Nothing sizzles in this woodenly frenetic picture, a remake of 1952's "La Fête à Henriette". It's a "madcap" comedy ten years passed its time, reuniting Audrey Hepburn and William Holden from "Sabrina" but giving them nothing to do but flail away at silly routines. Poorly directed by the uneven Richard Quine, the movie suffers from too little story and heavy-handed over-production. A screenwriter and his assistant 'visualize' ideas for his next project, which gives the filmmakers an excuse to run rampant with star-cameos, costume changes galore and wacky slapstick. Audrey Hepburn is far too refined (and too sane a star-presence) to be convincing doing screwball comedy; her screws have always been very tight, and it's not in her to be daffy (her Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was a kook, but a sharp one). Hepburn and Holden still look great, but by this time they were too mature to be dashing about like kids. The production is plush, but the script needed a complete overhaul. What a waste! * from ****
Review of Paris When It Sizzles
