My feelings towards "Charade" are fairly mixed. When I first saw it, I wasn't impressed. After repeated viewings, I didn't feel so negative about it anymore, but I still experience it as an uneven combination of light comedy and suspenseful mystery that suffers from some badly misplaced elements.
Firstly, the three villains played by Coburn, Kennedy and Glass really seem to belong in another movie, as they are way too quirky characters for this kind of glossy flick. (There's also a terribly annoying kid with his water pistol.) Secondly, the romantic angle between Grant and Hepburn seems ludicrous, mainly due to the huge age gap.
Although there are indeed some very nice location shots around Paris, nearly the entire middle section of the film takes place indoors and tends to drag on a bit. Also, Hepburn's acting doesn't quite convince at every turn, but that's almost inessential since she looks so elegant in her Givenchy costumes. Matthau, however, is surprisingly excellent in a rather unusual role for him.
Firstly, the three villains played by Coburn, Kennedy and Glass really seem to belong in another movie, as they are way too quirky characters for this kind of glossy flick. (There's also a terribly annoying kid with his water pistol.) Secondly, the romantic angle between Grant and Hepburn seems ludicrous, mainly due to the huge age gap.
Although there are indeed some very nice location shots around Paris, nearly the entire middle section of the film takes place indoors and tends to drag on a bit. Also, Hepburn's acting doesn't quite convince at every turn, but that's almost inessential since she looks so elegant in her Givenchy costumes. Matthau, however, is surprisingly excellent in a rather unusual role for him.