Stars : Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn
Available (on Rent) on Prime Video
Made more than seventy years ago ‘Roman Holiday’ remains one of the most celebrated, followed and loved films that set the benchmark for perfection in screenplay, direction and acting for all times in the ‘romantic drama’ genre. Directed by William Wyler, the brilliant film-maker of splendid epics like ‘Ben-Hur’ and rom-coms such as ‘How to Steal a Million’, it was the debut movie in an American film of legendary actress Audrey Hepburn, that won her the ‘Best Actress’ Oscar award alongside awards for ‘Best Story’ & ‘Best Costume’.
I first saw this beautiful film when I was only twelve years old, in the mid-60’s upon the recommendation of my Dad, a real Hollywood movie buff ( andthen saw many more times after that) and was bowled over by the charming love story with all its gentility, graceand humour. The plot revolves the escapades of a young Princess Ann bored with the ‘ennui’ of royal protocol& sheltering, who decides to escape her palatial ‘prison’ and discover Rome on her own. (As a sidelight, the story is said to be loosely based on Princess Margaret’s life).
Ann has been given medicines to shrug off travel weariness.As the drug takes effect while she flees, she falls asleep atop a low wall, where Joe Bradley(soelegantly played byGregory Peck), an American reporter, fortuitously finds her. Not recognizing her, thinking that she’s intoxicated he takes her to his apartment to sleep it off. While all hell breaks loose over her disappearance and Joe’s Editor sniffs a big story, Joe can’t just reveal there’s a Princess in his room. What follows is Ann’s delightful discoveries of commoner’s life and ways in her ‘Roman Holiday’ and she slowly falls in love with her gentleman saviour and the charming companionship of Joe and his friend. But can she shirk royal status & responsibilities that come with it for all times to come ?
The film is a masterpiece in simple story-telling and both Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn hold you spellbound with their poise & artless performances. For us, it was part of growing up and an adolescent tryst with idea of romance. But it has such a universal appeal that it cuts across all ages & generations.
As per Wikipedia, in 1999, ‘Roman Holiday’ was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. The film has been considered one of the most romantic films in cinema history. Just go for it !
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