Wynter Miller (Southampton, NY) | 12/17/2005 | Once Upon A Time, on the North Shore of Long Island...
Comparisons are hardly ever fair, yet people insist on making them. That being said, and, at the risk of sounding "sacrilegious", I will limit my comparison of the original Bogart/Hepburn vehicle to the "modern" version to the following: Humphrey Bogart does not do a thing for me. Never has. I think he is a wooden actor with the emotional range of a toaster. Sorry, but monosyllabic answers and a plethora of "significant" glances do not knock me off of my chair. Now, for those of you who have not fainted in a righteous swoon at my blasphemy, I continue:
This "Sabrina" is a delight. A truly classic romantic comedy in the finest sense of the word. In fact, its one of my personal favorites. Harrison Ford portrays Linus with the perfect blend of ruthless billionaire and socially awkward male, flawless in business matters but out of his element and totally unprepared for the consequences of what he originally deems a simple matter, turning Sabrina Fairchild's (Julia Ormond) interest to himself instead of brother David (Greg Kinnear), thereby saving both an impending marriage and lucrative corporate merger.
Julia Ormond's Sabrina is just the right mixture of sophistication and innocence. Daughter of the Larribee's chauffeur, she's grown up on the family estate, yet outside of their social circle, of course. Passionately in love with youngest son David Larribee, we see her in the movie's opening moments hard at her favorite pastime, spying on David and fantasizing that she is the girl he's currently schmoozing at his mother Maude's annual birthday bash. Her father, Thomas Fairchild (John Wood) in an effort to broaden her horizons and get her past this obsession with David, arranges with his employer, Maude Larribee (Nancy Marchand) to send Sabrina to Paris for a year. He hopes she will learn about life and independence while working for the Paris offices of Vogue.
While Sabrina is away, David meets the beautiful redhead Elizabeth Tyson (Lauren Holly), up and coming pediatrician. Coincidentally, she is the daughter of Patrick Tyson (Richard Crenna), owner of Tyson Electronics, a high technology firm that Linus has had his acquisitional eye on for some time. Ever the ultimate opportunist, as his brother's relationship blossoms, Linus quietly begins buying up blocks of Tyson stock.
To Linus, all seems to be proceeding as it should be. David and Elizabeth have finally set a date. He and Patrick Tyson are in serious merger negotiations. Maude and Ingrid Tyson (Angie Dickenson) are planning their children's monster wedding. Perfect.
All is about to change, however. A year has passed. Once again, Maude's birthday party approaches. It's also time for Sabrina to come home.
Director Sydney Pollack does an exceptional job, mixing just the right recipe of romance and comedy throughout. We, the audience, are just as stunned as the movie's characters at the "new" Sabrina. With a Parisian haircut, dressed all in chic black with enormous sunglasses, she is nearly as unrecognizable to us as she obviously is to David. In town to pick up a gift for his mother, David, ever the playboy, offers what he clearly sees as an incredibly hot girl a lift home. He has no idea it's Sabrina, and she exacts a small measure of delicious revenge during the ride, watching him squirm uncomfortably as he tries vainly to remember who she is, especially as she clearly knows more about him than he would like.
To make amends and intrigued by the mystery, David invites her to "his house" for a drink. She accepts gleefully. The charade continues until they arrive at the Larribee estate (quite a bit of which was filmed at the Harrison Conference Center in Glen Cove, NY), whereupon Linus, overseeing the party preparations, instantly recognizes her and welcomes her home.
Linus, who never misses much, also sees trouble. Big trouble, judging by the stunned and smitten look on his brother's face. Thomas Fairchild, in turn watching his daughter steam out a dress for Maude's party the next evening, doesn't like it much either. This was not at all what he had planned when he sent her to Paris.
The night of Maude's party arrives, complete with a live band, white tuxes, formal gowns, fairy lights, perfect weather ("It never rained on a Larribee party. The Larribee's wouldn't have allowed it..."), and, this time, as an invited guest, Sabrina.
Admittedly, there are many actresses on screen today for whom the word "beautiful" is but a pale description. That having been said, I would have to put Ormand's Sabrina on the walkway leading to the party as one of the top five most incredibly stunning appearances of all time. She is, literally, breathtaking. And David, to the panicked concern of his mother and brother, is done when he sees her. Finished. Completely gone. Forget Elizabeth. Forget the impending marriage. He sees nothing but Sabrina. Maude and Linus see a billion dollar merger about to tank.
That's enough plot synopsis, kids. Linus and Maude decide to get David out of the way while Linus puts right what is going terribly wrong. You'll have to watch the rest of this charming film to see how it all turns out.
DON'T compare this film to the original. Who cares? Judge it on it's own merits, and you'll come up with a winner. The interaction between the players is seamless. The dialog is witty, intelligent, at times touching, and always believable.
The casting is first class. Besides Ford and Ormond, Nancy Marchand's Maude is acerbically intelligent, blending wealthy arrogance (Can't we SEND somebody?"), human compassion for Sabrina's soon to be shattered feelings, and a deep love, and intimate knowledge, of the psychology of her two sons. Greg Kinnear shines as the loveably lazy David, who works hardest at doing nothing productive. Lauren Holly's Elizabeth is the perfect opposite.
The supporting players are no less capable in their respective roles. John Wood is always elegant as the quintessential chauffeur and loving father. It brought a smile to see Crenna and Dickenson together again as the Tysons, and veteran character actress Dana Ivey is a gem as Mack, Linus' watchdog assistant (But he PAYS me to tell him..."). Some of the movie's best scenes are with the remainder of the ensemble cast in the servant's kitchen.
So, in conclusion, I emphatically urge you to rent, or better still, buy this film. Though the Bogart/Hepburn purists will probably flame me into oblivion, I'm sure you'll find it entertaining, heartwarming, and absolutely leisure time well spent!
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Wynter Miller (Southampton, NY) | 12/17/2005 | 