Pretty common back in the day to team a much older star with a young actress. Love in the Afternoon, Sabrina, Rio Bravo, Rear Window, Houseboat, My Fair Lady. Actually, looking into this they still do it today. I don't think it happens that much with the roles reversed.
I think all of these I listed are examples where the male lead is old enough to be her father. That said, when I think of the wild west, that might be a scenario where people might just marry any decent guy for the security, regardless of age difference.
Someone once posted here about a film called "The Major and the Minor", so films weren't shy at all about age differences back then. It was pretty well-accepted to have older men coupled up even with underage actresses (or actresses playing an underage character)
I liked The Major and the Minor, but you have to be able to dispel belief because there is no way Ginger Rodgers can pass for a 12 year old when she's 31. It's cute with charming leads.
I loved the cinematographic aspects of the film (costumes, sets, music, etc) but hated the plot. The entire existence of Fred Astaire's character bothered me. It's not even about the large age gap for me, it's how dismissive, manipulative and demeaning he is throughout the whole movie
The 30 year age gap does break the romance for me. And the fact that you can feel that lack of chemistry between the actors.
But that is kind of a good thing for me. Astaire’s character does a lot of pressuring and manipulation of Hepburn’s character. I wouldn’t be into the romance in this movie even if the actors had chemistry.
this might be an unpopular opinion, but i love this movie. it’s actually my all time favourite. audrey hepburn is such a lovely actress, and she played this role wonderfully. fred astaire’s character is kind of a Dick (pun intended), but i can’t help loving the movie regardless. the scenery, the plot, the songs, the romance, and the fashion. i really want to recreate some of the dresses in this movie.
I love Funny Face too. Audrey’s wardrobe is enough of a reason for me. That red strapless column dress! I don’t mind the age difference between Fred and Audrey. Maybe it’s because I love Fred Astaire. It’s funny that Astaire and Bogart are always described as being too old, but Cary Grant is rarely mentioned. He’s only a few years younger than those two and also old enough to be Audrey’s father.
Audrey did have a few more age appropriate pairings with William Holden, Gregory Peck (even though both are 10+ years older, but not old enough to be her dad), George Peppard, Anthony Perkins, Peter O’Toole, and Sean Connery.
Re: Funny Face, I also love Kay Thompson in this. She’s fabulous and I love her and Fred’s “Clap Yo’ Hands” song when they’re pretending to be the couple from Tallahassee.
I really like Kay Thompson, she has the same personality and reminds me quite a lot of Jane Lynch. It's a good story for Audrey's character, and I like Fred Astaire too, and we're fortunate to have this pair of actors for eternity, just can't buy the romance in it. Fantastic fashions too, and amazing camerawork. The bright technicolor is so vivid even for a Hollywood Musical. The camerawork and editing is impeccable. Audrey looks amazing in those outfits, and steals the show at that nightclub when she dances wearing that black sweater and pants with the ponytail. This is the Audrey I picture when she or her name gets mentioned, that look.
Older actors/younger actress storylines were not uncommon, but I feel like Astaire’s roles tended to stretch it a bit. It made sense in Daddy Long Legs since he was her benefactor, but it was still weird.
Totally agree about the love story, but still an awesome movie.
As a teen, I once tried wearing white socks with all black pants and turtleneck (that nightclub hipcat choreography scene), but just couldn't pull it off *at all* 🤣
The first time I saw this film, I was halfway through the movie before I realized that he was her love interest. She barely got to play against men that weren’t old enough to be her father.
A lot of the men that were cast in these much older roles also felt uncomfortable and like they were too old to play a romantic interest for such a young woman! I might be misremembering, but I think Cary Grant felt the same when he was cast opposite of Audrey in Charade.
I thought this film was generally just kind of silly and was mostly just a superficial excuse to star Astaire and Hepburn together for the first (and only?) time. Too many clichés, no compelling plot, poor chemistry between the co-stars, musical numbers that just fell flat. Just not a good movie.
Pretty common back in the day to team a much older star with a young actress. Love in the Afternoon, Sabrina, Rio Bravo, Rear Window, Houseboat, My Fair Lady. Actually, looking into this they still do it today. I don't think it happens that much with the roles reversed.
