This is a difficult film to review because there was quite a bit to like about the film but the overall experience wasn't especially enjoyable or satisfying. On the plus side, this film sports some of the best location filming of the 1960s. The French countryside and beaches are simply beautiful and this experience is strongly heightened by Henry Mancini's delightful score. According to IMDb, Mancini liked this best of all his many famous scores and I would agree that it is superb--even better than many of his more famous films (such as HATARI!, CHARADE and THE PINK PANTHER). That's because although no one song stands out in your head like it does in these other movies, the overall score is just perfect for the film from start to finish.
As for the film, there is a lot to like as well, but for me the hip and then modern aspects of the couple's love life disappointed me. Sure, in some ways perhaps this was more realistic than a "happily ever after" type film, but the gritty realism and sadness of the film really turned me off. I guess I really am a sentimental guy down deep.
The movie is about the love life and marriage of Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. It shows how their love evolved and grew cold over the years through a long series of flashbacks to each time they went to the French countryside for vacation. At first they are madly in love and later they grow very distant and even have affairs. Seeing Hepburn sleeping with Finney after just meeting was certainly in line with 60s sensibilities as were their affairs, but I just didn't like it. Much of this is because of Hepburn's rather 'virginal' persona in films. In addition, while Finney's persona is far less virginal by 1967 (having starred in films such as Saturday NIGHT AND Sunday MORNING and TOM JONES), his character came off too often as cruel and easy to hate. Frankly, I could easily see why Hepburn's character would cheat on him, though for the life of me I couldn't see why she stayed. By the end of the film it seemed as if the two stayed together more out of habit than anything else--making the whole thing seem like a bit of a downer. If you are looking for a romance, look a bit further as this seemed more like THE WAR OF THE ROSES than anything romantic.
A final note, if you are into Freudian imagery or psychology, then this is an interesting film. Director Donen deliberately used a lot of phallic references. One was not at all subtle and the characters even commented on this (as the train whizzed past). Another, a bit more subtle, involved Finney offering Hepburn a banana. Additionally, the family who traveled with them during one part of the movie kept spouting psychobabble right and left and it was funny to see what totally permissive parenting results in with their child.
As for the film, there is a lot to like as well, but for me the hip and then modern aspects of the couple's love life disappointed me. Sure, in some ways perhaps this was more realistic than a "happily ever after" type film, but the gritty realism and sadness of the film really turned me off. I guess I really am a sentimental guy down deep.
The movie is about the love life and marriage of Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. It shows how their love evolved and grew cold over the years through a long series of flashbacks to each time they went to the French countryside for vacation. At first they are madly in love and later they grow very distant and even have affairs. Seeing Hepburn sleeping with Finney after just meeting was certainly in line with 60s sensibilities as were their affairs, but I just didn't like it. Much of this is because of Hepburn's rather 'virginal' persona in films. In addition, while Finney's persona is far less virginal by 1967 (having starred in films such as Saturday NIGHT AND Sunday MORNING and TOM JONES), his character came off too often as cruel and easy to hate. Frankly, I could easily see why Hepburn's character would cheat on him, though for the life of me I couldn't see why she stayed. By the end of the film it seemed as if the two stayed together more out of habit than anything else--making the whole thing seem like a bit of a downer. If you are looking for a romance, look a bit further as this seemed more like THE WAR OF THE ROSES than anything romantic.
A final note, if you are into Freudian imagery or psychology, then this is an interesting film. Director Donen deliberately used a lot of phallic references. One was not at all subtle and the characters even commented on this (as the train whizzed past). Another, a bit more subtle, involved Finney offering Hepburn a banana. Additionally, the family who traveled with them during one part of the movie kept spouting psychobabble right and left and it was funny to see what totally permissive parenting results in with their child.