My Top Ten Audrey Hepburn Movies of All Time

I love Audrey Hepburn. Obsessed. Read all the books about her that I could get my hands on, viewed all the movies I could watch, and used to mimic her expressions in the mirror as a young girl. I remember choosing to do a research paper on her life in high school and one summer driving 

all over Atlanta searching video stores high and low for any film she appeared in. 

Back in the day, I saw a lot of her films that many people have never even heard of. There are still many that I want to see and have yet to watch but of the films I have viewed I thought it would be fun to rate them and share why I love them so much, beginning from my tenth favorite to my absolute #1 pick to pull out and re-watch again and again. 

10. Love in the Afternoon 

A middle-aged playboy becomes fascinated by the daughter of a private detective who has been hired to entrap him with the wife of a client. 

Cary Grant was originally offered Gary Cooper's part but turned it down because of the age difference between himself and Audrey.  He would, however, later go on to film Charade with her. 

On the same note, the film's box office failure was largely due to the fact that Cooper 

was considered too old to play Audrey's lover. 

Although the story line of this film isn't my favorite, I did enjoy seeing Gary Cooper in it and the music and general feel of the movie is marvelous. 

9. My Fair Lady

A misogynistic and snobbish phonetics professor agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society. 

I heard that when Audrey Hepburn entered the set for the first time in Eliza's gown for the ball, she was so beautiful that the cast and crew stood silently gaping at her before breaking out with applause and cheers. Later, when Audrey was first informed that her voice wasn't strong enough and that she would have to be dubbed, she walked out. She returned the next day and - in a typically graceful Hepburn gesture - apologized to everyone for her "wicked behavior". 

I think one of the main reasons this popular film ranks so low on my list is because I'm not a fan of Rex Harrison. Of course, Audrey is wonderful as always and plays a perfect Eliza Doolittle. 

8. How to Steal a Million 

Romantic comedy about a woman who must steal a statue from a Paris museum to help conceal her father's art forgeries, and the man who helps her. 

As usual, Givenchy was the designer of Hepburn's dresses and the entire film was shot in France. This is such a fun little thriller! 

7. Wait Until Dark 

A recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment. 

Fun fact: during World War II, 16-year-old Audrey was a volunteer nurse in a Dutch hospital. During the battle of Arnhem, Hepburn's hospital received many wounded Allied soldiers. One of the injured soldiers Audrey helped nurse back to health was a young British paratrooper - and future director - named Terrence Young.  Young, more than 20 years later, would direct Hepburn in Wait Until Dark. 

This is one of my favorite "horror" movies of all time! There is one very epic jump scene that still gets me EVERY. TIME.  After watching this together several years ago, my mom, sister, and myself all piled into her queen-sized bed to sleep since my dad was out of town. We were so terrified! :) 

6. War and Peace 

Napoleon's tumultuous relations with Russia including his disastrous 1812 invasion serve as the backdrop for the tangled personal lives of two aristocratic families. 

One of my favorite things about this movie is that Audrey's real-life husband at the time,  Mel Ferrer, plays a romantic interest opposite his wife. 

5. Sabrina 

A playboy becomes interested in the daughter of his family's chauffeur, but it's his more serious brother who would be the better man for her. 

I remember studying about this film when writing my research paper and some of the things that stood out to me was the fact that Humphrey Bogart didn't care for Audrey at all stating that she was an "untalented actress." William Holden fell in love with Audrey during filming but later Hepburn broke off the relationship on learning that Holden could not have children. 

Sabrina won the 1955 Academy Award for best costume design. 

I do not care for Humphrey Bogart's part in this movie whatsoever, however, Audrey's Givenchy gowns and all of the elaborate sets give me warm and fuzzy feelings. 

4. Breakfast at Tiffany's 

A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has 

moved into her apartment building.

Fun fact: The famous black dress worn by Audrey in the opening scene of this movie was sold for $807,000 on December 4, 2006, at Christie's Auction House in London making it the second most expensive piece of memorabilia ever sold. The first is the Best Picture
Oscar for Gone With the Wind. 

Moon River is still one of my favorite tunes ever. And the bit where Holly and Paul spend an afternoon together doing only things that they have never done before is just too wonderful. 

3. Charade 

Romance and suspense ensue in Paris as a woman is pursued by several men who want a 

fortune her murdered husband had stolen. 

People often mistake this movie for a Hitchcock film and understandably so.
It is simply put: Outstanding! After finishing the film, Cary Grant was quoted as saying,
"All I want for Christmas is to make another movie with Audrey Hepburn."
This is why I love them both so much. 

While in Paris this past summer, I researched the location of the postage stamp market, Carre Marigny, that we see near the end of the film. Sadly, due to the weather the merchants had closed up shop early but it was still so neat to see where that part of the movie was filmed!

2. Funny Face 

An impromptu fashion shoot at a book store brings about a new fashion model 

discovery in the shop clerk. 

Paris. Dancing. Fashion. Books. What's not to love??? I could watch Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn's dance sequences all day long. This film is pure magic.

1. Roman Holiday 

A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an 

American newsman in Rome. 

This film was Audrey's first major role. After filming, Gregory Peck informed the producers that as Audrey Hepburn was certainly going to win an Oscar they had better put her name above the title. 

They did and he was right. Audrey took home the Academy Award for best actress that year. 

Gregory Peck plays my favorite male lead of all of Audrey's movies. Their chemistry is undeniable. I also find it very interesting that Peck was the one who would later introduce
Audrey to her future husband, Mel Ferrer.

Do you have a favorite Audrey Hepburn film? I would absolutely love to discuss! 

xo, 

Hannah 

Film descriptions and some trivia were taken from IMDB. All photography is by Hannah Briggs Photography.