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Capone sees THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE in Chicago
Father Geek here with... OK, OK I hear you honking... I coming... Here's Capone folks...
Hey, Guys. Capone in Chicago here with what I believe is this site’s first
look at the finished version of Jonathon Demme’s THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE, a
remake of the delightful 1963 Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn romantic
comedy/thriller CHARADE, directed by Stanley Donen.
We were fortunate to
have Demme and one of the film’s stars, Thandie (yum-yum) Newton, on hand
after the screening for a lively Q&A, but I’m afraid that was the only
fortunate part of the evening.Before I dive into this review, a bit of personal history that even freaked me out a
bit...
I saw THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE on September 29, four years to the day from when I submitted my first pathetic review for this fine web site. Shockingly
enough, the film I reviewed was the first public screening of Demme’s last
feature, BELOVED, which I loved. Several months later, when Harry issued his
Worst Films of 1998 list, he put BELOVED at the tippy top, and I knew I’d
found my cinematic soul mate.
Now that I’ve finished my trip down memory
lane, I’ll make the statement that THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE may be Demme’s
worst film ever but not for lack of trying. I told Demme during the post-film discussion that my favorite works of his
have been the smaller-scale ones, especially his performance works with
Spalding Gray, Talking Heads, Robyn Hitchcock, and his wonderful
documentary, COUSIN BOBBY. Yes, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and PHILADELPHIA
featured some great acting and garnered Demme and his co-workers some
much-deserved Oscars, but it’s more difficult to make a great film when the
setting doesn’t change and there are few who match Demme when it comes to
this type of filmmaking.
Lately, Demme has been spacing his big-budget works
four or five years apart (with a small-scale gem usually bridging these
gaps), so you feel like maybe the guy would take the time to develop a mess
of a script like CHARLIE into something watchable. And you can’t talk about
CHARLIE without talking about CHARADE.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen CHARADE, but I remember a few things about
it. First, I wasn’t paying close enough attention to the opening credits and
mistakingly thought the whole time I was watching it that it was a Hitchcock
film. I’m guessing I’m not the first person to make this mistake. Second, I
remember the actual story of CHARADE didn’t matter that much. It was simply
an excuse to get these two wonderful actors together to trade witticisms.
The movie was about banter and Cary Grant remains to this date the
undisputed King of Witty Banter. Audrey Hepburn was no slouch in this realm
either, and the two playing magnificently off each other. Actually when I
heard that Thandie Newton was filling Audrey’s shoes, I was pleased. She had
displayed some comic talent in films like FLIRTING, LOADED (from New
Zealand), and THE LEADING MAN, but this would be a chance for her to shine
in a leading role in a big budge film from a proven director. And she’s
exactly the right kind of beautiful for the role. Guess what folks, there’s
no banter in the whole film. Jonathon Demme might disagree with me on this,
but all traces of wit have been scrubbed in favor of a lame story that
no one will be able to decipher, assuming anyone would want to bother.And don’t even get me started on Mark Wahlberg, who has the impossible and
unenviable task of filling Cary Grant’s shoes. About the only thing these
two have in common is that they both fill out a suit nicely. Don’t get me
wrong, I’m a Wahlberg fan. He’s not a great actor, but in the hands of
certain great directors, he’s done fantastic work. As much as BOOGIE NIGHTS
was an ensemble piece, Wahlberg stood at the center of that story and held
his own. But here, he is just out of his element, and we discover quickly
that Wahlberg does not yet have the resources to pull off playing the
romantic leading man.
The coolest thing about CHARADE was that Hepburn was so
hot for Grant, she didn’t care if he was out to get her or not. In CHARLIE,
Newton finds Wahlberg attractive but the chemistry is not volatile.
