ANGELA MADE TIM WATCH: Sabrina (1954)

 

SABRINA (1995), starring Humprhey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn. Written by Billy Wilder, Ernest Lehman & Samuel A. Taylor. Directed by Billy Wilder.

ANGELA SAYS: 

Neither of us were ready for sleep and Tim was scrolling through the TMC on demand movies and we decided to watch Sabrina. We've both seen it before, but it's been awhile and it had three great things going for it: black and white, Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. There isn't much that will beat that combination in this house (except maybe Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy).

 

Hepburn was believable as the somewhat frumpy, star struck daughter of the family chauffeur who transformed into an elegant and beautiful adult. Unfortunately, she still hasn't outgrown the infatuation with the younger son of the manor house. William Holden was perfect as the playboy (David Larrabee) with three ex wives who hasn't worked a day in his life. Bogart plays the workaholic older brother (Linus Larrabee) who picks up the pieces after his brother's affairs fail, mostly by paying off the unacceptable women.

 

When David fixates on the adult Sabrina, threatening to disrupt the marriage/merger that Linus has manipulated, Linus decides to manage the situation. The obvious happens and the couple fall in love, despite some twists and turns along the way.

 

Ben Mankowicz (TMC host) mentioned that Cary Grant was the first, and (in his opinion) better choice for Linus Larrabee. I disagree. While it's true that you wouldn't normally expect Bogart to play the lead in a romantic comedy, I think he is much more believable as the workaholic brother. Grant is much too suave and debonair. The surprising love affair between Linus and Sabrina would have had no impact and failed as a twist for the first audiences.

Overall, a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours during the Christmas weekend.

TIM SAYS:

There were a couple of crime movies and Film Noirs on demand, but I can never get Angela to watch any of those. My goal of  Angela and I being inspired to enter into a life of crime, eventually double-crossing each other and coming to tragic, violent ends remains a distant dream. 

It does seem a shame to put Humphrey Bogart in a movie and not give him an opportunity to shoot Conried Veidt or Barton MacLane. But Bogie is indeed great in the role, as is everyone else. This includes the supporting cast, especially John Williams as Sabrina's dad, who obviously loves his daughter but is convinced that she won't be happy if she tries to cross class lines.

The script is clever and funny and I did enjoy seeing Sabrina once again. I'm not sure I completely buy the plot twist at the end, since the 30-year difference in age between Audrey and Bogie is a bit extreme.  And, to be fair to the movie, the characters Audrey and Bogie were playing did require there to be a gap in their ages.  

Angela mentions that Bogie fits the role better than Cary Grant would have, since it would have been too obvious from the beginning that Grant would be a love interest. I can't argue that, but at the same time, it would have been fun to see Grant play the workaholic businessman.

And, I suppose the part of me that wishes that there had been a gun battle between Bogie and William Holden is just being silly.