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Long before there was Zooey Deschanel—or any of today’s other popular manic pixie dream girls—there was Audrey Hepburn. Sweet and lovable but also stylish and sophisticated, she was everyone’s favorite girl next door—so it’s no surprise that both William Holden and Humphrey Bogart would fall in love with her in Billy Wilder’s Sabrina.
In this charming black-and-white rom-com, Hepburn stars as Sabrina Fairchild, the scrawny, awkward daughter of Thomas Fairchild (John Williams), chauffer to the rich and stately Larrabee family. The Larrabees have two sons; smart businessman Linus (Humphrey Bogart) runs the family business while happy-go-lucky playboy David (William Holden) focuses more on fast cars and beautiful women. For years, Sabrina has pined over David, but he’s never even noticed her.
When Sabrina returns home from cooking school in Paris, David can’t help but take notice of the beautiful young woman she’s become. But with David’s arranged marriage—and the resulting business merger—just days away, Linus steps in to separate them, only to find himself falling for her, too.
Writer/director Billy Wilder is responsible some of movie lovers’ favorite classics—from the haunting suspense of Sunset Boulevard to the gender-bending laughs of Some Like It Hot. With Sabrina, he tells a light and charming story of love and business—of two very different brothers and the delightful young woman who threatens to foil everyone’s plans.
Hepburn’s Sabrina is the 1950s version of today’s moody, lovesick teen, willing to end her life in the most melodramatic fashion over unrequited love. Still, Wilder’s direction and Hepburn’s bubbly personality make her moodiness tolerable—and even amusing. And even though she continues her pining from Paris, it’s handled in the cutest, most comical of ways.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Hepburn is undeniably adorable as Sabrina. She’s sweet and optimistic—a hopeless romantic who can’t help but reach for the moon, no matter how often her father may warn against it. And, no matter how oblivious she may sometimes seem, it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with her.
The most frustrating thing about Sabrina, then, is its leading men. Hepburn may be perfect for her role, but the Larrabee brothers simply don’t make sense. Holden, at 36, already seems a bit too old to play the irresponsible younger brother. But it’s Bogart—at the ripe old age of 54—whose casting is more than just a little off-putting. Though he certainly works as a cool and reserved businessman, he seems better suited to play Sabrina’s father than her reluctant love interest. And, unfortunately, the huge age difference often distracts from the romance of the story.
Still, while some of the casting choices may be distracting, Sabrina is a lovable romantic comedy classic. It’s charming and chic—and comical, too. So if you’re tired of the same old modern chick flicks (and their fluffy romantic leads), you can’t go wrong with this irresistible Audrey Hepburn favorite.
Blu-ray Review:
Sabrina is just one of three unforgettable Audrey Hepburn classics included in the Audrey Hepburn Collection—along with 1956’s Funny Face and 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Each of the three discs also includes a number of behind-the-scenes featurettes, offering a glimpse of classic Hollywood, from its stars to its style. Though it certainly isn’t a complete anthology, this set of Blu-ray releases is definitely a necessary addition to any Hepburn fan’s classic movie collection.
