SABRINA

REVIEWED BY CARISSA HORTON

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: thematic elements

Rated:

The Larrabee family is one of the most well-to-do in upper society. They own enormously spacious grounds, which include indoor and outdoor tennis courts along with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a garage stocked full with expensive vehicles. The house is magnificently large and expensive with many servants retained for the care and upkeep. The chauffeur, one Thomas Fairchild (John Williams), may be the Larrabee's most treasured servant, especially due to his superb loyalty. Fairchild is a mild man, kind and dignified with one daughter, Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn), to his name.

Now, the Larrabee's have two sons, and they could not be any more different were they night and day. Linus Larrabee (Humphrey Bogart) is the eldest with a sense of responsibility and duty in his inheritance. David Larrabee (William Holden), the younger, only thinks of himself and his somewhat fickle needs of the flesh. In other words, he lives for the wild parties of life. Having already been through several wives and attended though not completed many colleges, David is not a man to be admired.

So naturally, who is the infatuation in teenage Sabrina's young life? Correct, it's David. He's all she thinks about morning, noon and night, and every time he's involved with another woman, a small piece of her heart shatters. In an effort to assist Sabrina in forgetting the man she can never have, Fairchild sends her to Paris for two years of study at a renowned cooking school. Classes, however, are not going well. She simply cannot concentrate, and once even forgot to turn on the oven for a souffle. Her letters home reflect her pensive nature, and her father and friends keep hoping for some sign of improvement.

With the arrival of graduation day, Sabrina returns home, a much-altered young woman. Her persona is now one of grace and self-confidence, intermixed with a slight sense of the vixen. She is barely recognized by old friends and family, and David Larrabee's interests are peaked at last. However, he is engaged to the daughter of a wealthy sugar can plantation owner, which does not cause Sabrina the least bit of anxiety. She can now touch the moon and in spite of her father's wishes, goes after it and David with all her heart. Little does she know that Linus is not about to allow her to ruin his plans for a successful business venture. He manages to trick David into sitting on some champagne glasses and while David is incapacitated he goes after Sabrina with a passion. Sabrina finds herself losing her attraction for David and it is instead aimed at Linus. The big shocker; Linus himself believes he's losing his heart to the chauffeur's daughter.

"Sabrina" truly is a beautiful film, but not without faults. Sabrina cares very little that the man of her dreams is engaged and she would do anything within her power to destroy the hopes of a lasting marriage between David and his fiancé. At the beginning of the film, Sabrina is so depressed that she attempts suicide in a garage full of running automobiles. David and his many girlfriends have a habit of making out at the indoor tennis courts, though it's never overtly sexual, mostly flirting. At one point two characters are planning to leave for Paris together and unmarried. And the film does not end with a wedding as is traditional, but rather a rendevous on a ship headed for France. What truly bothered me was the deceit so commonly used by the characters. If you think about it, Sabrina is the most honest of the roles. Linus will do anything to close this deal, even if it means coming close to breaking a young girl's heart. David really doesn't care about anyone other then himself and his immediate needs. Her father attempts to raise Sabrina in a morally upright manner, but at times fails miserably.

The acting on the other hand was superb. I would never have placed Bogey in a romantic role, but he manages to pull out all the stops and play it quite convincingly. As always, Audrey Hepburn is superb, no matter what role she undertakes. And of course, Bill Holden is a delight to watch as the younger inconsiderate brother who finally seems to cure his wandering ways. There are definitely some problems in achieving the final outcome, but overall Sabrina is quite enjoyable. Never mistake the movie for being a comedy however, for it's nearly on the same stage as a romantic tragedy were it not for the finale. Having never seen the newer version with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond I cannot compare the two, but I find myself going back time and again to delight in a heartfelt meeting with Sabrina.

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