0
0
Rating: 5 out of 5
This might shock some people, but one of my all-time favorite movies is Roman Holiday. From the first time I watched it, I absolutely fell in love with this movie. The first time I actually watched Roman Holiday was when I checked it out from the library many years ago. I was looking for a film to watch, and I saw it. Like the young person that I am, I didn’t think much about it. It was in black and white, and back in the day, I really wasn’t into black and white films, plus it was a romance film. I’m not really down into romance films. Yet, Roman Holiday changed all that. I love Aubrey Hepburn and Cary Grant in this film. To me, it was less of romance and more of having an adventure around Rome. I want to go to Rome so bad. The Assassin Creed games made me want to visit the city so bad.
Directed by William Wyler, Roman Holiday is a romantic comedy where two unlikely people go on an adventure through the lovely streets of Rome. Roman Holiday begins with Princess Ann (Hepburn) embarking on a highly publicized tour of European capitals. Ann greets many and all comers while attending ball after ball. Her crew arrives in Rome, and after another ball, Ann becomes upset at her strict and tightly wound-up schedule. Homegirls needs a break from being a princess. One night after having a mini-breakdown and her doctor giving her a weak ass sedative, Ann decides to sneak out and explore the city. She hops into the back of a delivery truck and escapes the pathetic security of the place she is staying. While exploring, the sedative hits Ann hard, and she falls asleep on a public bench. While walking home, Ann is found by an American newspaper reporter, Joe Bradley (Peck). Joe thinks homegirl is wasted out of her mind and asks a cab driver to take her home. After a series of miscommunications, Joe decides to take Ann back to his apartment. The following day, as Ann is still passed out, Joe hurries to work to cover the Princess Ann press conference, unaware that she is sleeping on his couch. After lying to his boss and getting caught in a lie, Joe finally realizes that the Princess is missing and that she is sleeping on his couch. Realizing that he has a story of a lifetime, Joe makes a bet with his boss that he can get an exclusive interview with the Princess. Soon Ann and Joe go on a wild adventure through the sights and sounds of Rome.
Honestly, and don’t get mad at me for saying this, but the story reminded me of another classic film. Can you guess what that film is? I will give you several hints. A) The film came out in 1934. B) Both male leads were journalists. C) Both female leads were considered high up and royalty. If you guessed, It Happened One Night starring Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert. Don’t be swayed and think that it’s the same exact film because it’s not. Both films are charming in their own way and now, with that out of the way, let’s talk about the greatness of Roman Holiday.
Like I stated before, the story is very remanence to It Happened One Night in terms of adventure, but it does have major differences. In this film, Princess Ann had enough of the constant struggle of her schedule. When homegirl goes to a ball and greets everyone and their mom, underneath her dress, she takes off one of her shoes because her feet hurt. At night, her doctor gives her a sedative, but somehow she manages to put off that weak ass sedative and sneak out. Where are the freakin’ guards? You a princess, and there are zero guards. She walks around at night and falls asleep on the bench. Good thing Joe finds her and takes her to his place in a non-creepy and sexual way. Actually, he tries to have the taxi driver take her home to zero prevail. Also, Joe is quite funny as he is supposed to interview Princess Ann the following day and doesn’t even know her. When he finds out and realizes it, homeboy decides to get some pictures of her in the city, but it turns into something so much more, and love develops. I Love Roman Holiday for how it’s presented.
The MAJOR highlight for me in this film is the significant locations shown in Rome. Damn!!! It made me want to go to Rome so bad, and I loved every bit of it. Now before Ann leaves Joe the first time, homegirl gets that new sexy hairstyle before exploring the city with Joe. She goes and sees the Trevi Fountain, such a lovely place. Another adventure the two go on is taking a Vespa scooter and riding around until the police give chase. Now they pass the Colosseum and even venture to the Mouth of Truth. This is quite an interesting concept for the film because the Mouth of Truth legend is that it will bite off the hand of any liar who places their hand in its mouth, or, alternatively, any who utters a lie while their hand is in the mouth. I found this part so funny and cute because both Hepburn’s and Peck’s characters are not initially truthful.
With each location, the two visits, love or infatuation developed between the two until they are attacked by the king’s personal men. Let me take a second to say that the king’s men rolled out of that plane looking like the men in black. You couldn’t find any other clothes to wear? Come on! They weren’t close to being incognito. Now that is out of the way, infatuation developed when Ann and Joe were jumped by the king’s men and escaped. Ann actually nailed someone in the head with a guitar. Straight up GANGSTA!. Yet, this is where the saddest part of the movie begins. After Ann and Joe kiss, she tells him that she must leave and return to a world he doesn’t belong in. At the press conference, it was sad because they said their goodbyes, and he had to stroll down the hall by himself. It was truly sad, and I started to get the feels.
Now this movie goes as the two performers go. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are fantastic in this film. Let’s start off with Gregory Peck as Joe Bradley. Dude just seemed so cool and calm and seemed to have this aura about him. This is one of the main differences between him and Cary Grant in It Happened One Night. Grant was way wackier and funnier. Peck was just excellent and straight-up gentlemanly.
Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann was simply divine and excellent. Did you know that this was Hepburn’s first role, and she nailed it with an Academy Award? Homegirl was just so sweet and wanted to get out from the constraints of being a princess. Her smile is illuminating, and she seems to have a calmness about her that you want to be around.
Roman Holiday is one of those films that you will fall in love with because I did. It is a story of a princess who just wants to experience life in a city with much history and fun. The story is funny and enjoyable as Peck and Hepburn find themselves in situations that will make you laugh. Also, Hepburn and Peck are FANTASTIC in their respective roles. Truly a fantastic film. Watch this film and fall in love with Rome.
