Following my semi-disappointment with Audrey Hepburn’s film debut Roman Holiday, I was delighted to pop in her second film Sabrina into the DVD player just days later. Now this is a great movie. Funny, charming, and very entertaining from beginning to end, the film has a lot to offer. Billy Wilder assembled a terrific cast for this, with Audrey Hepburn feeling a whole lot more natural and comfortable in this than she did in Roman Holiday. She plays the title character, ignored by her rich neighbors and thought of as a dismissable little “girl” by the men. When she returns from Europe a few years later, however, she clearly has gained new confidence and radiant beauty, as playboy pretty boy David (Sunset Blvd’s William Holden) instantly begins to fall for her. His more solemn and serious older brother (Humphrey Bogart) has practically given up on love, but he too finds a lot to admire in Sabrina, and the two brothers begin to realize they’re both in love with the same woman. I hate to keep comparing this movie to Roman Holiday, but I just found Sabrina to be superior in essentially all departments. There’s more laughs, more romance, more chemistry between the leads. There’s a lot happening! And even though Bogart is much too old for Hepburn, the age difference didn’t bother me the way it did in Roman Holiday. Maybe because it’s Humphrey frickin Bogart. The guy’s got style. Following Bogart’s attempt to feign interest in Sabrina all the way until the end, when his brother makes him comes to his senses, is a great joy to watch. William Holden, who I’ve only seen in his two masterpieces Sunset Boulevard and Network, is a welcome addition to this film, playing a guy that’s a little bit easy to root against. And then there’s Audrey Hepburn, who fits this part like a glove. She’s wonderful in both Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Wait Until Dark (a rare suspense film from the actress), and this is definitely another terrific, classic performance. I was unmoved by her (Oscar-winning?) performance in Roman Holiday, but here, she’s terrific fun to watch. Thanks Billy Wilder for yet another gem!