In 1963 I was a vulnerable, angst-driven, high school freshman. I know this is hard to believe, but back then I was highly influenced by movie stars. There was no internet or social media. Teenagers were fueled by what they read in magazines and through watching films at the theater. Gossip stories didn’t hold as much weight due to the vast powerful arm of the studio’s execs. Bad moments and scandals were hushed. There was overall more integrity and the public believed in the power of the written word.
Movie stars were like today’s influencers. People spoke about them as if they lived next door. We saw them as normal individuals who happened to work in New York or Hollywood. It was an unspoken mantra that anyone could be discovered at a local soda fountain diner, and become rich or famous. We all dreamed big.
I was always a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn. What she wore, how she moved, and her total “package” style changed me, yet I actually knew so little about her real life when she was not on screen. Nevertheless, I was a groupie of one who saw every film she ever made. I changed how I saw myself, used black eyeliner, dressed in black, flat-heeled shoes, wore white 3/4 length gloves, bought hats, and wore them. (Including a pink pillbox that I still have in my collection) I even bought an array of colorful coats. She was the epitome of grace and style. If she played a kookie character, then I would become just as “out there.” If she danced across a stage, well, I would try. And if she became an innocent widow wearing a black veil at the funeral in a spy thriller, I would walk around wearing a veil too. In my young heart, we were connected and if falling in love with a man 25 years older was her thing, then I would believe it could happen to anyone and ring as true as it did in the critically acclaimed, popular, cat and mouse thriller CHARADE.
CHARADE was said to be “the only Alfred Hitchcock movie that he did not direct.” Stanley Donen was the genius behind this exciting “whodunnit” film. He was the one who wanted Cary Grant as Peter Joshua, even though he was 60 years old to Hepburn’s mere 34. The script originally called for the male to chase the female, but Donen switched the plot premise and Grant signed on. Hollywood really didn’t agree, but the public didn’t care as long as Hepburn and Grant finally made their first and only movie together. In later interviews, Grant continually said he wanted to work with Hepburn again.
Donen was also the genius behind casting three outstanding, Oscar-winning actors that included Walter Matthau, James Coburn, and George Kennedy. Their talent gave voice and action to this complicated story. It was hard to know who was telling the truth at every phone booth, train station, or marketplace. Audiences were thrilled with trying to figure it all out, and who to root for. It was very unique for the times.
The beauty of CHARADE was captured through the cinematography. Filming mostly in France, gave cameramen many creative choices. The dark shadow and angles increased the compelling intensity. The costumes were stunning. Audrey was mostly dressed in gorgeous full-length coats that would captivate audiences’ imaginations. Red, yellow, white, black, and leopard hats caused a sensation in the fashion industry for years to come. The use of oversized sunglasses also became the rage. I, too, bought into all of these costume-inspired fads.
The biggest plus to CHARADE was the flowing, sarcastic, one-liners. It was non-stop humorous, zinger moments that helped relieve the brutal murders. It was constantly a Grant/Hepburn sparring, tennis match. I can only say it was totally delightful and made me laugh out loud. The best scene has to be in the shower where drip-dry clothes have new meaning. It was unexpected and Grant’s idea simply because he had put on a few extra pounds in his older years and didn’t want to get naked. Bummer. Falling in love should be light and funny, so the scene’s intention is flawless.
CHARADE is the perfect, classy, rom-com, spy-thriller classic. It moves quickly with the magical music of Henry Mancini. It takes audiences across France, through river tunnels that fill our souls with amorous, quiet echoes. It gives hope that there are good people in the world who choose to do the right thing. What more can anyone ask from a film? Over the years, I learned that love is not connected to age requirements. I married someone twelve years younger. I like to think CHARADE and Audrey influenced my life once again.
CHARADE is available on Prime Video.
