Charade (1963)

directed by Stanley Donen

starring Audrey Hepburn, Carey Grant

It's not a Hitchcock movie, but it certainly feels like one. Here Carey Grant and Audrey Hepburn use a spy plot as an excuse to wittily banter and have espionage-related fun. It's quite good: the writing is quick, the murders keep things interesting, and the leads are lovely to watch. I can even overlook my Audrey Hepburn grudge to enjoy her performance; her Cloud Cuckoo Lander is quite fun. (It was also quite fun to try to explain that term to my mother as we were watching.) And, of course, I can never get enough of my dear cousin Archie Leach.

I'm not dying to watch it again, but it's certainly a romp that knows what it's doing and does it well. It's a good thing to see all of these classic movies and the combinations of leads that result - Carey Grant, Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Katharine and/or Audrey Hepburn - rinse and repeat. It makes you wonder which names will be saved and revered from our generations.

I'm afraid I can't think of a great deal more to say - and no, it's not because I have half an hour until my self-imposed deadline and I've already written two of these today. (Does it count as procrastination if it's not an assignment?) Charade is a light movie, and my review will be the same. It's good fun - not much to think about, but a great deal to watch and enjoy.

Coming Soon: The Godfather Part II, Dial M for Murder, Hamlet, Saving Private Ryan