Roman Holiday

“Roman Holiday” truly has got to be one of the great romantic movies made, that and “An Affair to Remember” and the A&E version of “Pride and Prejudice” (with Colin Firth). Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn work so very well together, there just seems to be such chemistry between these two. Most people think that the perfect fairy tale is when the average girl meets the prince and they fall madly in love. I love how this movie has a twist on the story. That twist is that the beautiful and elegant princess meets an average news man (although Gregory Peck’s looks, style and personality are far from average) and they fall madly in love.

Gregory Peck plays Joe Bradley, an American reporter who is stationed in Rome, Italy. Audrey Hepburn, in her first Hollywood movie, plays Princess Ann who is in Rome on a European Royal Tour. I thought it was clever that nowhere in the movie is her country stated, leaving room for the viewer to imagine her from any country they would like that has a royal monarchy. This is a story about a young princess who is so overwhelmed with fulfilling all of her royal commitments. For one day she just wanted to experience life as just a regular person. That experience leads her to experience the beauty and enchantment of Rome in a way she couldn’t have imagined. And thanks to a tall handsome stranger and his friend Irving (played by Eddie Albert), she doesn’t have to experience Rome alone. At the same time she is unaware that her two new friends know exactly who she is and secretly they are working on getting “the story” of her big adventure.

The simplicity of Princess Ann in this movie is so moving as she experiences getting her hair cut short, eating ice-cream, and being given one carnation from a local vender. There are so many good scenes in this movie, and Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert, and Audrey Hepburn perform them oh so well. They must have had so much fun filming this movie. The scooter ride throughout the streets (and sidewalks) of Rome were quite entertaining as was the scenes at the dance. I love how they involved the local people, sometimes giving them such funny lines.

There were also some very touching scenes. One couldn’t help but be moved when Joe Bradley and Princess Ann were saying their goodbyes in the taxi. Princess Ann: “I have to leave you now. I'm going to that corner there and turn. You must stay in the car and drive away. Promise not to watch me go beyond the corner. Just drive away and leave me as I leave you”.  Joe Bradley: “All right”. Princess Ann: “I don't know how to say goodbye. I can't think of any words.” Joe Bradley: “Don't try.” And also Princess Ann says: “At midnight, I'll turn into a pumpkin and drive away in my glass slipper.” And Joe Bradley responds: “And that will be the end of the fairy tale.”

But for me the most touching scene had to be at the very end of the movie after Princess Ann had talked with the reporters. Without any words used, Princess Ann and Joe Bradley look deeply into one another’s eyes, and as she turns and walks away he continues to stay standing in the same place and his eyes continue to be fixed on where he last looked into her eyes. The other reporters and photographers leave and he is there alone. He turns and walks away, and all that is heard is the soft background music and the sound of his lonely footsteps.

I’m sure in time there will be a remake of this movie, but I can’t begin to imagine that it would compare with the beauty that this movie has. And I don’t think that the acting could ever compare with that of the legendaries Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.

“Roman Holiday” and other movies filmed in Italy makes me long to go there once again.  The scenery and feel of those movies are so unique.  Just recently I watched the movie “Letters to Juliet” and was pleasantly surprised with it. So now if you’re ready for a Roman Holiday and can’t quite afford to go there in person, might I suggest watching these two wonderful movies. That’s what I plan to do.