The story of THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE is largely the same as CHARADE. Things
open with the death of Charlie (Stephen Dillane) on a train at the hands of
an unseen killer. Charlie’s wife is on a tropical vacation with a girlfriend
when she runs into Joshua (Wahlberg), who is in full “cute guy” mode. The
two “run into” each other at the Paris airport a day later. Her husband has
not come to pick her up (she doesn’t know he’s dead yet), and Joshua just
happens to be going in her direction, so the two share a cab. We learn that
Regina was planning on asking Charlie for a divorce, despite the fact that
they’ve only been married for three months. (One of the film’s many
unanswered questions is What the hell did Charlie do to warrant a divorce
after only three months?) Upon returning to her oversized Paris flat, Regina
finds the place emptied of all valuables, ransacked, and occupied by Paris
police. The cops inform Regina that her husband hand a half-dozen fake
passports in his luggage as well as various currencies from all over the
world, and she quickly realizes she didn’t know her husband at all.After allegedly finding out about her dead husband on the local news, Joshua
shows up at Regina’s doorstep offering to set her up in his hotel (separate
rooms, of course; he is a gentleman after all). But it doesn’t take long for
all sorts of craziness to happen and for the movie’s slow descent into
crapitude to begin. We see Joshua start snooping through Charlie’s personal
effects while Regina is out of the room. A trio of unsightly paramilitary
types (LAMB’s Ted Levine, “The Practice’s” Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Korean
superstar Joong-Hoon Park from the awesome NOWHERE TO HIDE) start popping up
everywhere in Regina’s life. A batty old woman claiming to be Charlie’s’
mother shows up blaming Regina for her son’s death and trying to kill her.
And Tim Robbins arrives as Mr. Bartholomew, the supposed voice of reason
U.S. government agent, who says he worked with Charlie and the
paramilitaries in a special mission that resulting in millions in missing
diamonds. Although Regina may be fooled by some of these characters, the
audience is never given the chance to, thus all the drama needed to sustain
this who-did-what-to-whom story is thrown out the window. As an audience, we
don’t trust anybody who flashes credentials and says they are on Regina’s
side. In fact, we assume they are all out to get her or the diamonds, so we
just drift away from caring and await the film’s end. Every double- and
triple-cross is met with a shrug by the viewer.
On top of the way-too-complicated-for-its-own-good story, Demme uses THE
TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE as his means to honor French films in general with
subtle and not-so-subtle tributes. The only one that I thought was well done
is during a seduction scene in Regina’s room when Joshua plays her a Charles
Aznavour (SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER) record to get the mood going. Suddenly the
real Aznavour shows up in the room singing the song. It’s a great moment,
the impact of which is totally cheapened by a second Aznavour appearance at
the end of the film. Now, he’s just an annoying old guy who won’t go away.
But this and other cameos aren’t what ruins CHARLIE. Forget that Demme’s
extremely in-jokes about French cinema will be lost of 99 percent of most
audiences. The non-sensical nature of the plot will piss people off so much
before the in-jokes even get going. There are about 100 different points in
the story where Regina could have done something smart and had most of the
lies revealed. Instead, she acts dumb pretty much from beginning to end.
Because CHARADE was most clearly a comedy with a bit of intrigue thrown in
to keep the story moving, we could accept silly behavior. In CHARLIE, the
emphasis is on an exciting story, throwing character development to the
wind, leaving us with nothing but a hollow shell of a film.Other bothersome scenes involved Regina’s interaction with people who appear
to be out to harm her. In one scene, she’ll be running for her life; in the
next, she’s in a dance hall doing the friggin’ tango with some of the very
people who were chasing her. Huh?! I’m certain Regina would have been smart
enough to simply leave Paris and let her pursuers seek out the diamonds
somewhere other than in her pockets. That’s what I’m saying: there’s no
sense or logic to THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE.
If a knife was put to my throat and I was forced to say one nice thing about
this movie, it would be that the electric music choices were really great.
So great, in fact, that I was tempted to shut my eyes, lean my head back,
and just listen to the tunes. Demme explained after the film that Paris was
a focal point for every type of music and that his team spent weeks
collecting and screening possible music choices for the film. I’m fairly
certain that none of the songs were created for CHARLIE but that’s fine;
it’s like a great mix tape from a dozen different countries. But whereas a
change of tempo, mood, and style works well on a mix tape, it bombs when
compiling a film.
THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE is a jumbled, pointless mess from
a group of actors and filmmakers who should have known better.
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+ Expand All
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This can't be
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Remember when we were really shocked and pleased that he actually had talent? I just barely can.
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Why are they remaking good films when there are so many bad films to remake?! I saw this back in April at a test screening in Philly (And was one of several who sent in reports to Harry) and I still have to say that there is absolutely zero chemistry between Wahlberg and Newton. I would have much rathered seen Tim Robbins in the Wahlberg role. I guess the only up side to this is that Demme has gotten this particular urge out of his system and he can go on to make something interesting and worthyy of our eight bucks admission.
