Once upon a time, on the north shore of Long Island, there lived a family by the name of Larrabee.  The Larrabees have two sons.  Linus (Humphrey Bogart), the eldest, is dependable and steady as a rock.  The younger son, David (William Holden), takes pleasure in his family’s wealth by playing the part of a playboy.  The Larrabees also have a chauffeur, and that chauffeur has a daughter.  Her name is SABRINA (Audrey Hepburn).

Sabrina has grown up in the Larrabee household, largely beneath the notice of the Larrabees and their two sons.  Although one son, David, has never escaped Sabrina’s notice.  When Sabrina returns from a stint at a cooking school in Paris, having blossomed into an enchanting woman of the world, she discovers she can at last spark the interest of the Larrabee sons.

Of course, it’s not all moonlight and champagne.  David finds himself under Sabrina’s spell only after Linus has arranged a business merger that includes David’s marriage to the daughter of the prospective partner.  Bent on derailing an affair between David and Sabrina before it can ruin the marriage – and the merger – Linus puts himself between his brother and the girl, and soon finds himself a victim of her charms himself.

Hepburn is her usual svelte and elegant self.  Holden is charismatic, and Bogart is blithe and witty.  The romantic pairing of Hepburn and Bogart is iffy, considering his craggy face makes their 30-year age difference painstakingly obvious.  (Reportedly, Bogart was a last minute substitute for Cary Grant, who would still have been twice Hepburn’s age, but probably would have pulled it off better.  And did pull off a similar age difference the following year with Grace Kelly in TO CATCH A THIEF.)

After 58 years, the film still stands up, but for my entertainment dollar I much prefer the 1995 version starring Harrison Ford as Linus, Julia Ormond as Sabrina, and Greg Kinnear as David.

Picture and sound are average, clean and clear.

* Audrey Hepburn: Fashion Icon. Interviews with today’s fashion designers and fashion experts looking back at Audrey Hepburn’s effect on the fashion world and in the movies. Plus fashion shows with designers inspired by Hepburn. (18:00)
* Sabrina’s World. Exploring the gold coast of Long Island, the gated communities there, and the wealthy families who lived and vacationed there. (12:00)
* Supporting SABRINA. Featurette on the stock company of character actors appearing in supporting roles in the film. (17:00)
* William Holden: The Paramount Years. From a contract player to the Golden Circle to one of the studio’s biggest movie stars. (30:00)
* Audrey Hepburn: In Her Own Words. Not too many of Hepburn’s own words in this rise to fame featurette. (12:00)
* Behind the Gates: Camera. Exploring the studio’s camera department. (5:00)
* Paramount in the 50’s. A look at the studio’s most memorable productions from that decade, including WHITE CHRISTMAS in 1954. (10:00)
* Galleries. Includes production, the movie, publicity, and the premiere.