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'Sabrina'

Rated PG

S

ydney Pollack's updated
version of Billy Wilder's
Sabrina is a mere shadow
of the original: it almost
completely misses the nuances
and characterizations that were
critical to the 1954 film. In fact,
it celebrates the very values
Wilder skewered by shedding a
sympathetic, even enviable light
on the zillionaire Larrabees of
Long Island.

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Sabrina 1995 stars Julia Ormond with
Harrison Ford as Linus Larrabee.

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Wilder used the story of a plain
servant girl turned sophisticated
swan to expose the hypocrisies of

the ruling class and the
artless longings of the
working class. In this new
version, the Larrabee par-
ties and the cell phones
and the limos and the
marbled suites shimmer
with promise.
Director Pollack's cast-
ing instincts, however,
were good, except for his
choice of the female lead
to play Sabrina Fairchild.
Audrey Hepburn's perfor-
mance as the chauf-
feur's daughter in the
1954 original was
heartbreakingly inno-
cent and assured; Julia
Ormond (Legends of
the Fall) has none of
her wistfulness or
screen presence. Her
transformation,
undergone dur-
MOVIES
ing a year in
Paris as a photogra-
pher's assistant, strains
credulity. The only apparent
change in Ormond is her hair-
cut and fashion sensibility.
With Hepburn, we see her
Sabrina deepen during her
Paris sojourn, her longing for
home softened by her growing
affection for the city.
On the other hand, Harri-
son Ford is perfect as Linus
Larrabee (Humphrey Bogart in
the original), the wooden brother
with all the business savvy, as
is Greg Kinnear ("Talk Soup") as
his ne'er-do-well playboy broth-

•

Sabrina 1954 stars Audrey Hepburn.

er, David (William Holden in
the original), who takes sudden
interest in Sabrina when she
sheds her humble servant veneer.
It is notable that the original
film, already over 40 years old, is
infused with a higher degree of
social realism than the contem-
porary version. Pollack seems to
be more enamored with the lav-
ish parties and mechanics of plot
than the gestures that gave the
original its zest and humanity.
Sabrina asks a bit much of the
audience, so don't forget to leave
your senses at the door. 2 out of
4 bagels
—Julie Edgar

'Pericles'

I

n a play set in an ancient land,
a man travels to foreign coun-
tries, loses his virginity, re-
mains in exile and is finally
reunited with his family. The
Narrator fills in the gaps and the
music score buoys the action.
This synopsis could serve both

Joseph and the Amazing- Techni-
He has also gotten clear, un-
color Dreamcoat at the Masonic forced diction and pronunciation
or Shakespeare's Pericles, just from his conglomerate crew of
opened at the Hilberry up the young American actors. The pro-
street. The point is that there are saic poetry of the text is numb-
time-tested conventions in drama. ingly clear. Good.
Director Joseph Calarco has
And in performance, there are
taken on a daunting project. Per- some fortuitous choices. Stepping
icles is minor Shakespeare, in at the last moment, Bret Tuo-
very long on convoluted plot mi is a fine Pericles. If he has not
and narrative and very lit-
yet the skills to convey a
tle on action, passion or
leap in maturity in the
poetry. Much of the ac-
14 or so years from Act
THEATER
tion is described.
I to Act II, still he has a
Calarco has chosen a
princely presence. As Ma-
straightforward, simplifying rina, Peggy Johns has a frailty
package. The only backdrop with a backbone of steel. She
is a wall-filling map of the area keeps the wolves at bay with an
traversed by Pericles, then admirable calmness.
Marina, his
Other major roles are also well-
Pericles (Bret
daughter; a cast: Greg Trzaskoma as the Nar-
Tuomi) wins the spot illumi-
rator has the task of knitting up
hand of his
nates the the raveled sleeves of plot. He does
beloved Thaisa
scenic location this with physical and vocal com-
(Wendy Gough)
at the begin- mand. Both Donis Leonard and
in Hilberry
ning of the Wendy Gough ably round out the
Theatre's
scene. Good. major cast of characters.
production of

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