Roman Holiday is a romantic comedy that is truly one of a kind. It has been ranked fourth place by the American Film Institute for the greatest love story of all time.
Directed by William Wyler, it was released on September 2, 1953. It debuted Audrey Hepburn’s career. Her co-star is Gregory Peck, and the two play the main characters, Princess Ann and Joe Bradley. IMDB rated the film an 8 out of 10. Rotten Tomatoes rated it 97%, and Metratric rated it 78%.
Overview
A European princess named Ann visits the city of Rome, where she has a heavy schedule. After a long day of events, Ann decides to throw a fit. This causes her royal doctor to come in and give her a sedative. When everyone leaves the room, Ann sneaks out onto the streets of Rome and begins to wander around. Eventually, the sedative kicks in and she falls asleep on a park bench. This is when Joe Bradley, an American news reporter, finds her and takes her back to his apartment for safety.
When Bradley goes to work the next morning, he finds out that Ann’s royal supervisor has put out a press statement saying Ann has “fallen ill”, and therefore all events for her are canceled. Bradley realizes that the woman he found last night is Princess Ann, and he sees an opportunity. He makes a deal with his boss that he can get an exclusive interview with Ann, despite her being “sick,” and that will make the company $5,000 dollars.
His boss agrees, and he runs back to his apartment to find Ann still there. He pretends not to know her true identity, and she doesn’t know about the interview. The two go on an adventure, going around Rome and doing everything Ann’s always wanted to do. They develop a deep connection, but will their love change Bradley’s motives?
Final Thoughts
I loved this movie. Despite it having a different ending than most romantic comedies, it truly made its mark as a classic film everyone must-see. Audrey Hepburn was phenomenal, as she is in all her work. The sets, the costumes, and the shots really came together to create a one-of-a-kind, timeless film. It set the standard for modern romantic comedies.
The comedic moments and acting felt very natural. The plot was fast-paced but very well developed, so it was easy to understand. There wasn’t a dull moment and everything just flowed perfectly. I truly enjoyed this film and will likely watch it again. Although it was in black and white, the costumes and sets still shined. I would rate this movie a 10 out of 10 and I think it’s a film everyone must-see.
