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To watch an Audrey Hepburn film is to put one’s self in considerable danger of being hopelessly and irrevocably smitten. It isn’t just her beauty, although she was exquisitely beautiful. It isn’t just her style, although her image remains an inspiration for designers around the world. It isn’t just her remarkable gift for projecting deeply felt emotions, although her portrayals have played at the heartstrings of generation upon generation of moviegoers. No, Audrey Hepburn’s enduring allure consists of all these things and more. She was then – and continues to be now – a one of a kind, emulated by many but equaled by none.
From the beginning of her career, Audrey Hepburn didn’t fit the established mold of Hollywood starlets. With her pixyish figure and sparkling presence, Hepburn instantly stood apart from her contemporaries, her gentleness of manner concealing a fierce resilience and independence. But perhaps her most uniquely defining characteristic was a guiding sense of empathy – an attribute sorely lacking in the ego driven entertainment industry.
Hepburn’s concern for others was rooted in witnessing, as a child, the cruelty and suffering brought to her Netherlands home by occupying German troops during WWII. Horrific memories of those dark days remained with Hepburn her entire life, leading to her unwavering support for humanitarian causes, particularly as a spokesperson (and later as an appointed Goodwell Ambassador) for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
It isn’t a stretch to suggest that Hepburn’s empathetic nature was a key factor in her ability to imbue her roles with the joy and sorrow that she experienced in the world around her. Rather than using fame to shield her from the outside world, Hepburn broke the alienating bubble of affluence to pursue what she viewed as a moral responsibility to the less fortunate.
Few performers can boast of having so many prestigious professional accolades (including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Tony, a Grammy and an Emmy) mixed with so many philanthropic honors. Until the end of her life, Hepburn maintained her commitment to humanitarian causes, as distinguished by her being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with UNICEF. And soon after her death she would be honored posthumously with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Beginning September 14th and running every Monday evening for the next 5 weeks, the Heights Theater, in collaboration with Take-Up Productions, will be remembering Audrey Hepburn with a retrospective showcasing some of her most enduring films. All these years later, Hepburn’s vivacious charm still shines through each role, proving that time hasn’t diminished her power to captivate hearts.
Film descriptions provided by the Heights Theater.
September 14th - ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert. Directed by William Wyler.
Princess Anne embarks on a highly publicized tour of European capitals. When she and her royal entourage arrive in Rome, she begins to rebel against her restricted, regimented schedule. One night Anne sneaks out of her room, hops into the back of a delivery truck and escapes her luxurious confinement. However, a sedative she was forced to take earlier starts to take effect, and the princess is soon fast asleep on a public bench. She is found by Joe Bradley, an American newspaper reporter stationed in Rome. He takes her back to his apartment. The next morning Joe dashes off to cover the Princess Anne press conference, unaware that she is sleeping on his couch! Once he realizes his good fortune, Joe promises his editor an exclusive interview with the princess. 35mm print courtesy Paramount Pictures.
September 21st - SABRINA (1954)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, William Holden and Humphrey Bogart. Directed by Billy Wilder.
Sabrina is the young daughter of the Larrabee family's chauffeur who has been in love with David Larrabee for all her life. David is very spoiled and crazy for women, and has been totally ignoring Sabrina for years. When Sabrina goes to Paris for a few years, she returns a very attractive and sophisticated woman, and David is quickly drawn to her. 35mm print courtesy Paramount Pictures.
September 28th - CHARADE (1963)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Walter Matthau. Directed By Stanley Donen.
Romance and suspense in Paris, as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Who can she trust? 35mm print courtesy Universal Pictures.
October 5th - LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1957)
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Maurice Chevalier. Directed by Billy Wilder.
Director Billy Wilder salutes his idol, Ernst Lubitsch, with this comedy about a middle-aged playboy fascinated by the daughter of a private detective who has been hired to entrap him with the wife of a client. 35mm print courtesy Warner Bros.
October 12th - BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (1961)
Starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Directed by Blake Edwards.
Struggling writer Paul Varjak moves into a New York apartment building and becomes intrigued by his pretty, quirky neighbor Holly Golightly. Holly's lifestyle confuses and fascinates Paul; in public she flits through parties with a sexy, sophisticated air, but when they're alone she changes into a sweetly vulnerable bundle of neuroses.
35mm print courtesy Paramount Pictures.
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