SABRINA

US, 1954, 113 minutes, Black and white.
Humphrey Bogart, William Holden, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Hampden, John Williams, Martha Hyer, Marcel Dalio.
Directed by Billy Wilder.

Sabrina is a pleasant fairy tale from the affluent 1950s. What might have been a screwball comedy in the 1930s, is given a rather more gentle, extended and comfortable treatment here. Director is Billy Wilder, acidic writer of so many comedies and dramas (from The Major and the Minor to The Apartment to Fedora). Here he blends the charming with the acidic.

William Holden had worked with him in Sunset Boulevard and his Oscar-winning Stalag 17 (and in Fedora in the late 1970s). Audrey Hepburn, fresh from her Oscar in Roman Holiday, worked with Wilder and Gary Cooper in Love in the Afternoon. There is a very strong supporting cast led by John Williams and Walter Hampden. The setting is wealthy Long Island, there are jokes at the expense of the wealthy class - but the film is nevertheless a Cinderella story, American style. It was remade in the mid-90s as a Harrison Ford vehicle with Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear.

1. An attractive and appealing romantic comedy? The '50s style? The tradition of cinema romantic comedies, - especially the '30s screwball comedies? Popularity in the '50s? Later?

2. The work of Billy Wilder and his detached at ironic tone towards life? Has he brought this to bear on the basic fairytale material? Straightforward humour and charm, irony? The quality of the star cast and their ensemble working together? The strong supporting cast? The star aura of the main leads and what it brought to the film?

3. Black and white photography, Long Island locations? Affluence, New York? Suggestions of Paris? The romantic score - the use of old songs e.g. 'Isn't It Romantic?'

4. The popularity of the Cinderella fairy tale? Sabrina and her narrative comments, especially with the opening? The quick moving by Sabrina out of her chauffeur's daughter situation? The ups and downs of her courtships, infatuations? The happy ending?

5. The picture of American society, snobbery. Fairchild as snob. class distinctions, staff and cars. the places for people in cars? The Larrabee family photo? The Larrabees and their owning of everything, offices, international mergers and deals, entertaining and parties

6. The picture of industry in the '50s: wealth, monopolies, mergers and marriages? The film's satire on these - the happy merger as well as the happy romantic ending?

7. Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina: presence, appearance, style of acting, speaking? Her opening narrative? The irony of her cleaning the cars? Comfortable home, relationship with her father? Watching David - and her jealousy? The giggling girl in the indoor tennis court, her suicide note and attempt, the rescue by Linus? Paris and the jokes about cooking? Her failures? The letters home? Glamour and the Baron? Her transformation? Arrival at the station and David's picking her up but not recognising her? The dance and her glamour and hew knowing he was engaged? Linus and her reaction to being paid off? The various dates with Linus? Meals, theatre? The dilemmas? The phone call from the building and Linus' presence? His telling her the truth? Her going onto the ship? The happy ending?

8. David and his playboy style, cars, speed, marriages, the giggling heiress in the indoor tennis court, 'Isn't it Romantic?', his ignoring Sabrina? His irresponsibility and Linus' dictating letters to him? The infatuation with Sabrina, the engagement with Elizabeth and his reaction against it? The party and neglecting Elizabeth? His father summoning him, Linus making him sit on the glasses? The extraction of the glass, the hammock? His believing Linus? His realisation of the truth - and his final responsible appearance and performance at the board meeting?

9. The contrast of William Holden's style with that of Humphrey Bogart? Serious, businesslike - and his dealings in the car, relationship with Fairchild, discovering Sabrina's attempted suicide, concern for mergers, the tennis court sequence and the attraction towards Sabrina, making David sit on the glass, the outings (and the irony of going to see Billy Wilder's Seven Year itch), his reactions, the change, David's attack on him? His giving up Sabrina and arranging for the ship? The happy ending and its credibility? Humphrey Bogart's terse and serious style of comedy? (Cary Grant originally intended for the role.)

10. The servants and their interest in the household, in Sabrina? Fairchild and his work, inverted snob. cautions about Sabrina? Miss McCardle? and her devotion to Linus?

11. The picture of society heiresses - giggling girls and glamour?

12. The merger, Elizabeth Tyson and her infatuation with David, plans for the wedding?

13. The Larrabee parents and their style - especially the father and his smoking and drinking, literally in the cupboard?

14. Verbal humour, visual humour? An entertaining comedy from the Golden Years of Hollywood?