All Things Audrey

I am a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn.

This week, Rockwell is holding an Audrey Hepburn film festival.  I have never had the pleasure of watching her on the big screen, and I'm hoping Nards and I can find time to go there and catch a film or two. 

The first film I saw of hers was Wait Until Dark.  It was a friday night way back in second grade.  My brother and sister were asleep, and my parents let me sit between them on the sofa and watch the film with them.  I was an instant fan.  I was terrified of Alan Arkin, and at the same time, I fervently wished I was the little girl who played Audrey Hepburn's neighbor. 

The second film I saw was A Roman Holiday and I was already in high school then.  I caught the opening credits while channel surfing.  I crushed on Gregory Peck and became even more enamored with Audrey Hepburn.  I also saw her on one of the Oscar's sporting a very chic dotted evening dress.

Since that time, I was able to collect and watch all her films except for the two early ones in 1951.  I did see Laughter in Paradise where she was a cigarette girl, which was released in the same year.  I LOVE all her films, but my favorites (and it took considerable time for me to decide on this) are Roman Holiday (for the obvious reason), Charade, Sabrina and Wait Until Dark (because it was the first).  I was okay when they remade Sabrina, but I was totally disagreeable when they remade Charade entitled The Truth About Charlie.  Mark Wahlberg was hot, but Thandie Newton did a very very very very poor rendition of Regina Lampert.   I watched the biography that Jennifer Love Hewitt co-produced and starred in as Audrey Hepburn.  She got the accent, but sadly that was all she got. 

When Audrey Hepburn passed away in 1992, I was in tears when I heard about it.  I admired her not only as an actress but as a human being.  She was very good at her job and she was even better as a UN Ambassador, which she did whole-heartedly and sincerely.  She was coquettish, witty, humorous, kind, generous and had a great love for children.  She was one of those few people who grew old gracefully.  (Think Elizabeth Taylor.  Ugh.)    She was literally beautiful inside and out.

My Mom sent me an email way back in college.  It contained Audrey Hepburn's beauty tips:

1. For attractive lips speak words of kindness.
2. For attractive eyes seek out the good in people.
3. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
4. For beautiful hair let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
5. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
6. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed... never throw out anyone.
7. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
8. As you grow older you will discover you have two hands, one for helping yourself, and one for helping others.

I truly hope there are more Audrey Hepburns out there.  The world certainly needs them.