This is an excellent and very entertaining comedy thriller made by Hollywood professionals at the peak of their abilities. It starred Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn and who ever had the inspired idea to team them up as a romantic couple should have gotten a big bonus. Here are two stars who really deliver the goods. Cary Grant had done enough Hitchcock films so he knew how to balance the comedic and suspense elements in this story. Audrey Hepburn was no slouch either. She had also performed in romantic comedies and dramas with great success. These two performers were very experienced actors when it came to making films and they really knew how to deliver the romantic couple goods.
The director Stanley Donen had worked at MGM during it's peak period when they were producing stylish musicals. Donen along with Gene Kelly had created an impressive body of work with films like On The Town, Singing In The Rain and the underrated It's Always Fair Weather. On his own he directed Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Funny Face. As the musical genre wrapped up Donen focused on sophisticated comedies and in this case romantic thrillers. Charade was one of his best films.
A big part of Charade's success is the screenplay by Peter Stone and Marc Behm which balanced the comedy, romance and suspense elements. The cinematographer Charles Lang was one of Hollywood's top cameraman who had worked with John Sturges, Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang and Joseph L. Mankiewicz. With this kind of talent Charade could hardly miss. It was a critical and commercial hit.
The running time is 113 minutes.
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