Today’s quick review: Funny Face. Dick Avery (Fred Astaire), a fashion photographer for Quality Magazine, stumbles across an unlikely model in Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn), a young intellectual who works in a bookstore. He convinces Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), the head of the magazine, to take a chance on Jo. But Jo herself has no interest in becoming a model, and only agrees to the job for a trip to Paris, the home of her intellectual idol.
Funny Face is a romantic musical about fashion, philosophy, and Paris. Funny Face pairs Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn as a photographer and his newest model: a young woman torn between her beloved philosophy and the growing allure of the fashion industry. The movie offers a touch of comedy, a dash of romance, and a nice selection of musical numbers. The result is a pleasant but not especially memorable musical in the classical mold.
Funny Face’s musical numbers are a mixed bag. The tunes are spirited but not catchy. The lyrics are clumsy in places and often tangential to the plot. The dancing isn’t stunning, but it does give the film some variety. Hepburn, Astaire, and Thompson do make for a promising trio, and the film puts thought into how to pair them off. But their styles differ in subtle ways, so that one performer always seems to be at a disadvantage.
The romance has similar flaws. Hepburn and Astaire are wonderful individually and mediocre together, with only a fraction of the chemistry the film wants them to have. Dick begins the film in an interesting position as the one sane voice in the fashion industry, but his character scarcely develops. Jo has more of an arc, but her character lacks the warmth that Hepburn usually brings to the table.
Funny Face is a movie with solid fundamentals but no real way to capitalize on them. The romance, the music, and the humor are all there, and they’re enough to make the movie an enjoyable watch for musical fans. But Funny Face lacks the sparkle of a true classic, and those looking for the cream of the crop can do better. For an Audrey Hepburn romance with no music and a more involved plot, check out Charade.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for charming basics without the skill to do more.