Sabrina

 

 

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Everybody loves a good Cinderella story, especially if it has a dash of realism and a sense of humour. And unbaked souffles.

And methinks it also helps the case if you have Audrey Hepburn as the modern Cinderella-with-a-wit, which is the strongest point in the charming little romance called "Sabrina." While the chemistry between Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart is pretty flat, the movie is as buoyant and whimsical as a summer daydream, but with way better dialogue ("Bounce please, ladies").

Sabrina Fairchild (Hepburn) is the daughter of the chauffeur at the palatial Larabee estate. She's also in love with the ne'er-do-well second son, David (William Holden). She is sent away to Paris to attend a cooking school, where she meets a kindly old count who teaches her sophistication, ambition and confidence... as well as the ability to make a souffle properly.

When she returns to the Larabees' estate, she has become a clever sophisticated Parisian beauty (and a pretty good cook). David is instantly smitten. But even if marrying a chauffeur's daughter were okay with his family, his brother Linus has arranged a business marriage for David for the family's newest innovation. And to make sure David doesn't run off with Sabrina, Linus begins wooing her too... and falling in love for real.

"Sabrina" is one of those shimmering romantic comedies that Hollywood once succeeded in whipping together every now and then, and which they now desperately try to imitate with cutesy scripts and arch performances. No such artificiality is present in this movie, though -- it's just a relaxed little romance that ambles through a predictable little plot, and is content to let itself to be illuminated by Hepburn's presence.

Part of "Sabrina's" charm is the way Billy Wilder handles the comedy aspect of it -- rather than playing everything for laughs, he simply lets the laughs fall like a shower of petals. There are some laugh-out-loud moments (David's "butt hammock") but most of the humour is gentle and mildly mocking, such as Mr. Larabee standing in his son's closet so he can have a smoke.

And perhaps what makes "Sabrina" a really heartwarming experience is the sunny, hopeful attitude. Despite starting with an attempted suicide (which is thwarted in a very tongue-in-cheek manner), the movie soon decides to "throw open the windows and letting in... letting in la vie en rose." It's all about having dreams come true by refusing to run away from love or life.

But even so, the movie would only be a sweet featherlight curiosity if it weren't for Audrey Hepburn, who was only in her second major movie. She's absolutely transcendent in her role -- bursting with sweetness, enthusiasm, confidence and an almost gleeful joie de vivre. William Holden is full of sprightly charm as David, Walter Hampden is hilarious as the brittle henpecked Larabee patriarch, and John Williams is quietly solid as Sabrina's long-suffering dad.

The only downside is that while Humphrey Bogart's gruff, slightly angular Linus is a nice foil for the exuberant Sabrina, there's pretty much zero chemistry between the two leads. Perhaps it's because Bogart didn't like Hepburn in real life, or maybe their styles just didn't click.

"Sabrina" is a frothy, romantic little tale about reaching for the moon, filled with sparkling dialogue and still-fresh comedy. But its crowning gem is Hepburn, whose early performances showed what a brilliant actress she was.

I have looked all over and have never seen this movie at such a good deal. It came is a timely fashion and is great condition.

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