Roman Holiday, 1953

What if you were where you weren’t supposed to be?

A princess flees her rigid responsibilities and keeps her identity a secret for as long as she can, spending the night in borrowed pajamas and in a borrowed bed. Not exactly homeless, but certainly away from home, and away from her home away from home. Depending on the goodness of strangers.

In her first major role, Audrey Hepburn won a Best Actress Oscar for playing Princess Ann, a young royal with a strict schedule. Gregory Peck admitted that Audrey Hepburn was one of his favorite actresses and Roman Holiday was one of his favorite films. William Wyler directed this romantic comedy.

Gregory Peck as Joe Bradley is an American reporter who finds the princess and allows her to rest in his apartment. He wants to keep the story for himself, so he protects her identity.

When Princess Ann finds freedom from her royal limitations, she knows the whole time that it’s only temporary. Her escape from her schedule sets her on a path to life-renewing adventure.

I’ve seen this movie many times, and I always love the genuine reaction she has to Joe Bradley when his hand is in the Mouth of Truth.

This film, the first American movie to be made entirely in Italy, was shot in black and white so the characters wouldn’t be upstaged by romantic Rome.

2 comments:

Kathleen Y'Barbo said...

Laura,

This is one of my favorite movies. I so love the story that I've done a whole series of books based on the idea for Waterbrook. Take the princess and put her in nineteenth century Colorado and you've got the idea. There's just something about the idea that we can step out of our old selves and become fresh and new again. But then, isn't that what Jesus did for us? Perhaps that is why we love that plot. It is something in us calling to that need.

Or is it just because Audrey Hepburn's so cute?

Kathleen Y'Barbo

Domino said...

Audrey Hepburn's adorable in this one.

But I do agree that those who know Jesus can see pieces of our heavenly adventure in some movies.

Thanks for stopping by.