Year:1953
Director:WILLIAM WYLER
Cast:AUDREY HEPBURN, GREGORY PECK, EDDIE ALBERT.
Genre:ROMANTIC COMEDY
LENGTH:118 mts
The film was nominated for 10 oscars, and received three for best actress, story and costume designer.
I am not much of a english movie buff but I love watching old classics and ROMAN HOLIDAY was one film I had always wanted to see coz I had read rave reviews about it and also that it starred the ravishing beauty AUDREY HEPBURN and the very handsome GREGORY PECK.And what a delightful film it turned out to be.......it is a kind of film which you’ll instantly fall in love with and can watch innumerable times and not get bored of it.I watched it on DVD and the print was also excellent.A film not to be missed.
The story of the film is pretty simple.The film is about PRINCESS ANNA(AUDREY HEPBURN)and a day in her life when she fleds away from her home to experience the joy of freedom and how it feels to live a normal life.There in Rome she meets the American reporter JOE BRADLEY(GREGORY PECK)who takes her to his home when he finds her lying unconcious on the Street of Rome.She spends a night at his home and then goes away, she doesn’t disclose her true identity to Joe but he gets to know about her and follows her.Then he meets her again and there she tells him what all she wanted to do.....and how she ’ld have loved to spend her day.And then Joe, his photographer friend and Anna spend their day in Rome in the most enjoyable way.In the meantime Joe who was more interested in making out a story about Princess Anna, gradually falls in love with her........and she responds.But their fairlytale romance comes to an end coz she has to go back to her palace and do her duties.A very sad and touching ending to an otherwise fun film.
The film was perfectly cast.AUDREY HEPBURN was born to play the role of PRINCESS ANNA.She was that good, she brought a certain amount of charm, wit and grace to her role.And of course she looked like a dream......very pretty, she looked every bit a princess.I also loved her voice and dialouge delivery.GREGORY PECK did not have a great role to boost of......but he made his presence felt with his charismatic screen presence.I have a major crush on him.......he is soooooooo good looking.EDDIE ALBERT as Joe’s photographer friend was very cute and funny.The rest of the cast was good too.
The film has been completely shot in the beautiful city of ROME......and the scenes have been realistically treated.Some of the scenes are very funny and the dialouges are a highlight.The direction is absolutely perfect, there is absolutely no flaws in the film.
Some of my favourite dialouges in the film are:
Princess Anna:This is very unusual.I have never been with a man before even with my dress on, with my dress off it is most unusual.
Anna:Can I have a silk nightgown with rose buds on it?
Joe Bradley:Sorry Honey, but I haven’t worn a night gown in years.
Anna:It must be fun to live in a place like this.
Joe Bradley:Yes, it has its moment.
Joe:Life isn’t always what one likes, is it?
Anna:Were I not completely aware of my duty to my family and country, i ’ld not have come back tonight or indeed ever gain.
Anna:I’ll cherish my visit to Rome in memory as long as I live.
ROMAN HOLIDAY is in my list of most watchable films......and really if you haven’t seen ROMAN HOLIDAY you have missed something.I’ld say if you intend to watch that one classic film in your life watch ROMAN HOLIDAY.......i am sure you’ll love it, if not for anything than AUDREY HEPBURN.Gosh......she is simply the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.