Roman Holiday (1953)

Roman Holiday - 1953

Coming up next is 1953's delightful film "Roman Holiday", starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  On an official visit to Rome, a foreign princess skips out on a day of obligations to explore the city on her own.  Along the way, an unexpected romance develops, which must make her choose between the life she wants and the life she was born to lead.

The film's supporting cast includes Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Claudio Ermelli, Margaret Rawlings, Tullio Carminati, and Harcourt Williams.

After a strenuous and exhausting European goodwill tour that included England. the Netherlands, and France, Princess Ann comes to Rome.

A ball is given at her country's embassy so she can meet official delegations.

While standing in the receiving line, the Princess's feet get tired.  She removes her foot from her shoe, but loses the shoe when she tries to get it back on.

The receiving line is finished before she can get it back on again, and she's forced to sit down without it on her foot.

Her staff is mortified, and they try to come up with a way of saving the situation from embarrassment.

The Ambassador gallantly asks her to dance when the orchestra begins playing, and Princess Ann is able to retrieve her shoe.

While reviewing her schedule for the upcoming day that night, the Princess has a sort of nervous breakdown.  She's given a sedative that will relax her and "make Your Highness a little happy."  Before it can take effect, she gets dressed and sneaks out of the embassy.

She falls asleep on the the streets.  American newspaperman Joe Bradley is there before any harm can come to her.  In her delirium she begins to recite poetry.  "If I were dead and buried and I heard your voice, beneath the sod my heart of dust would still rejoice," she says in a stupor.

Not knowing who she is or where she belongs, Joe takes her to his apartment to sleep it off.  When she gets there, she looks around and asks, "Is this the elevator?"  A little annoyed at the comment, Joe replies, "It's my room."

When he sees a picture of the Princess in the newspaper the next morning, Joe realizes who is in his apartment.  He gets his boss to allow him to do an exclusive story with the princess without telling him how he'll do it.

When the Princess wakes up, Joe pretends not to know her true identity.  She is slightly amused at getting to sleep in a strange bed and wear actual pajamas, which she's always wanted to do.

After getting dressed and borrowing some money from Joe (who follows her at a distance), the Princess's first stop is the beauty parlor, where she gets a new hairdo.

While eating a gelato, Joe "bumps" into the Princess, who tells him her name is Anya Smith.  Joe agrees to chaperone her around Rome doing all the regular touristy things.  (He's also called up a photographer friend of his named Irving, who takes pictures through a cigarette lighter camera.)

They go to the Colosseum, and explore Rome from a moped.  When the Princess gets in the driver's position, she runs the thing maniacally.  They get in trouble by the police, but Joe gets them out of it by telling everybody that they're newlyweds.

The finish the day up by traveling to some other tourist hot spots in the city. 

That night they go dancing.  Secret service men from her country recognize her, and she has to fight her way away from them when they try to apprehend her.  Grabbing at what she can, she finds a guitar and smashes it over one of their heads.

At the end of the day, Joe realizes he's falling in love with the Princess.  The Princess realizes the same thing.

She makes a hard decision to return to her position and leave Joe behind.  She makes him promise not to watch her go beyond the corner.

When her staff confronts her after her return, one of them mentions that she has her duty to consider.  She firmly states, "Your Excellency, I trust you will find it necessary not to use that word again.  Were I not completely aware of my duty to my family and my country, I would not have come back tonight...or indeed ever again."

The next day, Joe's boss comes to his apartment to get his story on the Princess.  Joe tells him he doesn't have one.  His boss tells him that the Princess is giving a press conference that morning, and he'd better be there.

Joe takes his photographer friend Irving with him, and they make their way to the front of the line amidst the many reporters.

When the Princess sees him, she's visibly shaken.  She takes a few moments to recover her composure.

The press conference begins.  The Princess answers the questions with some general rehearsed replies.  However, once in a while she shocks her staff by going off script and saying something of her own.

They are shocked and annoyed when, at the conclusion of the press conference, she decides she wishes to meet some of the ladies and gentlemen of the press.  Before she does, photographers are invited to take pictures.

Irving goes up and takes pictures with a regular camera.  He also brings out his cigarette lighter camera.  The Princess is a little amused when she sees this.

When she gets to Irving in the line, he passes her the photos he took of her.  She's very grateful to receive them.

When it's Joe's turn, she warmly shakes his hand and smiles at him.  They look at each other for several seconds before she moves on.

She goes back to her staff sadly.  Mustering all her courage, she turns to the crowd and smiles at them before walking away.

Joe is the last to leave.  After everyone has gone, he turns and walks out of the room.

Cast rundown:

   Audrey Hepburn................................Princess Ann

   Gregory Peck....................................Joe Bradley

   Eddie Albert......................................Irving Radovitch

   Hartley Power....................................Mr. Hennessy

   Claudio Ermelli..................................Mario

   Margaret Rawlings.............................Countess Vereberg

   Tullio Carminati.................................General Provno

   Harcourt Williams..............................Ambassador

And that's all for Roman Holiday.  Audrey Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress for this film, her first major film role.  Costume designer Edith Head also won an Oscar for this film and the beautiful work she did on the costumes.  At the end of filming, Paramount gifted Audrey Hepburn with her entire wardrobe from the film, including outfits, jewelry, shoes, and handbags.  Audrey was engaged to businessman James Hanson (later Lord Hanson), and the items were intended as wedding gifts.  Shortly after filming, Audrey ended her engagement.

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