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That's a shock to hear. I wouldn't hire him to be my high scholl mascot. His brother Donny...now there's a Wahlberg that can act. So why is Mark the bigger star? Probably because he's better looking, or some crap like that. Need proof, just watch Donny Wahlberg's small but pivotal and unforgettable role in The Sixth Sense and then compare that to...well, anything Marky mark has ever done. No one could fille Grant's shoes but if they were going to try couldn't they have at least gotten someone who was both talented and witty, rather than someone who is neither of those things?
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Not! What a superb choice to cover Cary freaking Grant. Marky Mark was believable in only two movies (Boogey Nights and Rockstar). WB will probably cast him for Supes just outta spite if we don't get off their back. Oh and even though they removed my post, much thanks to BadAssUncleFucka for making me feel like part of the team. I can feel the love baby!
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Right click and block images from this server. Nice. Let's see, right click and block Mark Wahlberg from movies. Eh, maybe in the next version.
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Charade is one of my most favorite movies. The chemistry between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn was incredible and they meshed immediately onscreen. I was both intrigued and revolted when I heard they were remaking it and now I'm just deeply disappointed that they are going to ruin yet another movie that DID NOT NEED "reimagining!" Go off and make remakes of Shelly Winters movies and leave the classics alone!
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Another reason "Charade" was so great, in addition to the only Grant/Hepburn pairing in screen history, was the presence of two guys about to be stars in support: the great Walter Matthau and the cool James Coburn. Plus George Kennedy, who would win the Oscar a few years later. Robbins really isn't in Matthau's class. Who's got the Coburn part?
After the Van Sant "Psycho" fiasco, you really gotta ask what's wrong with these new guys trying to remake perfection and making casting choices that ensure defeat.
P.S. The poster for "The Truth About Charlie" gives away one of two big secrets in the movie -- if its the same as "Charade." Another bright move. -
When I said "the poster gives away one of the two big secrets" I meant the movie poster/print ad now on display in theaters and magazines.
I did not mean the poster of this "Truth About Charlie" review or any of you other fine folks on this site.
Or maybe I'm just anal.
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Mr. Wahlberg seems to be on a course to taint the memory of every classic Sixties film. Next I think we can expect from him The Wild Bunch with him, his brother Donnie, Scott Caan, and his friend Clooney and John C. Reilly. And then a remake of Bullit, and perhaps even The Sound of Music with Nicole Kidman, directed by Baz Fuckhead of course. But I digress from my objective... the eradication of all that is Marky Mark.
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Indeed, Marky Mark is working even as we speak on the remake of Michael Caine's car chase caper movie, "The Italian Job" -- made in 1969, the same year as ...God Help Us..."The Wild Bunch."
P.S. Wahlberg's bud Clooney and Julia Roberts would have been closer on remaking "Charade" -- but too smart to agree to it. -
Not that MI:II was anything to write home about in the first place, but Tom Cruise's hair gave a better performance than Ms Newton. She simply is not an actress. She is a mannequin.
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Abridge people, abridge.
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Can't Hollywood get that through their thick skulls? The man is one of a kind. His movies are great as they are. If anyone ever, and I do mean ever, tries to remake North By Northwest, the resulting protests will make the Last Tempation of Christ protests look like a party in the park. ARGH!
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Call me a sucker, but I really think the trailer for this movie is fun. And I'd like to see Mark Wahlberg succeed in Hollywood. He also was very good in "3 Kings."
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Cary Grant wasn't the straight man in Arsenic and Old Lace. His old aunts were. Grant was HYSTERICAL in that movie and still irreplaceable.
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Leave the fine Cary Grant films alone! I think I'll go home tonight and watch my "Charade" and "Philadelphia Story" DVDs, and then top off the evening with either "Bringing up Baby," "Arsenic and Old Lace," or "Holiday." P.S. Grant is awesome in "Aresenic," but it's the aunts and Peter Lorre, and of course Teddy Roosevelt, who steal the show. =)
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That's the truth.
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Some STUDIO GUY says: Get Clooney for this part. ASSISTANT: He's unavailable. STUDIO GUY: Hmm. Clooney and Wahlberg have worked together before. Get Wahlberg. ASSISTANT: But he's not right for the pa- STUDIO GUY: GET HIM.
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This is one of those movies I think I will buy sight unseen. Wahlberg is always good and Thandie is an angel.
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Hooray for the person who said he would shoot the next person that called it "Hitchcock's Charade"
It's not a flea market - it's a stamp market .
Tim Robbins as Walter Matthau - no where near rumpled enough -
But there is no one to replace Cary Grant. Who, for the record was a blue collar worker and an acrobat in the circus. Mr. Bogart had the East Coast upbringing.
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