Billy Wilder
Sabrina

LA RECENSIONE

Anyway, it wouldn't have worked, dear.
Everyone would have said: "How democratic that Larrabee is marrying the chauffeur's daughter!"
But would they have said the same about you?
No!
Democracy can be very unfair at times, Sabrina.
And no poor man has ever been called democratic for marrying a rich woman.

Simply perfect. If you want to enjoy a well-acted movie and especially if you have a great need to laugh in a pleasant and carefree way, this might be the film for you.

"Sabrina," directed by Billy Wilder ("Sunset Boulevard", "Some Like It Hot"), is a sparkling comedy, once again a wise blend of a touch of romance and plenty of irony, healthy irony that doesn't tire. This film, released in 1954, withstands the test of time like any work of art worthy of its name. Sure, some themes are hard to understand today, much like in "Roman Holiday" where the justified optimism of the '50s, especially in American society but easily extendable to the entire West, prevails. The film was a worldwide success without much effort in promotion; it only took one name on the poster: Audrey Hepburn. The European actress is now prominent on the international film scene, and having her name is a guarantee of success; in her early Hollywood appearances, the roles she is given closely match her personality, young girls in search of dreams, but this doesn't mean they are easy characters. On the contrary, as in the case of Sabrina, the dreamy daughter of the Larrabee family's chauffeur, we are in the presence of a figure ready to transform from a black duckling into a swan, a physical and psychological transformation. To what extent will it be Audrey's skill to determine it, though?

Unexpected acting talent, indeed Hepburn's acting career was just a fallback, she was a dancer, but the war had stolen her greatest dream so much "to have wanted to die", which would strengthen over time and reach the highest levels: Holly in "Breakfast At Tiffany's", Joanna in "Two For The Road" (1966), the superb Suzy in "Wait Until Dark" (1967), the beautiful Marian in "Robin And Marian" (1975), and her last small great role, the angel Hap in "Always" (1989). But Audrey alone is not enough for the film; Wilder pairs her with the comedic talent of William Holden (David Larrabee, the lazy brother) and the surprising comedic verve of the austere Humphrey Bogart (Linus Larrabee, all business and work) for an incredible overall success. There are many anthology scenes, the cooking school in Paris where clumsy Sabrina only causes trouble, but above all, enjoy Bogart hopping like a child on a plastic sheet, the latest extraordinary product of the family firm, while Sabrina and David are busy dancing. In the end, Sabrina will suffer her love pains, and the Larrabee brothers will have to deal with their own feelings. Who will prevail, the boorish womanizer David or the serious Bogart? Enjoy it.

P.S.: From then to now, many of the "Sabrinas" you meet owe their name to the little dreamer who climbed up the garden tree and gazed in awe and fascination at the hypocritical false world of the Larrabee family.