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Funny Face

Funny Face

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A visual and musical treat for the eyes and ears!
Review: Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn pair-up to give the viewer a glimpse of glamour and romance in the late '50's. The fashions are fabulous, thanks to Givenchy and a Paris backdrop. Fred Astaire's dance numbers are not as crisp as his earlier films, but are classic Astaire none-the-less and thoroughly enjoyable. Audrey Hepburn, playing a beatnik-type intellectual turned fashion model, sings in this film. Her voice is not always strong, but the wonderful songs help her carry this off. Astaire's role, based on photographer Richard Avedon, provides a whimsical glimpse into the world of production of a glossy fashion magazine at the time. This is a thoroughly enjoyable rags-to-riches story and a must for Astaire and Hepburn fans alike!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie and the DVD Transfer is Crystal Clear!
Review: I don't think I've ever seen a good print of this film till I bought the DVD, which is fabulous! I'm not a die-hard Audrey Hepburn fan, but she is very charming and looks fabulous in the fashions. I love the ability to skip the numbers I don't like with the DVD since I find this a very uneven film. When it is good it is nearly flawless (and that's most of the time--opening credits, Think Pink, Funny Face, Bonjour Paris, The Photo Shoots, S'Wonderful, the final fashion show) but when it is bad it is horrid (a 60 year old Fred Astaire trying to be a beatnik, Fred's unending "matador" dance number, the whole plot with the Professor, Clap Yo'Hands). I was disappointed in the additional features--the original trailer is ho hum and the Paramount "documentary" is really just an extended sales pitch with bad stock footage. Where's an interview with the great Stanley Donen? Still, overall well worth purchasing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nice
Review: I bought it for Audrey Hepburn's charm and to watch Fred Astaire's footwork. Was disapointed by the relative lack of the footwork, but fell in love with the charm

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Marvelous Movie!
Review: Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn together on screen. Just that alone makes seeing this movie worthwhile. However, this film has a lot of other things going for it. To begin with, this film gives the fabulous Gershwin score a first class treatment. Astaie's version of the title song is definitive, and while no singer, Hepburn's rendition of "How Long Has This Been Going On" has a sensitivity and power that is quite hard to find in many musicals. Next, The lush Paris locales are simply beautiful. After decades of musicals that were done entirely on soundstages, it is a breath of fresh air to see the realism and freedom of space that on location shooting can bring to a film. Then, there's Kate Thompson. While Fred and Audrey are glorious, it's Ms. Thompson who's the real scene-stealer as the bossy magazine editor. She transforms "Think Pink" into a delightful Showstopper, and always gets the best lines. Enugh talk. Go see this movie. It's a treasure you won't soon forget.

P.S. If your wondering why I took off a star, it's because of the age difference between Astaire and Hepburn. Astaire was in his late 50's when he made this film, and Hepburn was not yet 30. I simply don't believe that their romance is reasonable. After a few great song and dance numbers, it's not really a big deal, but it's worth a star.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An interesting, not funny face.
Review: Well, funny isn't how I'd describe Audrey Hepburn's face. Dazzling, luminescent, one-of-a-kind... but funny? I'm not laughing. I more side with Fred Astaire's character Dick Avery, who says "What you call funny, I call interesting."

Seriously though, how does a shy, introverted, intellectual bluestocking who is a firm believer in empathicalism became a fashion model for Quality magazine? Part of it has to do with photographer Dick Avery blowing up some snaps of her after an uninvited photo session in her Greenwich Village bookstore, and selling her to Maggie Prescott, editor of Quality. Another has to do with a photo shoot in Paris for the new layout of Quality, in exchange for which she'll get to meet Professor Flostre, the philosophical founder of empathicalism and her hero.

The best scenes in the movie are the photo shoots, which shows Jo doing poses in the rain, holding balloons, and tearfully standing at a departing railway station. But the standout has to be her running down the steps of the Louvre in a sleeveless red Givenchy gown, the statue of the Winged Victory behind her, emulating the famed statute. Another is Jo's dance in the nightclub, expressing herself after Avery pokes fun at her empathicalist beliefs. It's a spontaneous number set to a upbeat jazz rhythms, with Jo wearing a black body stocking, and it would be the last time Audrey would use her dancing talents in a movie.

The movie's attitude to the French beatnik and intellectual culture that began in the 1950's is clearly and unfortunately contemptuous, not surprising, considering that America in the 50's was in the growth-oriented prosperity, which had no room for intellectual thought. The concept of empathicalism, the philosophy of putting one in another person's shoes via emotion and manner of speech. That is kind of sabotaged by Avery, who speaks in a charming manner to two Frenchman while using insulting words.

The only sympathetic and likeable character here is Jo Stockton, played by Audrey, of course, but the motivations of her character selling out by working for a fashion magazine, which is so phony, materialistic, and shallow, is questionable. Still, Audrey is a breathe of fresh air, whatever she wears.

