Author Topic: Charade  (Read 3775 times)

Offline Danae Cassandra

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Charade
« on: January 02, 2014, 05:29:47 AM »


Charade
Year of Release: 1963
Directed By: Stanley Donen
Starring: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy
Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Comedy, Romance

Overview:
A trio of crooks relentlessly pursues a young American (Audrey Hepburn) through Paris for the fortune her dead husband stole from them. The only person she can trust is a suave, mysterious stranger (Cary Grant). A deliciously dark comedic thriller, Stanley Donen's Charade dazzles with style and macabre wit to spare. The Criterion Collection is proud to re-release this '60s spy classic in a gorgeous new anamorphic transfer.

My Thoughts:
Oh, I loved this film! It's a perfect mix of romance, comedy and suspense to keep anyone interested, wonderful performances by Grant and Hepburn, a strong script, and a great score by Mancini. It's a stylish movie, sexy, elegant and witty. Highly recommended.

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall:  4.5/5
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
-- Thorin Oakenshield

Offline DSig

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Re: Charade
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2014, 06:26:04 AM »
From the days when style was very important to a film.  Don't get me wrong ... not every film was so stylish but seems like more then than now.  With exceptions.

And the music .. indeed.  The conbination of music of  Henry Mancini with so beautiful lyrics by Johnny Mercer.  No way to go wrong there.  Charade .. a very beautiful song.  Great pick
Thank you
David

Offline GSyren

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Re: Charade
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2014, 01:23:28 PM »
Did Charade fall into Public Domain? Seems to me I have seen a lot of releases for this. I got the Criterion release, just like Danae. It's a movie that really deserves a quality release, which PD releases seldom are.

Offline Danae Cassandra

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Re: Charade
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2014, 02:18:59 PM »
Yes, Charade is in public domain.  It fell in immediately because Universal forgot to include the word Copyright (or its symbol or abbreviation) in the credits. 
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
-- Thorin Oakenshield

Offline GSyren

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Re: Charade
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2014, 03:38:35 PM »
Interesting. Copyright laws are different here in Sweden (and, I believe, most of Europe). We have automatic copyright. No need for any annotation or registration.

Offline Danae Cassandra

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Re: Charade
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2014, 02:04:11 AM »
It's something that was in old copyright law.  It apparent doesn't work that way now.
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
-- Thorin Oakenshield

Offline Dragonfire

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Re: Charade
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2014, 05:22:01 AM »
I actually have this as an extra to the remake...umm..Something About Charlie or There's Something About Charlie.  I can't remember exactly.  The remake is ok, but Mark Walhburg is no Cary Grant. 
The quality of the version I have was decent.

Mustrum_Ridcully

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Re: Charade
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2014, 11:10:17 AM »
...umm..Something About Charlie or There's Something About Charlie.
The Truth About Charlie

Even worse than Wahlberg not being Cary Grant is that Thandie Newton in no way can match up with Audrey Hepburn.

Or to ask with Jimmy: Why is it that they are only trying remakes of the outstanding films and thereby get projects that usually are doomed to fail?

Offline DSig

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Re: Charade
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2014, 06:00:38 PM »
ALthough I am not a big fan of remakes, I saw 'The Truth About Charlie' without realizing it was a remake.  For a remake, and it loses point just for that, it was a pretty good film.  The storyline was a little different/updated, the execution was very good and the acting was quite good.

Yes Wahlberg is no Grant ... but if you were capable of watching it for itself I think you would enjoy it.  For me it rates a 3.5 and I have watched it several times since it was released in theaters. 
Thank you
David

Offline Dragonfire

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Re: Charade
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2014, 04:15:41 AM »

The Truth About Charlie

Even worse than Wahlberg not being Cary Grant is that Thandie Newton in no way can match up with Audrey Hepburn.

Or to ask with Jimmy: Why is it that they are only trying remakes of the outstanding films and thereby get projects that usually are doomed to fail?

That is true too.  Grant and Hepburn together were wonderful.

ALthough I am not a big fan of remakes, I saw 'The Truth About Charlie' without realizing it was a remake.  For a remake, and it loses point just for that, it was a pretty good film.  The storyline was a little different/updated, the execution was very good and the acting was quite good.

Yes Wahlberg is no Grant ... but if you were capable of watching it for itself I think you would enjoy it.  For me it rates a 3.5 and I have watched it several times since it was released in theaters. 

I saw The Truth About Charlie before seeing Charade.  It was a decent movie...3.5 sounds about right.  But it doesn't compare to Charade.  I have seen a lot of remakes and I have enjoyed some of them.  Others have been huge messes.

Offline Achim

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Re: Charade
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2014, 05:22:24 AM »
Yes, Charade is in public domain.  It fell in immediately because Universal forgot to include the word Copyright (or its symbol or abbreviation) in the credits. 
I always thought it had been somewhat a special case with Night of the Living Dead. Apparently not, as obviously there are other films which fell into this trap. (NOTLD had a last-minute title change and while the original title had the word Copyright on it, the new version did not...)