Sabrina (1954)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Samuel A. Taylor (play)
Billy Wilder (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

October 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

. . . the chauffeur's daughter who learned her stuff in Paris!

Plot:

A playboy becomes interested in the daughter of his family's chauffeur. But it's his more serious brother who would be the better man for her.

Plot Keywords:

Chauffeur | Beautiful Woman | Playboy | Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | Telephone Booth

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Linus Larrabee
Audrey Hepburn	...	Sabrina Fairchild
William Holden	...	David Larrabee
Walter Hampden	...	Oliver Larrabee
John Williams	...	Thomas Fairchild
Martha Hyer	...	Elizabeth Tyson
Joan Vohs	...	Gretchen Van Horn
Marcel Dalio	...	Baron St. Fontanel
Marcel Hillaire	...	The Professor
Nella Walker	...	Maude Larrabee
Francis X. Bushman	...	Mr. Tyson
Ellen Corby	...	Miss McCardle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Ahdar	...	Ship's Steward (uncredited)
Raymond Bailey	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett	...	Margaret - Cook (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Party / Dance Extra (uncredited)
Colin Campbell	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Harvey B. Dunn	...	Party Guest with Tray (uncredited)
Fritz Ford	...	Dance Partner (uncredited)
Otto Forrest	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Gardener-Caretaker (uncredited)
Rand Harper	...	Man (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Charles Harvey	...	Drink Spiller (uncredited)
Paul Harvey	...	Dr. Calaway (uncredited)
Nancy Kulp	...	Jenny - Maid (uncredited)
Kay E. Kuter	...	Servant - Houseman (uncredited)
Bill Neff	...	Man with Linus Larrabee (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Charles - Butler (uncredited)
Gregory Ratoff	...	Man with David Larrabee (uncredited)
Kay Riehl	...	Mrs. Tyson (uncredited)
Marion Ross	...	Spiller's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Board Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
Samuel A. Taylor		(play "Sabrina Fair") (as Samuel Taylor)
Billy Wilder		(screenplay) &
Samuel A. Taylor		(screenplay) (as Samuel Taylor) &
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Billy Wilder	....	producer

Original Music by
Friedrich Hollaender		(as Frederick Hollander)

Cinematography by
Charles Lang		(as Charles Lang Jr.)

Film Editing by
Arthur P. Schmidt		(as Arthur Schmidt)

Art Direction by
Hal Pereira
Walter H. Tyler		(as Walter Tyler)

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Edith Head
Hubert de Givenchy		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Vera Peterson	....	hair stylist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (as C.C. Coleman Jr.)

Art Department
Dorothea Holt	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Harold Lewis	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	special process photography
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edith Head	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Doane Harrison	....	editorial advisor

Music Department
Friedrich Hollaender	....	music adaptor

Other crew
Eugene Loring	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Film Prestige (2004) (Russia) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Sabrina Fair (UK)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Spain:13 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #16882, General Audience) | West Germany:12 (bw) | Australia:PG (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When Linus takes Sabrina to the theatre, they see the play "The Seven Year Itch", which was director/writer Billy Wilder's next movie project. The play is mentioned at least twice.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Toward the end of the movie, after Linus enters his office and says how the coffee is the worst ever, he refers to his secretary, Miss McCardle as Miss "McCarthy".

Quotes:

David Larrabee: Morning, Linus. Where are you off to?
Linus Larrabee: The office. Where do you think?
David Larrabee: The office? On Sunday?
Linus Larrabee: Today is Wednesday.
David Larrabee: Wednesday?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Sunset Blvd.': A Look Back (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

My Silent Love

A Fine Cast & A Well-Crafted, Worthwhile Story

A lot of things work together to make this an entertaining and satisfying picture. With Billy Wilder's story-telling skill, Audrey Hepburn's unsurpassed charm, plenty of talent in the rest of the cast, and a worthwhile story, there is a lot of credit to go around.

The story is based the kind of interesting but slight premise that Wilder handles masterfully, and as a result the story is filled with both funny moments and thoughtful moments, all of which work well. There is a variety of well-chosen settings, always interesting but never pretentious.

Bogart and Holden both play their roles flawlessly. The two of them make an interesting combination with Hepburn, and it works even better than you could hope. John Williams also plays the proper English chauffeur as few others could have. There are also a number of good moments for the others in the supporting cast.

With all the other strengths, it may still be Hepburn's picture most of all.

In "Sabrina", she has a role that allows her quite a variety of scenes as her character grows and changes. It plays to all of her strengths, and makes Hepburn herself the most appealing aspect of an enjoyable and well-crafted picture.