As for the characters played by Fred Astaire and nightclub performer Kay Thompson (Maggie), they're not exactly laudable. Fred Astaire's Avery is nice but shallow, and the chemistry between him and Audrey isn't credible. At least he could still dance. His character is based on famed fashion photographer Richard Avedon, as indeed is some of the story, where Avedon trained and married one of his models. As for Thompson, her brusque, bossy, brash, and downright aggressive attitude does not endear her well. Not content with having her crew make a mess of the Embryo Bookstore in the beginning, she then has the nerve to push her outside until the photo shoot is finished! Her character is a cariacature of either Diana Vreeland of Vogue or Carmel Snow of Harper's Bazaar.

The costumes by Givenchy are great, as are the musical numbers by Gershwin, especially the "He Loves and She Loves" and "S'wonderful" numbers, both of which feature Fred and Audrey dancing together. BTW, Astaire and his sister Adele had already danced to this in the Broadway show of the same name back in 1927. And this is the first of three movies with director Stanley Donen for Audrey, the others being Charade and Two For The Road. Donen of course made Fred Astaire dance on the ceiling in Royal Wedding years before Lionel Richie did for MTV.

So, "what's wrong with bringing out a girl who has character, spirit, and intelligence?" Well, nothing if she's allowed to stay true to her beliefs. Dated by today's standards, due to its endorsement of shallow materialistic values as opposed to something more genuine and intellectual, redeemed by Audrey and some of the songs.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny, poignant comedy
Review: I knew I was going to love this film when I saw it at first. Kay Thompson strutting through that ridiculous-looking lobby and then bursting into song ("Think pink!") was enough to hook me.

The plotline is simply: Astaire plays a photographer who, after taking pictures of a model in a girl named Jo's bookstore, decides that Hepburn is the "new look." He convinces fashion empress Maggie Prescott to make Jo a model, and she quickly is whisked off to Paris. But Hepburn's character is no brainless fluff piece--more seriously than anything, Jo loves philosophy. There is a tangle of fashion, worldliness and philosophy before things are straightened out.

Never seen Fred Astaire before, but let me put this quickly: He's almost as good an actor as he is a dancer.

Hepburn is even better than usual in this movie. Not only does she shine alongside Astaire, but she also does a funky dance number in a cafe with a pair of great-looking French guys. Her musical numbers are great--who says she can't sing?

Kay Thompson is wonnnnnddeerful as the charmingly obnoxious Ms. Prescott--her entire brain is taken over with fashion and modeling ("Think pink!") She has the funniest lines in the entire movie.

There's also good-natured poking at the fashion industry, which I won't spoil for you. Needless to say that when you watch Marion the model for more than a minute, you'll be guffawing!

This movie is a gem! Buy it today, don't rent!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Audrey Hepburn steals the screen.
Review: I was sick and plastered to the couch, changing from channel to channel, and saw that "Funny Face" was coming on. I'll give it a try, I thought, and I'm very glad I did! Hepburn plays an intelligent, but un-fashionable girl who is spotted by fashion magazine photographer Astaire. Despite her first rejections she is taken away to Paris where she and Astaire fall in love. Sure, the story has been done before, but Astaire and Hepburn make it so absolutely charming that you can't help but smile. I loved how Hepburn's character was not only elegant and beautiful, but intelligent and artsy as well. My favorite part is when Hepburn starts dancing in the Paris club, she was an amazing dancer. The Gerswhin music was another great touch. I have to agree with the reviewer below mine, I'm 14 and I would prefer a classic like this to any of that teen-flick junk we get. Funny Face is a must for anyone, it will surely lighten up your day!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Isnt bad. Far from Great.
Review: Fred Astaire, the greatest movie star of all time (Along with Chaplin of course) paired with Audrey Hepburn in this enjoyable, but still slightly dissapointing romantic musical set in France.

If your expecting this film to have great dancing, then dont. It hasnt. What you get however is a very colourful movie with a few decent songs, but others can be questionable.

The basic story is, Fred Astaire is a photographer who discovers a girl (Hepburn) who works in a bookstore and makes a model out of her (Check other reviews for more on the story).

Overall, not too bad a movie. Could have been better, but recommended for fans of either Astaire or Hepburn.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Totally unmemorable musical
Review: I should have known this musical was going to be bad when I had to fast forward through the first two songs. I ended up fast forwarding through all of them accept "S'wonderful" and " Clap yo hands." And really, how believable is a romance between 28 year old Hepburn and 58 year old Astaire? I couldn't get past the obvious fact that he was old enough to be her father and looked like he could have been her grandfather! Audrey was as gorgeous and endearing as ever and her gowns were fabulous. Astaire's dance numbers were totally flat and the whole beatnik scene was like totally square man. Don't waste your time on this stinker, but if you decide to, fast forward through the songs. You won't miss anything and it will make the movie end sooner.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Audrey Hepburn certainly wasn't anything to laugh at
Review: Audrey Hepburn had a unique quality that she could sing(yes,sing)dance and act.She has a most touching scene where she is a bookstore librarian that is very distraught after having the bookstore she works for turned upside down.She sings an old Gershwin tune "How long has been going on" which coming from Audrey,is from her heart and soul. She then dances two numbers with Fred Astaire with sheer perfection. Words cannot describe what a beautiful actress she was-Audrey,you were truly amazing and lovely to look at.


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