Charade

CHARADE (PG)

D: Stanley Donen

Universal (Stanley Donen)

USA 🇺🇸 1963

113 mins

Comedy/Thriller

W: Peter Stone

DP: Charles Lang

Ed: James B. Clark

Mus: Henry Mancini

Cary Grant (Peter Joshua), Audrey Hepburn (Regina Lambert), Walter Matthau (Hamilton Bartholomew), James Coburn (Tex Panthollow), George Kennedy (Herman Scobie)

Often considered to be a Hitchcock film, the Master of Suspense's usual style is duplicated with great effect by director Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter Stone, throwing in plenty of mystery, double-crossing and red herrings aplenty.

A Parisian woman (Audrey Hepburn) is pursued by three shady men following the death of her husband and is offered help by a mysterious stranger (Cary Grant), but are his intentions genuine, or is he the real murderer?

Charade is a mystery-thriller which will always keep you guessing, pepped up with some light comedy and a dash of romance. The pairing of Cary Grant & Audrey Hepburn also adds some Hollywood golden age glitz. Some aspects feel a little dated, but the film remains one of the best from 1963.

7/10