“Love in the Afternoon” (昼下りの情事), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1989, B1 Size (72.8 x 103cm)

This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical re-release poster printed in 1989 for Love in the Afternoon (昼下りの情事), Billy Wilder’s 1957 romantic comedy. Directed and produced by Billy Wilder, the film stars Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper, and Maurice Chevalier, with John McGiver, Van Doude, and Lise Bourdin. This large-format Japanese re-release poster was distributed by Nippon Herald / 日本ヘラルド映画.

Film background
Released in 1957, Love in the Afternoon is one of Billy Wilder’s most elegant romantic comedies. Set in Paris, the film follows Ariane Chavasse, the daughter of a private detective, who becomes fascinated by the affairs in her father’s case files and encounters wealthy American playboy Frank Flannagan. The film is notable for its Parisian setting, sophisticated tone, and its use of the waltz “Fascination”, which became closely associated with the film’s romantic atmosphere.

Poster design
A beautifully restrained Japanese re-release design, dominated by a large sepia-toned portrait of Audrey Hepburn in the upper section. The right side incorporates English lyric text from “Fascination”, while the upper Japanese campaign copy reads: 「ワルツの調べに心がゆれて パリとオードリーと恋と…甘い昼下り。」 — evoking Paris, Audrey, romance, and the sweetness of an afternoon.

The lower section features the sweeping pink English title Love in the Afternoon, the blue Japanese title 昼下りの情事, and a small black-and-white still of Hepburn and Cooper in a boat. The design has a refined, nostalgic quality typical of Japan’s late-1980s classic Hollywood revival campaigns, presenting the film through romance, music, and Hepburn’s enduring appeal.

Rarity and significance
This is the scarce Japanese B1 format, measuring approximately 72.8 × 103 cm, substantially larger than the standard Japanese B2 poster. B1 posters were produced and preserved in smaller numbers, and their larger size makes surviving examples more difficult to find in strong, displayable condition. For collectors of Audrey Hepburn, Billy Wilder, classic Hollywood, and Japanese re-release cinema posters, this is a particularly elegant and desirable piece.

Condition
Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 37 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.