in his own opinion.
Yet it's eminently worth watching. And I argue that the final 10 per cent of the film contains every bit the Wilder genius we've thrilled over in other films. In find, in the final scene, we find Wilder, Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn at the their classic best (and could Hepburn be any more lovable than we find her here?). The gypsy musician scene, the PI scene and the final train station scene are some of the funniest and most moving scenes you will ever see. And the ending will bring a tear to your eye. Here you'll find a classic romantic comedy brilliance at a level only a great director and writer like Wilder and great actors like Cooper and Hepburn could pull off.
Overall, this is an entertaining film and an amusing way to spend an evening. It's a light romantic comedy featuring the creative input of many movie heavyweights (including a writing assist from Iz Diamond - with whom Wilder would later write the great comedy Some Like It Hot and a very charming Maurice Chevalier).
A 27-year old Hepburn is very endearing and inspired in a this movie. This is one of her finest performances ever and she absolutely puts this film over the top.
Great as Cooper was (and I'm a Gary Cooper fan) - Hepburn could have used a different male romantic lead. Cooper himself had misgivings of playing this part because he felt he was too old. It's not that he's old - it's that the evidence (to those who are aware of it) of his painful fatal illness (he died only four years later) diminished his presence here (he appears ill and lacking in a certain characteristic energy) and it made him less than perfect for this film. Still, you will see notable flashes of Cooper's charm and brilliance here.
Chevalier - though although miscast (he was arguably too old to play Hepburn's father) - makes the most of his part and is highly charming. In fact, like Hepburn, he is at his best here as an actor and comic straight man. And in many ways his strong performance keeps this film afloat. In fact, his contribution to the final scene - though small in measured time - is priceless. You'll know what I mean when you see it. He puts the humor in this most touching scene. And he puts the "period" on this film - endorsing and making "nice" the rocky romance that was developing, as only Chevalier could do. With Chevalier's final contributions, we feel super good. It doesn't get any better than this.
True - Wilder's comic genius is not at its height especially at the start of this film - but as it goes along, you'll discover so many little classically funny and amusing vignettes - scenes created by a master, scenes you'll remember forever - that you'll be glad you stuck with this film to the very end.
Enjoy!
Yet it's eminently worth watching. And I argue that the final 10 per cent of the film contains every bit the Wilder genius we've thrilled over in other films. In find, in the final scene, we find Wilder, Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn at the their classic best (and could Hepburn be any more lovable than we find her here?). The gypsy musician scene, the PI scene and the final train station scene are some of the funniest and most moving scenes you will ever see. And the ending will bring a tear to your eye. Here you'll find a classic romantic comedy brilliance at a level only a great director and writer like Wilder and great actors like Cooper and Hepburn could pull off.
Overall, this is an entertaining film and an amusing way to spend an evening. It's a light romantic comedy featuring the creative input of many movie heavyweights (including a writing assist from Iz Diamond - with whom Wilder would later write the great comedy Some Like It Hot and a very charming Maurice Chevalier).
A 27-year old Hepburn is very endearing and inspired in a this movie. This is one of her finest performances ever and she absolutely puts this film over the top.
Great as Cooper was (and I'm a Gary Cooper fan) - Hepburn could have used a different male romantic lead. Cooper himself had misgivings of playing this part because he felt he was too old. It's not that he's old - it's that the evidence (to those who are aware of it) of his painful fatal illness (he died only four years later) diminished his presence here (he appears ill and lacking in a certain characteristic energy) and it made him less than perfect for this film. Still, you will see notable flashes of Cooper's charm and brilliance here.
Chevalier - though although miscast (he was arguably too old to play Hepburn's father) - makes the most of his part and is highly charming. In fact, like Hepburn, he is at his best here as an actor and comic straight man. And in many ways his strong performance keeps this film afloat. In fact, his contribution to the final scene - though small in measured time - is priceless. You'll know what I mean when you see it. He puts the humor in this most touching scene. And he puts the "period" on this film - endorsing and making "nice" the rocky romance that was developing, as only Chevalier could do. With Chevalier's final contributions, we feel super good. It doesn't get any better than this.
True - Wilder's comic genius is not at its height especially at the start of this film - but as it goes along, you'll discover so many little classically funny and amusing vignettes - scenes created by a master, scenes you'll remember forever - that you'll be glad you stuck with this film to the very end.
Enjoy!