SABRINA (1954, USA, 113m, U) ***½
Comedy, Drama, Romance
dist. Paramount Pictures; pr co. Paramount Pictures; d. Billy Wilder; w. Billy Wilder, Samuel A. Taylor, Ernest Lehman (based on the play by Samuel A. Taylor); pr. Billy Wilder; ph. Charles Lang (B&W | 1.75:1); ed. Arthur P. Schmidt; ad. Hal Pereira, Walter H. Tyler.
cast: Humphrey Bogart (Linus Larrabee), Audrey Hepburn (Sabrina Fairchild), William Holden (David Larrabee), Walter Hampden (Oliver Larrabee), John Williams (Thomas Fairchild), Martha Hyer (Elizabeth Tyson), Joan Vohs (Gretchen Van Horn), Marcel Dalio (Baron St. Fontanel), Marcel Hillaire (The Professor), Nella Walker (Maude Larrabee), Francis X. Bushman (Mr. Tyson), Ellen Corby (Miss McCardle).
Billy Wilder’s uneven but hugely enjoyable romantic comedy sees chauffeur’s daughter Sabrina (Hepburn) return home from two years in Paris a beautiful young woman and immediately catches the attention of David (Holden), the playboy son of her father’s rich employers and for whom she has carried a torch since her childhood. David woos and wins Sabrina, however, their romance is threatened by David’s serious older brother, Linus (Bogart), who runs the family business and is relying on David to marry an heiress in order for a crucial merger to take place. At times laugh out loud funny, the film’s uneven tone betrays the fact the script was constantly being doctored on set. There are some neat and surreal passages of satire, notably involving Bogart’s obsession with new plastics, mixed with less sophisticated broader comedy. Hepburn radiates on screen, but her performance is sometimes lacking in finesse. Holden has fun as Bogart’s playboy brother, whilst his character is lacking in sufficient charm to fully convince. Lavish production values and crisp photography add gloss and Bogart is excellent, cast against type as a single-minded businessman demonstrating a skill for comic timing and one-liners. Bogart was a last-minute replacement for Cary Grant. Remade in 1995. UK title: SABRINA FAIR.
AA: Best Costume Design, Black-and-White (Edith Head)
AAN: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Audrey Hepburn); Best Director (Billy Wilder); Best Writing, Screenplay (Billy Wilder, Samuel A. Taylor, Ernest Lehman); Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (Charles Lang); Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (Hal Pereira, Walter H. Tyler, Sam Comer, Ray Moyer)
