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Charade
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Top positive review
old fashioned 'Who Done It'
January 25, 2019
It's pretty silly that the press made an issue of his age in this movie. He was in marvelous shape and looked just fine with Audrey Hepburn even being her senior by quite a lot. I thought they had good chemistry. They say the ridicule he took as to his age on this movie lead to his retirement from movies. That was a travesty. As for the movie it was a good "Who done it". You truly suspect EVERYONE at some point in the movie and usually several times. At about 16 minutes before the movie is over, you are sure of the answer but it was fun guessing until then. No nudity, no profanity, no sex scenes as seems to be in all movies today. It is refreshing to not feel dirty and guilty after watching a movie, which may be why some of the old movies are the best. TIP: if you are watching on Amazon Prime DO NOT look at the cast names and descriptions to the left as it gives away the twists and ending! Save that until after the movie is over.
22 people found this helpful
Top critical review
TERRIBLE QUALITY VIDEO
December 31, 2018
Really tired of billion dollar companies going completely unchecked. This movie is listed as SD quality so you don't expect HD. Fine. What you get is something that is not viewable. The quality of this major classic movie is worse than any movie I've ever rented anywhere. On top of that there is no preview so you know what you are buying and there is no way to get your money back once you start viewing - even for 10 seconds to see the quality. And by the way of course this billion dollar company doesn't have any support other than spending half the night searching for "help" articles. Thanks Amazon, can't wait until you take over the world.
3 people found this helpful
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July 13, 2013
For Blu-ray PQ fanatics only:
I owned three previous editions of this movie (two SD and the Criterion BD released in 2010). I've never encountered a case where a Criterion BD edition has been surpassed, but that appears to be true here. Only Picture Quality fanatics would be concerned about this; but if you're one, my subjective assessment is that Universal has managed to squeeze a bit more color and information out of their own release. The film itself is just not capable of being digitally massaged much more, IMHO. It has quite a few "soft" scenes that we just have to live with.
I owned three previous editions of this movie (two SD and the Criterion BD released in 2010). I've never encountered a case where a Criterion BD edition has been surpassed, but that appears to be true here. Only Picture Quality fanatics would be concerned about this; but if you're one, my subjective assessment is that Universal has managed to squeeze a bit more color and information out of their own release. The film itself is just not capable of being digitally massaged much more, IMHO. It has quite a few "soft" scenes that we just have to live with.
February 5, 2018
Although I remembered loving this film, I wasn't sure if it would hold up to a modern viewing, but for the most part, it does. Yes, there are times when the script gets a bit talky, and the chemistry between stars feels a little forced.But the plot is excellent.The dialog sizzles. Hepburn's doe-eyed charm is timeless, her Givenchy outfits are everything the 1960s should have been, and the authentic Paris setting is deliciously glamorous. Watch it on the biggest screen you've got and immerse yourself in mid-century glam.
June 16, 2013
NOTE: The stars are for the quality of the streaming presentation, NOT for the movie.
Charade was a wonderful mystery, with the charming Cary Grant at the top of his game. Audrey Hepburn was naïve and spunky, and the two had witty, clever dialogue throughout the film.
Actors like Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, and James Coburn brought their substantial skills to the project, and the result is a top notch comedy/thriller.
Unfortunately, this streaming version appears to be time compressed. The picture is jumpy, and the dialogue seems to be a bit frenetic in places ... common symptoms indicating time compression. I cannot recommend it at all.
Also beware the DVD release from Front Row features. It looks like a picture recorded from a TV antennae signal during a thunderstorm, and the sound is scratchy and annoying too.
Charade was a wonderful mystery, with the charming Cary Grant at the top of his game. Audrey Hepburn was naïve and spunky, and the two had witty, clever dialogue throughout the film.
Actors like Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, and James Coburn brought their substantial skills to the project, and the result is a top notch comedy/thriller.
Unfortunately, this streaming version appears to be time compressed. The picture is jumpy, and the dialogue seems to be a bit frenetic in places ... common symptoms indicating time compression. I cannot recommend it at all.
Also beware the DVD release from Front Row features. It looks like a picture recorded from a TV antennae signal during a thunderstorm, and the sound is scratchy and annoying too.
