charade

Jan 23 movie: Charade. Considering this starred Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and some fabulous clothes by Givenchy, it's kind of a surprise I had never seen it before. It's a fun, stylish thriller. Hepburn and Grant are fabulous, although I heard that he didn't like playing a romantic part opposite a woman so much younger than himself. Would that today's stars had the same scruples! James Coburn is always fun, although he has a film-killing Texas accent (by which I mean, whenever he speaks you can't think about anything except how bad his accent is). Also a nice supporting part by Walter Matthau, who helpfully dates the film by expositing that the CIA is the successor to the OSS, but the agency is so new no one's heard of it.

I was pleased with myself for figuring out the big surprise just a few minutes before I think I was supposed to. That's the best way: I get to feel all clever, but I haven't spoiled the movie for myself. And I was even more pleased with the movie for throwing one last twist at me which I wasn't expecting at all. That was a nice way to finish things up.