The Truth About Charlie

The Truth About Charlie

Original film poster
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Produced by Jonathan Demme
Peter Saraf
Edward Saxon
Ilona Herzberg
Neda Armian
Mishka Cheyko
Screenplay by Jonathan Demme
Steve Schmidt
Peter Stone
(credited as Peter Joshua)
Jessica Bendinger
Based on Charade
by Peter Stone
Starring Mark Wahlberg
Thandie Newton
Tim Robbins
Joong-Hoon Park
Ted Levine
Lisa Gay Hamilton
Christine Boisson
Stephen Dillane
Charles Aznavour
Anna Karina
Magali Noël
Music by Rachel Portman
Deva Anderson
Cinematography Tak Fujimoto
Edited by Carol Littleton
Production
company
Mediastrem Film
Clinica Estetico Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
25 October 2002 (2002-10-25)
Running time
104 minutes
Country United States
France
Language English
French
Budget $60 million
Box office $7.1 million

The Truth About Charlie is a 2002 remake of the 1963 classic film Charade. It is also an homage to François Truffaut's 1960 film Shoot the Piano Player complete with that film's star, Charles Aznavour, making two surreal appearances singing his song "Quand tu m'aimes" (first in French, later in English).

The film was produced, directed and co-written by Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme, and stars Mark Wahlberg and Thandie Newton in the roles once played by Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

This version closely mirrors the plotline of the original film. It is once again set in Paris and features several famous French actors. Director Agnès Varda made a cameo appearance. Actress/Chanteuse Anna Karina sings a Serge Gainsbourg song in one scene. Peter Stone, screenwriter of Charade, receives a story credit as "Peter Joshua," which was one of the identities Grant's character used in the first film. Stone disliked the remake and refused to be credited under his real name. The name of Wahlberg's character in the remake is "Joshua Peters." The film received a poor reception from critics and was a flop at the box office, bringing only $7 million worldwide. The original Charade accidentally slipped into the public domain. Universal had never bothered to release it officially on DVD, until it was included as a bonus feature on the B-side of the Charlie DVD. They previously licensed it to The Criterion Collection, while numerous unofficial DVDs had been released worldwide.

Plot

British newlywed Regina Lambert lives in Paris with her husband, Charlie. She returns home following a short vacation, determined to divorce Charlie, only to discover their apartment has been stripped bare and that her husband has been murdered. Regina is soon reunited with a mysterious stranger she met on her holiday. He helps her piece together the truth about the deceased Charlie and deal with three menacing people who are now following her.

Cast (in order of appearance)

Production notes

"Very special thanks" were given to Stanley Donen, Anna Karina, Paul Thomas Anderson, Luc Besson, Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, Joanne Howard, David Byrne, Jay Tobler, Gary Goetzman, Madeleine Morgenstern, Ellen Kuras, Claudine Bouché, Angie Utt, Annie-B. Parson, Nancy Savoca, Chris Brigham, Erika Green, Leslee Dart, Monsieur Abut/Hotel Langlois.

Reception

The Truth About Charlie received negative reviews from critics, holding a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 127 reviews.

Music

(* contains soundtrack CD)

  • "Charade d’amour"
    Written by Rachel Portman & Anna Karina
    Performed by Anna Karina & Los Scorpions
  • "Hey Natty (Day Monsters)" (*)
    Written by Marty Kornblum, Tom Desisto
    Performed by Backward Dog
  • "It’s More Expensive for This"
    Written by Snooze, Moritz Von Oswald, Mark Ernestus
    Performed by Snooze
  • "Zitherbell"
    Written by Natacha Atlas, Andrew Cronshaw
    Performed by Natacha Atlas
  • "La butte rouge"
    Written by Montéhus, G. Krier
    Performed by Pierre Carré
  • "Bigga Man" (*)
    Written by Ted Demme
    Performed by Ted Demme
  • "Fink vs. DJ Alicat"
    Written by Finian Greenall
    Performed by Fink
  • "The Spirit of Uluru"
    Courtesy of LaserLight Digital
  • "Cyberabad"
    Written by Aniruddha Das, John Pandit, Steven Savale, Sanjay Tailor
    Performed by Asisan Dub Foundation
  • "Fortress Europe" (*)
    Written by Aniruddha Das, John Pandit, Steven Savale, Sanjay Tailor
    Performed by Asisan Dub Foundation
  • "Stealth and Rhythm"
    Written by Brian Transeau
    Performed by BT
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