LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON, 1957/KANOVA

After Funny Face, Audrey returned to Paris to shoot her second film with Billy Wilder, the romantic comedy Love in the Afternoon. Audrey played Ariane, a naïve cello student who becomes infatuated with the rich playboy being investigated by her private detective father [Maurice Chevalier]. The 55 year old Gary Cooper was chosen to play the male lead opposite a 27 year old Audrey, highlighting a trend to cast the young actress alongside Hollywood's older men. Cooper looked old enough to be her father, which marred the film with allegations of bad taste and cradle snatching. Audrey became very fond of Cooper and defended him vehemently ...he's not trying to fool anyone. He's supposed to be a man of fifty, that's the whole point of the story. A voiceover was added at the end of the picture to reassure sensitive American viewers that the immoral couple would be married. In Europe, however, the film was a big success. Cooper said admiringly of Audrey I've been in pictures over thirty years, but I've never had a more exciting leading lady... She puts more energy and life into her acting than anyone I've ever met.