December 9, 2019
Family friendly.
“Charade”. What a great old movie. Classic back and forth between the leads. Cary grant was at his best and Audrey Hepburn was her usual delightful self. I thought they played well off each other. I read somewhere that the producers of “Father Goose”, another fun movie, wanted to team Hepburn and Grant again, but Hepburn couldn’t get out of some prior commitment. Highly recommended.
“Charade”. What a great old movie. Classic back and forth between the leads. Cary grant was at his best and Audrey Hepburn was her usual delightful self. I thought they played well off each other. I read somewhere that the producers of “Father Goose”, another fun movie, wanted to team Hepburn and Grant again, but Hepburn couldn’t get out of some prior commitment. Highly recommended.
December 26, 2013
I loved this movie it is a true thriller and it is rather exciting to see Cary Grant playing the sides of good and evil. Although Hepburn was much younger than Grant as he pointed out frequently according to his ex-wife Dyan Cannon) as Hepburn is the pursuer it becomes a very clever game of cat and mouse. Even with the age difference the two pull off the act of love convincingly.
The story is of Regina Lampert whose deceased husband has hid a quarter od a million dollars stolen from the US Government. All of sudden several killers, the CIA, and Paris Police are turning to her to find that money. She joins forces with Peter Joshua who has several aliases to find her husband's secret life and that money. Regina is caught up in a mystery with no one to turn to and no one who she can trust, while falling in love with a person who may just be after the hidden money.
I highly recommend this movie. Hepburn is very energetic in this particular film. A wonderful film by any standard.
The story is of Regina Lampert whose deceased husband has hid a quarter od a million dollars stolen from the US Government. All of sudden several killers, the CIA, and Paris Police are turning to her to find that money. She joins forces with Peter Joshua who has several aliases to find her husband's secret life and that money. Regina is caught up in a mystery with no one to turn to and no one who she can trust, while falling in love with a person who may just be after the hidden money.
I highly recommend this movie. Hepburn is very energetic in this particular film. A wonderful film by any standard.
November 6, 2019
This would be an outstanding film but for a couple of flaws. First, Cary Grant is a bit long in the tooth for this film. Second, the plot is marred by repetition and some distractions. Some aspects of the film that are slapstick in nature do not add much to the story. Overall, an excellent cast of characters that could work much better if the plot and scenarios were better done.
January 13, 2011
"Charade" may very well be the best Hitchcock film not directed by Hitchcock. Minus a psychological subtext as powerful as those in "Notorious" and "North by Northwest", Stanley Donen's beautifully paced thriller is most comparable to Hitch's "To Catch a Thief", starring as it does Cary Grant opposite a considerably younger but supremely stylish actress (Grace Kelly in the former, Audrey Hepburn in the current film)in a travelogue perfect locale (Monte Carlo,Paris). The stars are complemented by a fine cast of future Oscar winning supporting actors, Walter Matthau, George Kennedy and James Coburn, all playing murder-on-their- minds villains.
Beginning with Henry Mancini's catchy pop title song and Maurice Binder's Bondian titles, "Charade" has never looked more cinematic than on Criterion's gorgeous Blu-ray iteration. Audrey Hepburn displays exquisite class not only in her Givenchy wardrobe, but in the verbal ping pong she plays with the intriguing Cary Grant, a man of no less than 4 identities. As did Joan Fontaine in "Suspicion", Hepburn must grapple with the existential question, "Is Cary Grant trying to kill me?" From the opening sequence in which the first victim is hurled from a speeding train in his pajamas,(a recurrent motif in the film), "Charade" betrays a Hitchcockian fascination with trains and public landmarks (Notre Dame, the Champs Elysees) and a love for double entendres. Peter Stone's witty script has the future lovers meeting cute, thanks to a water pistol, and developing their relationship through a series of sight and verbal gags involving food, which satisfy several viewer appetites all at once.
With its vivid colors, sharp editing, crackling good score and sound effects, but above all with its beautiful stars in beautiful locales, "Charade" is the next best thing to a visit to Paris itself.
