Sabrina (1954)

We start with the sight of a young girl cleaning the limousine her father drives for the wealthy "Larrabee" family. She has a crush on the younger brother "David", but that is but a pipe dream as she grows up and is sent to Paris where she learns cordon bleu cooking skills. Upon her return, the now much older "David" (William Holden) offers her a lift and though he doesn't recognise her, it is soon clear that she has lost none of her affections for him, and he now reciprocates. This throws a spanner in the works for the older brother "Linus" (Humphrey Bogart) who plans a large scale merger to make his bouncy glass, and that involves his brother marrying the daughter of the partner company. "David" is having none of this, but after he has an untimely accident involving his backside and some broken glass, "Linus" concocts a plan to send "Sabrina" back to France. This erstwhile steely man does not, however, factor in the effect his hanging out with this vibrant and intelligent young woman is going to have on him - and pretty soon he is just as smitten as his brother! John Williams adds value as her stiff upper lipped father; "Waltons" fans might recognise Ellen Corby in the role of his hyper-confident secretary "Miss McCardle" and Billy Wilder's script is entertaining and witty. There is a great chemistry on screen between the hugely charismatic Hepburn and Bogart and we do learn how not to make a soufflé omelette! Great fun.

Jun 27, 2022

**An excellent romantic comedy and one of Billy Wilder's best works.**

I saw this film yesterday and I really liked it. I have seen other films with the same actors and there is no doubt that they ooze talent, and it is always a safe bet to see the films they made. This romantic comedy, unlike many of those currently produced, does not seem bland or excessively sugary: the romance and comedy intertwine in the ideal measure to make us laugh and enjoy the characters and the story.

Directed and intelligently written by Billy Wilder, who gives us one of the best films of his career, it brings us the classic story of the employee's daughter who falls in love with the boss's son. I've seen this in films, in plays, in soap operas in almost every country... it's one of the oldest ideas for a romantic film. What really gives the film strength is the way the director conceives everything and leaves his vision imprinted in every detail. This vision of him includes a very intelligent comedy and a cast full of talents, led by the magnificent Audrey Hepburn, experiencing one of the most interesting moments of his career. She couldn't look more elegant, and it was interesting to see how the actress, so associated with noble or refined characters, embodied one who comes from such modest origins! I also really liked William Holden, who does a very committed and intelligent job. As for Humphrey Bogart... he is always a safe bet, an actor who commits himself to his work and guarantees results, but if even he was aware that he was too old for the role, what can I say? He was absolutely right...

On a technical level, there isn't much to say: the film doesn't invest much in great effects and complicated cinematographic resources. In fact, all things considered, it seems like the kind of film where most of the budget was spent on ensuring the presence of a hand-picked cast. The cinematography is quite regular, functional and practical, the soundtrack does not bring great quality notes and goes unnoticed, the sets and costumes fulfill their role wonderfully, but are within what we expected to see. Of course, the costumes are an interesting aspect of the film, with a valuable contribution from Hubert de Givenchy (unfairly uncredited) quite evident behind the production efforts.

Jan 23, 2024