Indiscreet

Directed by Stanley Donen, this 1958 American romance with a continental attitude was adapted by Norman Krasna from his Broadway play Kind Sir and cagily re-titled to cash in on the cast, which reunites Notorious stars Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. The latter plays Anna Kalman, a famous London-based stage actress introduced to charming NATO economic expert Philip Adams (Grant) by her sister Margaret (Phyllis Calvert) and brother-in-law Alfred (Cecil Parker), who are eager to break the melancholy Anna out of her funk. The attraction is immediate, but Philip is married, which does not stop them from engaging in a passionate liaison when he's posted to Paris. Donen directs with a deft touch, conjuring up a delicately discreet drama during the first two acts before a comic twist sends the film into broad comedy. Ultimately, however, the plot is fairly thin, and while sustained by the charm, grace, and chemistry of Grant and Bergman, Indiscreet never really breaks free of its stage origins (playing out largely in Anna's lavish apartment). Still, this is quite entertaining and sure to please fans of Grant and Bergman, although hardly the best from the director or the stars (Donen and Grant would team up again a few years later for the effervescent Charade). Recommended. (S. Axmaker)