Director Billy Wilder must have
liked William Holden. Sabrina, made in 1954, was
Wilder's third collaboration with Holden in four years. In 1950,
they worked together on Sunset Boulevard and then on Stalag
17 in 1953. It's amazing that the pair had such a good working
relationship, considering that Wilder did not initially want Holden
to play Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. Cary Grant was
to play Holden's older brother in Sabrina, but
dropped out for unknown reasons just one week before shooting began.
Knowing that the role called for an established actor who could
pull it off, Wilder called on Humphrey Bogart. It was a chance for
Bogart to stray from his tough guy image and step into a new pair
of shoes. There is no doubt, however, that Audrey Hepburn is the
centerpiece of the trio. Having only made a few films prior, she
was a fresh face and the perfect ingredient in this recipe for classic
Hollywood grandeur. The film became a large springboard in her blossoming
career.
Audrey
Hepburn is Sabrina Fairchild, a young girl living with her father
Thomas (John Williams) on a large estate owned by the Larrabee
family. The Larrabees are a rich brood who only feel content fraternizing
with those of equal wealth and stature. Oliver and Maude Larrabee
(Walter Hampden and Nella Walker), and their two sons Linus
(Humphrey Bogart) and David (William Holden) are
the only residents in the huge mansion. Sabrina and her father live
in a separate, smaller house on the grounds. Linus is the business-minded
son while David is a playboy, almost too immature to command such
fortune. The Larrabees often hold parties for their affluent circle
of friends, while Sabrina watches the festivities from a nearby
tree. She is enamored with David, and has been her entire life;
but, realizing her place in the world, she feels of lesser importance
and never pursues him. Her father only solidifies her feelings of
inequality by telling her not to "reach for the moon".
In an attempt to take Sabrina's mind off of David, her father arranges
for her to go to a cooking school in Paris. The night before she
is scheduled to leave, Sabrina writes a suicide note and slides
it under her father's door before going into the garage to inhale
carbon monoxide fumes. Linus finds her and gets her into the fresh
air. Sabrina does go to Paris and becomes a changed girl after fighting
her unhappiness. Two years pass and she returns home as a beautiful
woman, attracting the attention of everyone on the Larrabee estate
- especially David. Sabrina's father does not approve of her new
courtship with David and warns her once again not to "reach
for the moon", to which she replies "the moon is reaching
for me!". The other Larrabees feel that Sabrina is unfit
for David, and that her relationship with him does nothing but disrupt
the family business and cast an "ordinary" light on them.
Linus
takes the reins by volunteering to "see" Sabrina while
David is recuperating from an accident. In actuality, he plans on
persuading her to return to Paris, thereby removing her as
a threat to the family's reputation. David is under the impression
that his older brother is being helpful, unaware of the real intentions
behind the gesture. Sabrina is also blind to the ulterior motives
and readily agrees to let Linus entertain her while David heals.
Meanwhile, David is already engaged to another woman named Martha
Hyer (Elizabeth Tyson), a much more suitable wife in his
family's opinion. Much like an arranged marriage, David doesn't
love Martha and wants to break it off to be with Sabrina. Linus'
devious plan begins to go awry when he feels himself falling for
Sabrina, so he covers it with the cold exterior of a man concerned
with business and nothing else. He continues to take her out; they
go to dinners, shows and out on boat rides where the solitude magnifies
their affection for one another. David is nearly healed and ready
to resume the relationship, but now with Linus in the picture, Sabrina
is confused about who she loves more. The elder Larrabees continue
to voice their disapproval, noting that Sabrina's father is the
family chauffeur and such a mixture between the two classes
is beneath them. The love triangle not only requires Sabrina to
choose, but also demands that Linus examine his true priorities.
Does he value his brotherhood with David or does he follow his heart
and sweep Sabrina away? Linus knows that such a drastic change in
his stone-faced demeanor would prove that his life has been nothing
but a ruse for his parents' benefit. David has always been the
loose one, the black sheep of the regal Larrabees. They expect much
less of him than they do of Linus. Sabrina is the bridge between
the opposite personalities, yet her feelings stand to take the hardest
blow in this game of taboo.
Sabrina was
remade in 1995 with the same title, starring Harrison Ford and Julia
Ormond. Like many classic films that are remade, it's nearly impossible
to fix something that isn't broken. This is no exception. Director
Billy Wilder was extremely thorough in constructing the story, which
was originally titled "Sabrina Fair" after the
play written by Samuel A. Taylor. Wilder used subtle techniques,
which included mentioning "The Seven Year Itch"
twice in Sabrina. The play that Linus takes Sabrina
to see is "The Seven Year Itch". This is of particular
importance because Wilder knew he would be working on the
film, so he actually marketed his future work in his present
work. Audrey Hepburn's character is not only the film's namesake,
but the glue that held it together. Hepburn had the perfect combination
of beauty, purity and innocence to play the role. This is one of
many films where her image is immediately associated with the title,
and when that happens, no other person can possibly compare. William
Holden was a great choice to play David Larrabee, the playboy in
a family of egotistical snobs. David could almost be considered
an adopted son in comparison to his brother Linus, played by Humphrey
Bogart. Bogart was top notch as always. Though the majority of his
career was spent playing rough characters and sharp-witted sleuths,
he really began to branch out in the early 50s with such films as
"The African Queen" and "The Caine Mutiny".
