"I don't bite, you know. Unless it's called for."
"How would you like a spanking?"
A woman on a ski holiday (Audrey Hepburn) talks about getting a divorce, but it turns out she doesn't have to, because her husband has been murdered. Worse yet, three men are now after her because of some money they think she might have gotten from him. They were with her husband behind enemy lines during WWII as part of a covert operation to give a quarter of a million dollars to the French Resistance, but decided to bury the money instead, and dig it up after the war. Another man (Cary Grant) has turned up as well and seems to be her protector, but is he really on her side?
It's a fantastic concept, and as everyone and their grandma has noted, the film is reminiscent of Hitchcock. We see that in its tension, shots like the view from the perspective of a corpse as a morgue drawer closes, and dramatic scenes using the environment, like the fight on the roof behind the giant neon sign, or the chase down in the Paris Metro. Maybe it's also got a bit of Clouzot's Diabolique in a bathtub scene, or just how long the viewer is held in suspense before knowing who the bad guy is.
It's lighter than the average Hitchcock fare and in ways that sometimes border on silliness, but on the other hand, the chemistry between Hepburn and Grant is far greater than anything Hitch ever produced with his obsession over icy blondes. The banter is risqué and Hepburn's come-on's to Grant are steamy, even though Grant's character regularly reminds Hepburn's how much younger she is. This has to be one of my favorite performances from Hepburn, as she ranges from comedy to flirtation to frightened for her life seamlessly. Meanwhile, you have Cary Grant at 59 still getting it done as a debonair romantic lead, and also cutting loose with silly faces, getting into a shower in his suit, and trying his best not to grope women as he plays Pass the Orange with them in a nightclub.
Does it all hold together? Hepburn's character knowing so little about her husband, falling in love again so quickly, or how several characters figure out how the money is hidden? Maybe not completely, but I don't care. It's a rare film that has fantastic moments as a thriller, comedy, and romance, and the star power is through the roof. Besides the leads, the supporting performances from George Kennedy, James Coburn, and Walter Matthau make for a very strong cast. There is depth in other ways as well, e.g. Little moments of humor in places like Matthau asking Hepburn if she knows how much cigarettes cost when she wastes one, or the lovely shot of the reflection of the lights from a boat going down the Seine. Hey, I'd love for the 60's animation style over the opening credits to make a comeback too; between the dead body being tossed from a train and the snazzy graphics, this film hooked me from the beginning. All in all, it's a charming package.
