WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Missouri State University-West Plains’ annual film series will continue at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, with the showing of “Charade” at the West Plains Civic Center theater.

This year’s series is celebrating Missouri State-West Plains’ 50th anniversary by featuring films from 1963, the year the campus was established, organizers said.  Admission is free.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Stanley Donen, “Charade” stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant in an entertaining tale of romance and international intrigue.  Hepburn portrays Regina Lampert, a socialite who returns from holiday in the French Alps to discover all of her possessions gone and her husband murdered.  As the tale unfolds, she learns he is one of five men wanted by the CIA for stealing $250,000 in gold from the government during World War II.  When her husband’s partners in crime come calling for the money, Peter Joshua (Grant), a man she met on holiday, offers to help her find it.  Regina, however, doesn’t know if she can trust Peter because he keeps changing his name.  Thus begins an elaborate charade in which nothing is as it seems.

This movie is often described as “the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made” because of its many plot twists.  It’s also the only movie to pair Hepburn and Grant on screen.  Other notable stars include Walter Matthau as the CIA agent and James Coburn and George Kennedy as two of the thieves.

Vickie Driskell, public relations specialist at the university, will facilitate discussion following the movie’s showing.

This is the 14th year for the film series, hosted by the University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department.  Movies will be shown at 6 p.m. every Thursday night in February.

For more information about the annual film series, call the U/CP Department office at 417-255-7966.