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The first must-see film of the year.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

You certainly can't complain about the cast. Headed by two very big names (Carey Grant as Peter Joshua, etc. and Audrey Hepburn as Regina Lampert) and supported by folks like Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy, you expect fine performances all round, and basically you get that. "Charade" is a mix of suspense and comedy. Regina's husband is found murdered as the movie starts, and it turns out that he has $250000 stashed somewhere, stolen with some accomplices during World War II. Those accomplices now want their money and they assume Regina has it. And the story goes from there, the question being : who has the money?The mystery slowly (very slowly - in a good way) reveals itself, and along the way there's a good dose of humour mixed in (Grant taking a shower while wearing his "drip dry" suit; the passing the orange game; the funeral scene.) While the mystery around who has the money is the hinge around which the film turns, it's the humour that I found most appealing in this - and that probably makes me rate this down a little bit. Most of the truly humourous scenes take place in the first half or so. After that, it becomes much more dramatic and suspenseful, and this movie just doesn't work as well in that genre. The humour really needed to be a little more evenly spread out in my opinion. The budding relationship between Regina and Peter was at times very sweet, but Grant being 25 years older than Hepburn also had the potential to make it a bit uncomfortable. That was overcome (perhaps deliberately) by having the relationship sweetly romantic, but also a hesitant and even protective relationship, and in fairness I thought Grant and Hepburn worked together very well. The final revelation of who was actually who didn't come as a huge surprise, but that was probably because the story had set us up to expect pretty much anything.In all honesty, though, this did run out of steam after a while. Enough had happened by that time, though, that there was no way I was going to stop watching to find out where the money was and who really wanted it, mind you. (6/10)

Owing to the romantic setting of Paris and the haute couture style of the two lead actors, "Charade" fits right in with the cultural ambiance of early 1960s Camelot. Producers could not have picked two lead performers more suited for such a pretentious film: the annoyingly suave Cary Grant and the annoyingly sophisticated Audrey Hepburn. Completing the ensemble of annoying contributors is Henry Mancini, with his dreamy "romantic" music; mercifully, the film doesn't contain his song "Moon River".The voluminous dialogue driven script is a mess, as it is as contrived and talky as we would expect for early 1960s haughty Hollywood. Worst segment is the "romantic" riverboat ride at night, all schmaltzy and dreamy, that just reeks of Camelot idealism. Further, the plot's alternating humor and murder is unsettling. It conveys the impression that both Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) and Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) are both plagued either by ten second attention spans, or worse, self-deception, wherein multiple deaths in two hours function merely as inconvenient intrusions into their budding love affair.All that said, the mystery element is pleasantly reminiscent of Agatha Christie's film "And Then There Were None". And the final few scenes are suspenseful. The whodunit element is rather easy to figure out for most of us, except for the giddily delusional and oh-so-naïve Regina Lampert. The plot's predictability in turn results in a somewhat disappointing ending.Color cinematography is average. I didn't notice any problems, but nothing about the visuals struck me as being overtly laudable, either."Charade" has no significant message to impart. It's a mainstream film that provides a pleasing two hours of diversionary entertainment for a star-struck mass audience. But the dreamy, romantic, sophisticated style of Grant, Hepburn and Mancini, set in romantic Paris, makes me yearn for a rowdy Western wherein old, cantankerous characters lacking teeth get dirty and cuss up a storm.

Not often I leave reviews, but after watching this rather forgotten movie classic I felt the need to encourage others who have yet the pleasure to become acquainted (lol) with this classic. Great cast, Audrey Hepburn is simply fantastic, watta sexy female actor, who you can't keep your eyes off. Carry Grant is again as in most of his work, excellent, in this well paced, fast super charged who done it? It's great, that's why the average score is 8, I might of given this a 9, which I rarely do, but this, well its just a cut above the rest. Thrilling exciting, sexy, great plot, some stunning architectural highlights that caught me, but this movie will probably grab your full attention, with some other detail, simply a stunningly sumptuous thriller with laughs. Cue Cary Grant, the supporting cast of Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy plus all others are all outstanding. Let's also give credit to the writer's for a great script, Peter Stone.Thanx for this gem, great movie, great cast, great everything. Much appreciated by myself, so I hope to spread the joy.... Cheers John

The Plot. Regina Lampert, a Paris based American, has decided to divorce her Swiss husband, Charles Lampert, because of the secrets and lies that have pervaded their marriage, she coming to the conclusion that she no longer loves him and really knows nothing about him. Before she can make that request to Charles, he is found dead, seemingly pushed off a Paris to Bordeaux train. While Regina was on holiday in Megève, Charles sold all their possessions making $250,000 in the process, and seemed to be on his way to the coast to leave the country for South America probably for good. The money, however, was not among his possessions on the train, those possessions which are returned to Regina. Regina further learns from Hamilton Bartholomew of the CIA that they were after him, Charles Lampert only the primary alias he has been using of late.So first of all, this is a VERY 60's film. The music and costumes are all "mod." which makes the movie rather dated. Cary Grant was pushing 60 when he made this movie. But he's never dated. The issue with the movie is the dialog which is snappy and out of place. It's as if they wanted to make this a pithy comedy drama instead of a straight dramatic presentation. It doesn't really work.Plus it's a rather slow and talkative movie low on action. And Audrey Hepburn is a think of the past. Her "acting abilities really don't fit today. As I said earlier, VERY 60's.