Guest Author - Judith Hodges

I recently watched the classic Love Affair with Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer. It is the original in the Love Affair/ An Affair To Remember remakes. I watched the 1994 version when I was in high school with my mom and sister in a theater. At the time, I was one of the young people who now make me shutter. I had no idea that the movie I was watching had an original and another remake. So, finally, I am wiser and have seen all of the Love Affair/ An Affair To Remember movies. Here is how they rank side by side.


First off, let me say that this part was made for Cary Grant. I know I go into the judging with my unfair love of Cary, but he has the smooth charm that I don't see in Charles Boyer or Warren Beatty. With the original, I have a hard time following his accent because of the sound problems a movie this age has. Warren Beatty just doesn't have the Cary Grant qualities this movie deserves.


The female leads are all done great. Irene Dunne has the classic funny wit that this kind of movie needs. She has the facial expressions that work well with this story. Deborah Kerr plays Terri McKay with her own subdued grace and charm. Annette Bening has the classic style that the movie needs, and is more of the working class girl than the other two. But as much as I love the other two, I like Irene Dunne the best. She does such a great job, it is hard to live up to.

Each movie is basically the same. There are small differences like the male leads' name changes from Michel to Nickie to Mike. In the original and the second movie they are on a boat, but for the modern version they are on an airplane.

So which is my favorite? Hands down, my favorite version of the movie is An Affair to Remember. The Cary Grant charm and wit wins every time. Even though Deborah Kerr is not my favorite in this role, she does a wonderful job. It brings me to tears every time I watch it.

You should take the time to watch all three if you haven't seen them. It is good to see different actors take on the characters. Watch Love Affair(1994) if for no other reason than to see Katherine Hepburn in her last big screen movie. If there is another version of this movie I missed, please email me or visit the forum.

Get your own copies, An Affair To Remember, Love Affair1939, Love Affair1994, or rent them from Netflix.com.