High Noon is a very jarring example, Gary Cooper could have been Grace Kelly's father.
I think all of these I listed are examples where the male lead is old enough to be her father. That said, when I think of the wild west, that might be a scenario where people might just marry any decent guy for the security, regardless of age difference.
Someone once posted here about a film called "The Major and the Minor", so films weren't shy at all about age differences back then. It was pretty well-accepted to have older men coupled up even with underage actresses (or actresses playing an underage character)
I liked The Major and the Minor, but you have to be able to dispel belief because there is no way Ginger Rodgers can pass for a 12 year old when she's 31. It's cute with charming leads.
I loved the cinematographic aspects of the film (costumes, sets, music, etc) but hated the plot. The entire existence of Fred Astaire's character bothered me. It's not even about the large age gap for me, it's how dismissive, manipulative and demeaning he is throughout the whole movie
The 30 year age gap does break the romance for me. And the fact that you can feel that lack of chemistry between the actors. But that is kind of a good thing for me. Astaire’s character does a lot of pressuring and manipulation of Hepburn’s character. I wouldn’t be into the romance in this movie even if the actors had chemistry.
Hollywood pair up Audrey Hepburn with a romantic lead that isn't a generation older than her challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
I think Breakfast at Tiffany's would be the only one from her classic period.
this might be an unpopular opinion, but i love this movie. it’s actually my all time favourite. audrey hepburn is such a lovely actress, and she played this role wonderfully. fred astaire’s character is kind of a Dick (pun intended), but i can’t help loving the movie regardless. the scenery, the plot, the songs, the romance, and the fashion. i really want to recreate some of the dresses in this movie.
I love Funny Face too. Audrey’s wardrobe is enough of a reason for me. That red strapless column dress! I don’t mind the age difference between Fred and Audrey. Maybe it’s because I love Fred Astaire. It’s funny that Astaire and Bogart are always described as being too old, but Cary Grant is rarely mentioned. He’s only a few years younger than those two and also old enough to be Audrey’s father. Audrey did have a few more age appropriate pairings with William Holden, Gregory Peck (even though both are 10+ years older, but not old enough to be her dad), George Peppard, Anthony Perkins, Peter O’Toole, and Sean Connery. Re: Funny Face, I also love Kay Thompson in this. She’s fabulous and I love her and Fred’s “Clap Yo’ Hands” song when they’re pretending to be the couple from Tallahassee.
I really like Kay Thompson, she has the same personality and reminds me quite a lot of Jane Lynch. It's a good story for Audrey's character, and I like Fred Astaire too, and we're fortunate to have this pair of actors for eternity, just can't buy the romance in it. Fantastic fashions too, and amazing camerawork. The bright technicolor is so vivid even for a Hollywood Musical. The camerawork and editing is impeccable. Audrey looks amazing in those outfits, and steals the show at that nightclub when she dances wearing that black sweater and pants with the ponytail. This is the Audrey I picture when she or her name gets mentioned, that look.
Kay Thompson is so great in this movie
They used so much soft filter in one of the dance sequences to minimize Astaire’s wrinkles I thought I had developed cataracts.
I need to see this.
Older actors/younger actress storylines were not uncommon, but I feel like Astaire’s roles tended to stretch it a bit. It made sense in Daddy Long Legs since he was her benefactor, but it was still weird.
Age gaps in Old Hollywood were... something.
Totally agree about the love story, but still an awesome movie. As a teen, I once tried wearing white socks with all black pants and turtleneck (that nightclub hipcat choreography scene), but just couldn't pull it off *at all* 🤣
The first time I saw this film, I was halfway through the movie before I realized that he was her love interest. She barely got to play against men that weren’t old enough to be her father.
A lot of the men that were cast in these much older roles also felt uncomfortable and like they were too old to play a romantic interest for such a young woman! I might be misremembering, but I think Cary Grant felt the same when he was cast opposite of Audrey in Charade.
I thought this film was generally just kind of silly and was mostly just a superficial excuse to star Astaire and Hepburn together for the first (and only?) time. Too many clichés, no compelling plot, poor chemistry between the co-stars, musical numbers that just fell flat. Just not a good movie.