Charade

Charade is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Beamafilm, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 1,560 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Cary Grant is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Charade is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The jokes in Charade land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. After Regina Lampert falls for the dashing Peter Joshua on a skiing holiday in the French Alps, she discovers upon her return to Paris that her husband has been murdered. Soon, she and Peter are giving chase to three of her late husband's World War II cronies, Tex, Scobie and Gideon, who are after a quarter of a million dollars the quartet stole while behind enemy lines. Between them, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 1963. Charade earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Charade. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Cary Grant is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.