Bogart would only make five more films after Sabrina,
succumbing to throat cancer in 1957. Sabrina was
a fairytale wrapped in the ambiance of real life, we even hear the
requisite "once upon a time" spoken in the very
beginning by Sabrina herself. While the film boasts a cast of superstars,
this is an Audrey Hepburn film. This character is the embodiment
of the sincerity and genuine decency she applied in her life outside
of Hollywood.
THE
DVD
Sabrina
was released on DVD in 2001 by Paramount. The audio and video quality
is stellar, and in addition we are treated to a bonus documentary
on the making of the film. The movie is available individually,
but it is also found as part of The Audrey Hepburn DVD Collection
(Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's) and The
Billy Wilder DVD Collection (Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, Sabrina).
THE CONCLUSION
Sabrina
is set on a massive property, and such large surroundings tend to
accent the people within. In this case, the extravagance brought
the Larrabees' shallowness to the surface. Sabrina and her father
lived "away" from this behavior, literally and symbolically.
The relationship between the two families echoed sentiments of Romeo
and Juliet, and in the spirit of the theatre, we sit front row to
observe the speed bumps of human nature. This movie is a representation
of society, and the factors by which people are defined. Sabrina
is a mixture of charm, comedy and seriousness. It's a must see for
all audiences, young and old.
Audrey
Hepburn is Sabrina Fairchild, a young girl living with her father
Thomas (John Williams) on a large estate owned by the Larrabee
family. The Larrabees are a rich brood who only feel content fraternizing
with those of equal wealth and stature. Oliver and Maude Larrabee
(Walter Hampden and Nella Walker), and their two sons Linus
(Humphrey Bogart) and David (William Holden) are
the only residents in the huge mansion. Sabrina and her father live
in a separate, smaller house on the grounds. Linus is the business-minded
son while David is a playboy, almost too immature to command such
fortune. The Larrabees often hold parties for their affluent circle
of friends, while Sabrina watches the festivities from a nearby
tree. She is enamored with David, and has been her entire life;
but, realizing her place in the world, she feels of lesser importance
and never pursues him. Her father only solidifies her feelings of
inequality by telling her not to "reach for the moon".
In an attempt to take Sabrina's mind off of David, her father arranges
for her to go to a cooking school in Paris. The night before she
is scheduled to leave, Sabrina writes a suicide note and slides
it under her father's door before going into the garage to inhale
carbon monoxide fumes. Linus finds her and gets her into the fresh
air. Sabrina does go to Paris and becomes a changed girl after fighting
her unhappiness. Two years pass and she returns home as a beautiful
woman, attracting the attention of everyone on the Larrabee estate
- especially David. Sabrina's father does not approve of her new
courtship with David and warns her once again not to "reach
for the moon", to which she replies "the moon is reaching
for me!". The other Larrabees feel that Sabrina is unfit
for David, and that her relationship with him does nothing but disrupt
the family business and cast an "ordinary" light on them.
Linus
takes the reins by volunteering to "see" Sabrina while
David is recuperating from an accident. In actuality, he plans on
persuading her to return to Paris, thereby removing her as
a threat to the family's reputation. David is under the impression
that his older brother is being helpful, unaware of the real intentions
behind the gesture. Sabrina is also blind to the ulterior motives
and readily agrees to let Linus entertain her while David heals.
Meanwhile, David is already engaged to another woman named Martha
Hyer (Elizabeth Tyson), a much more suitable wife in his
family's opinion. Much like an arranged marriage, David doesn't
love Martha and wants to break it off to be with Sabrina. Linus'
devious plan begins to go awry when he feels himself falling for
Sabrina, so he covers it with the cold exterior of a man concerned
with business and nothing else. He continues to take her out; they
go to dinners, shows and out on boat rides where the solitude magnifies
their affection for one another. David is nearly healed and ready
to resume the relationship, but now with Linus in the picture, Sabrina
is confused about who she loves more. The elder Larrabees continue
to voice their disapproval, noting that Sabrina's father is the
family chauffeur and such a mixture between the two classes
is beneath them. The love triangle not only requires Sabrina to
choose, but also demands that Linus examine his true priorities.
Does he value his brotherhood with David or does he follow his heart
and sweep Sabrina away? Linus knows that such a drastic change in
his stone-faced demeanor would prove that his life has been nothing
but a ruse for his parents' benefit. David has always been the
loose one, the black sheep of the regal Larrabees. They expect much
less of him than they do of Linus. Sabrina is the bridge between
the opposite personalities, yet her feelings stand to take the hardest
blow in this game of taboo.