Charade - 1963

A very cool Hitchcockesque thriller, Charade was one of the last films by Cary Grant as a romantic lead in the early sixties. Celebrating his 59th birthday during filming, he decided it was time to stop playing the romantic lead after reviews focused on the 26-year age difference between him and Audrey Hepburn, who was only 33 when the movie was made.

Cary Grant stars as Peter, who may or may not be a flimflam man who aids the recently widowed Regina (Audrey Hepburn) in her mission to recover a fortune hidden by her late husband. But three sinister crooks (Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy) -- who'll stop at nothing -- also covet the loot. A cast of legendary stars has chemistry to burn in director Stanley Donen's suave comedy with an Oscar-nominated score by Henry Mancini.

Due to the suspense, the stars, and the frequent plot twists, many people believe that this is an Alfred Hitchcock film. He was not involved in the making of the film at all. This confusion has prompted fans of the film to call it "the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made".