Sabrina

UK: Sabrina Fair

By VARIETY STAFF

Paramount. Director Billy Wilder; Producer Billy Wilder; Screenplay Billy Wilder, Samuel Taylor, Ernest Lehman; Camera Charles Lang; Editor Arthur Schmidt; Music Frederick Hollander; Art Director Hal Pereira, Walter Tyler
 
Humphrey Bogart
Audrey Hepburn
William Holden
Walter Hampden
John Williams
Martha Hyer
 

A slick blend of heart and chuckles makes Sabrina a sock romantic comedy. Script is long on glibly quipping dialog, dropped with a seemingly casual air, and broadly played situations. The splendid trouping delivers them style. Leavening the chuckles are tugs at the heart.

Basically, the plot's principal business is to get Audrey Hepburn, daughter of a chauffeur in service to an enormously wealthy family, paired off with the right man. She's always been in love with playboy William Holden, but ends up with Humphrey Bogart, the austere, businessman brother.

The fun is in the playing. Bogart is sock as the tycoon with no time for gals until he tries to get Hepburn's mind off Holden. The latter sells his comedy strongly, wrapping up a character somewhat offbeat for him. Hepburn again demonstrates a winning talent for being 'Miss Cinderella'.

1954: Best B&W Costume Design

Nominations: Best Director, Actress (Audrey Hepburn), Screenplay, B&W Cinematography, B&W Art Direction, Costume Design (Edith Head)

(B&W) Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1954. Running time: 112 MIN.