Rating: 4/5
Criterion Challenge 2024 | 15/52 | Technicolor
While on vacation in the French Alps, Regina decides to divorce her husband, Charles. There, she meets the charming Peter.
Back home in Paris, her apartment has been stripped of all belongings, and her husband, Charles, is dead. Charles sold their belongings for a substantial amount. But when the police found his body, the money was gone. Also, Charles had four different passports.
Regina learns of her husband’s identity and that men he associates with believe that Regina has the money Charles promised. Meanwhile, Peter shows up to offer condolences. He’s also awfully good at helping Regina escape these dangerous men. Too good, perhaps?
Dynamic, whip-fast, and delightful Technicolor — this movie is a double whodunit: who’s got the money, and who’s killing everyone.
It’s got a silly sense of humor that is sometimes a little overbearing but never drags out too much. The film swings wildly from goofy jokes to grisly murders — not as uncommon today as it was then, which turned a lot of folks off to this movie.
This movie’s biggest mistake is casting Cary Grant as Audrey Hepburn’s love interest. He was 25 years older than her. They try to make it work by having her pursue him, but it fuddles it all up.
The subtitles on Prime are atrocious — generated and not transcribed.
Overall, this won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I had a blast.