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Audrey Hepburn weekend
If you’re looking for a movie review, I wrote about Pineapple Express on Wednesday, when it opened. It’s a terrific stoner comedy from the Judd Apatow crew - and it’s cinematic to boot.
No, today, I’m here to talk about more genteel matters - like Audrey Hepburn weekend at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton. Instead of playing the same film all three days,Victoria plays a different movie each day.
Tonight, it’s Billy Wilder’s Sabrina. Many love the film, although Wilder and Humphrey Bogart did not, as the two of them didn’t get along. But even if Wilder and Bogie weren’t firing on all thrusters, Audrey certainly was. Even an image as simple as Audrey spinning and spinning in a chair remains indelible the way she does it. Referring to Hepburn’s entrance in the film, Cameron Crowe wrote “Today, when many a newly arriving ingenue is heralded as ‘the new Audrey Hepburn,’ it is this moment the Hollywood yearns to recapture … and never quite can.”
On Saturday, the film is Charade. Many people talk about how Hitchcockian it is, but honestly, I couldn’t see Audrey in a real Hitchcock movie. She had a different air than the Hitchcock blondes. She wasn’t the “snow-covered volcano” that the director seemed to favor. However, she did match Cary Grant’s style and grace better than any other female costar of his, which is a large part of why the film works so well.
Sunday’s movie is Roman Holiday. Never mind Breakfast at Tiffany’s and forget the endlessly overrated My Fair Lady. For my money, this is still the quintessential Audrey film. If someone asks me “What made Audrey Hepburn so great?” this is the movie I would show. Is there any other actress who could seem so refined, so elegant, and yet so lovable and adorable at the same time? Simply, put, no.
After reflecting on the comments below, I just HAD to add this scene, which may be my single favorite moment of Audrey’s: Her rendition of “Moon River” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The scene is direct, heartfelt and deeply charming - because that’s what Audrey still is.
For discussion: Tell me your favorite Hepburn films and what her appeal is to you.
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Comments
By Erica
August 10, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this
I love “Sabrina” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” but “Charade” is actually my favorite Audrey Hepburn film. I know it’s not technically the best or most accomplished, but I adore Cary Grant (even if he is pretty old for her at that point) and the way they interact. And I don’t know about “Hitchcockian,” but the scene where the thug throws the lit matches at Reggie scares the bejeezus out of me every time. It’s so creepy. I know I probably should like “Roman Holiday” more than I do, but I appreciate Audrey more when she doesn’t actually play a princess. I also thought she was great in “Wait Until Dark,” as well as “The Children’s Hour,” which were both kind of daring roles. There are still quite a few Audrey films I haven’t seen, though. In my Netflix queue right now are “Two for the Road” and “The Nun’s Story.”By Sir Critic
August 8, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this
Well, to be clear, except for Mickey Rooney’s grotesque Asian caricature, I like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” quite a lot myself. Her simple, unadorned rendition of “Moon River” is deeply charming and may be my single favorite scene of hers.By Kim S.
August 8, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this
I could go on for days on this one. Since I’m not in the local OH area, perhaps I’ll have my own Audrey marathon this week - I seem to own most of them. I’m still a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” girl myself. It’s my favorite movie of all time. To see the vulnerability onscreen just amazes me no matter how many times I watch it. Not to mention that if I can’t sleep, I play the film until I get to “Let’s just go to sleep” and it calms me down every single time. I’ve read about a possible remake of “Tiffany’s”, and I consider that nothing short of heresy. (And yes, Eric, I have a soft spot for “Roman Holiday” as well - for obvious reasons.)By Eric Brockman
August 8, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
“Wait Until Dark” is still one of my favorite Hepburn films (especially that final portion in the dark with Alan Arkin … worth seeing on the big screen to hear the entire theatre gasp!), although it’s not necessarily what you might call a “typical” Audrey Hepburn film, if there is such a thing. And perhaps that’s part of her enduring appeal - she really wasn’t a “typical” hollywood star in many ways.