Beginning with Henry Mancini's catchy pop title song and Maurice Binder's Bondian titles, "Charade" has never looked more cinematic than on Criterion's gorgeous Blu-ray iteration. Audrey Hepburn displays exquisite class not only in her Givenchy wardrobe, but in the verbal ping pong she plays with the intriguing Cary Grant, a man of no less than 4 identities. As did Joan Fontaine in "Suspicion", Hepburn must grapple with the existential question, "Is Cary Grant trying to kill me?" From the opening sequence in which the first victim is hurled from a speeding train in his pajamas,(a recurrent motif in the film), "Charade" betrays a Hitchcockian fascination with trains and public landmarks (Notre Dame, the Champs Elysees) and a love for double entendres. Peter Stone's witty script has the future lovers meeting cute, thanks to a water pistol, and developing their relationship through a series of sight and verbal gags involving food, which satisfy several viewer appetites all at once.
With its vivid colors, sharp editing, crackling good score and sound effects, but above all with its beautiful stars in beautiful locales, "Charade" is the next best thing to a visit to Paris itself.
April 23, 2004
Thank you, thank you, Criterion, for revisiting an already great DVD and making it nearly flawless.
The original DVD of this, my favorite film of all time, was one of the best DVDs I'd yet seen when it was released in 1999, relatively early in the growth of the format. It featured a fantastic looking widescreen version of the film which was miles better than the many appalling cheapo VHS versions, available because the film was apparently in the public domain. In addition, it had what I still think is one of the best audio commentaries ever produced, featuring director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone.
After going out of print for a while, Criterion has revisited Charade, and it's even better than before.
First, this is a 16:9 anamorphic transfer, always preferable, since there's more detail to the image, and it won't be obsolete once we make the changeover to widescreen TVs in a few years.
More importantly, however, they corrected some image problems I didn't even notice in the old version until now. I took some captures of identical frames from the two discs and noticed a big difference.
The old version had clearly had the contrast raised quite a bit. The film was brighter as a result, but a noticable amount of detail was sacrificed in the brightest and darkest areas.
More importantly, the old DVD had what I now see to be a very severe red tint to it. People's faces look like they fell asleep on the beach without sunblock, the skies glow pink and Audrey Hepburn's outfit in the final portion of the film, which should be bumbleebee yellow and black, ends up being a funny shade of orange.
Bottom line, a fantastic upgrade from Criterion, maintaining their always high standards. If you don't have this disc yet, pick it up, and if you love the film like me, and own the old disc, you should seriously consider replacing it with this markedly improved new version.
The original DVD of this, my favorite film of all time, was one of the best DVDs I'd yet seen when it was released in 1999, relatively early in the growth of the format. It featured a fantastic looking widescreen version of the film which was miles better than the many appalling cheapo VHS versions, available because the film was apparently in the public domain. In addition, it had what I still think is one of the best audio commentaries ever produced, featuring director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone.
After going out of print for a while, Criterion has revisited Charade, and it's even better than before.
First, this is a 16:9 anamorphic transfer, always preferable, since there's more detail to the image, and it won't be obsolete once we make the changeover to widescreen TVs in a few years.
More importantly, however, they corrected some image problems I didn't even notice in the old version until now. I took some captures of identical frames from the two discs and noticed a big difference.
The old version had clearly had the contrast raised quite a bit. The film was brighter as a result, but a noticable amount of detail was sacrificed in the brightest and darkest areas.
More importantly, the old DVD had what I now see to be a very severe red tint to it. People's faces look like they fell asleep on the beach without sunblock, the skies glow pink and Audrey Hepburn's outfit in the final portion of the film, which should be bumbleebee yellow and black, ends up being a funny shade of orange.
Bottom line, a fantastic upgrade from Criterion, maintaining their always high standards. If you don't have this disc yet, pick it up, and if you love the film like me, and own the old disc, you should seriously consider replacing it with this markedly improved new version.
January 3, 2010
Peter Stone's screenplay has mystery, suspense, murder, romance and great scenery.
With some twists and turns, double and triple identities, you have an array of characters which hold your attention.
A man is murdered on the train, but who was the man? His wife is shocked when she discovers that her husband has four passports (Switzerland, Chile, Italy and the US) with different names.
