Audrey Hepburn burst onto the movie scene with this film, her first role. She plays an English Princess traveling in Rome who is bored with her official duties and the tight schedule she's on. One night after getting a tranquilizer to calm her from the stress of it all, she sneaks away into the streets of Rome. She's found by a newspaperman played by Gregory Peck, who takes her to his place to sleep it off. When he finds out who she really is, he realizes he's on top of a gold mine of a story, and enlists his photographer friend (Eddie Albert) to get candid shots of the two while they sightsee.
Hepburn and Peck are such an attractive couple, and director William Wyler gets lots of beautiful shots of Rome, including the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and of course the classic scene they have at the Bocca della Verità. It all makes for a very romantic film. Hepburn played her part perfectly, expressing frustration and joy with such economy, as well as the restraint that comes from being a royal. Among several others, the scene with her getting her hair cut short is captivating, and it's no wonder that she won an Oscar for her performance. Peck's performance is also excellent, and Eddie Albert pulls off the part of a young rogue quite well despite being 47 at the time. I won't spoil the ending, except to say it's touching and poignant, and so perfectly shot in the Palazzo Colonna. At the end of the day this is 'just a romantic comedy', with its share of silliness, but it's so mature and magical, and with these stars in this setting, it stands head and shoulders above so many others.
Roman Holiday
1953
Action / Comedy / Romance
Roman Holiday
1953
Action / Comedy / Romance
Plot summary
Joe Bradley is a reporter for the American News Service in Rome, a job he doesn't much like as he would rather work for what he considers a real news agency back in the States. He is on the verge of getting fired when he, sleeping in and getting caught in a lie by his boss Hennessy, misses an interview with HRH Princess Ann, who is on a goodwill tour of Europe, Rome only her latest stop. However, he thinks he may have stumbled upon a huge scoop. Princess Ann has officially called off all her Rome engagements due to illness. In reality, he recognizes the photograph of her as being the young well but simply dressed drunk woman he rescued off the street last night (as he didn't want to turn her into the police for being a vagrant),and who is still in his small studio apartment sleeping off her hangover. What Joe doesn't know is that she is really sleeping off the effects of a sedative given to her by her doctor to calm her down after an anxiety attack, that anxiety because she hates her regimented life where she has no freedom and must always do and say the politically correct things, not what is truly on her mind or in her heart. In wanting just a little freedom, she seized upon a chance opportunity to escape from the royal palace where she was staying, albeit with no money in her pockets. Joe believes he can get an exclusive interview with her without she even knowing that he's a reporter or that he's interviewing her. As Joe accompanies "Anya Smith" - her name as she tells him in trying to hide her true identity - around Rome on her incognito day of freedom somewhat unaware that the secret service is searching for her, along for the ride is Joe's photographer friend, Irving Radovich, who Joe has tasked with clandestinely taking photographs of her, those photos to accompany the story. As the day progresses, Joe and Ann slowly start to fall for each other. Their feelings for each other affect what both decide to do, Ann with regard to her royal duties, Joe with regard to the story, and both with regard to if there is a future for them together.
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Magical romantic comedy
Very good but highly overrated
Both Audrey Hepburn and especially Gregory Peck have done so many films that are better than this above average romance that I am shocked at the reputation of this film. A good film--absolutely. But IMDb TOP 250?! No way! For Peck, he must have done a dozen films are are superior (such as THE BIG COUNTRY, THE GUNFIGHTER, GUNS OF NAVARONE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 12 O'CLOCK HIGH, and several others). And for Hepburn, THE NUN'S STORY, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON and even the flawed MY FAIR LADY are better films.
The movie is a cute fantasy about a princess (Ms. Hepburn) who longs to live among the normal folk and experience life (not a new or unique theme--this has been seen in THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER and THERE GOES MY HEART, among others). She meets nice-guy reporter Peck and has a bunch of sweet experienced seeing the city---all the while he has no idea she is a princess. That's really about all there is to the movie.
Absolutely sublime!
I don't know where to begin praising Roman Holiday. How about saying it is one of my favourite Audrey Hepburn movies? Also it is one of Audrey's(who I've been a fan of since Charade) best roles too.
STORY Roman Holiday has a very charming story. A charming and romantic love story between the beautiful Princess Anne and a reporter during an unofficial visit to the Eternal City. It is well paced and never loses momentum, and also has endearing action.
SETTING One of my favourite assets of Roman Holiday. The settings are absolutely exquisite, with Rome the epitome of postwar chic(same with Hepburn and the motor scooters). Equally the cinematography and costumes are just as lavish.
MUSIC A beautiful, gentle score. No wonder, as it is in courtesy of Georges Auric, the composer who penned the beautiful score for the stunning La Belle et La Bete.
DIRECTION I only have one word for William Wyler's direction, immaculate.
SCRIPT Roman Holiday has a perfect balance of humour and grace with dialogue that sparkles like bubbles on top of a champagne glass, while thanks to screenwriter Dalton Trumbo deals with issues of personal freedom close to the heart.
ACTING Nothing to complain about here! Audrey Hepburn epitomises beauty, style and grace as Princess Anne, her final moments are so moving, while Gregory Peck is also marvellous as the dashing reporter Anne falls in love with. The supporting performances also go without fault.
Overall, sublime and a film to really treasure. 10/10 Bethany Cox