Audrey Hepburn, the grieving widow, encounters Cary Grant by accident in the Alps before she knows of her husband's murder. Once she returns to Paris, Cary Grant's character, Peter Joshua, becomes an intricate part of her adventure to find the truth and the missing fortune. Tossed into this mix,you have three (possibly four) bad guys with an inquisitive French police inspector watching the proceedings.
Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, James Colburn, Ned Glass, and Jacques Marin play a great cast of characters. Henry Mancini's music is the right atmospheric mood setting.
Paris, the city of lights, plays like a well tuned organ in the film. The 60's was a great time to be in Paris.
The DVD from the Madacy Entertainment Group is a good print. They have included the 1953 Charade with James Mason and Pamela Mason. Unfortunately the film transfer is probably as good an old black and white can be, but the Masons wrote, produced and starred in this vehicle of shorts. It's worth the time to watch it.
With some twists and turns, double and triple identities, you have an array of characters which hold your attention.
A man is murdered on the train, but who was the man? His wife is shocked when she discovers that her husband has four passports (Switzerland, Chile, Italy and the US) with different names.
Audrey Hepburn, the grieving widow, encounters Cary Grant by accident in the Alps before she knows of her husband's murder. Once she returns to Paris, Cary Grant's character, Peter Joshua, becomes an intricate part of her adventure to find the truth and the missing fortune. Tossed into this mix,you have three (possibly four) bad guys with an inquisitive French police inspector watching the proceedings.
Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, James Colburn, Ned Glass, and Jacques Marin play a great cast of characters. Henry Mancini's music is the right atmospheric mood setting.
Paris, the city of lights, plays like a well tuned organ in the film. The 60's was a great time to be in Paris.
The DVD from the Madacy Entertainment Group is a good print. They have included the 1953 Charade with James Mason and Pamela Mason. Unfortunately the film transfer is probably as good an old black and white can be, but the Masons wrote, produced and starred in this vehicle of shorts. It's worth the time to watch it.
April 28, 2004
Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, to put it mildly, are two of the most irreplaceable stars in Hollywood history. Grant did everything so well, he made acting look effortless to the point he was vastly underrated as an actor. Audrey Hepburn was a refreshing breath of fresh air her whole career -- a delicate flower of a woman physically who possessed an iron core of inner strength.
It's unfortunate that Charade is the only film Grant and Hepburn made together. Despite the difference in their ages (which is a running joke in the movie), the two have a great chemistry that positively crackles onscreen. Grant reportedly worried about seeming like a dirty old man going after the much younger (25 years) Hepburn. He needn't have worried -- the only time the issue becomes obvious is when the age difference in mentioned onscreen.
Add to this mix beautiful location photography in Paris, a stellar supporting cast including Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy and a great score by Henry Mancini, and you get a classic picture. Many critics have said that the plot is too convuluted and complex for its own good. To be sure, Grant's constant identity changes throughout the film do get annoying at times. But this film is so stylish and so classy that that's a minor quibble. Grant and Hepburn are magic together and make you wish Grant hadn't retired in 1966 so the two could have made more cinematic magic together.
(The five star rating is for the film itself. The DVD is a little disappointing by Criterion standards. It has very few extras beyond the usual director's notes, commentary by director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone and the theatrical trailer.)
See The Truth About Charlie to see how not to do it.
It's unfortunate that Charade is the only film Grant and Hepburn made together. Despite the difference in their ages (which is a running joke in the movie), the two have a great chemistry that positively crackles onscreen. Grant reportedly worried about seeming like a dirty old man going after the much younger (25 years) Hepburn. He needn't have worried -- the only time the issue becomes obvious is when the age difference in mentioned onscreen.
Add to this mix beautiful location photography in Paris, a stellar supporting cast including Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy and a great score by Henry Mancini, and you get a classic picture. Many critics have said that the plot is too convuluted and complex for its own good. To be sure, Grant's constant identity changes throughout the film do get annoying at times. But this film is so stylish and so classy that that's a minor quibble. Grant and Hepburn are magic together and make you wish Grant hadn't retired in 1966 so the two could have made more cinematic magic together.
(The five star rating is for the film itself. The DVD is a little disappointing by Criterion standards. It has very few extras beyond the usual director's notes, commentary by director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone and the theatrical trailer.)
See The Truth About Charlie to see how not to do it.
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