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In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve spent much of this year complaining about the sad, sad state of chick flicks. Sure, women still seem to be perfectly willing to head out to the theater for a night out with the girls—but, overall, the quality of this year’s chick flicks (movies like dull and fluffy Mad Money or, yes, even the whiny, shrieking Sex and the City) hasn’t exactly been up to my standards. So I’ve decided to step back a few years (okay…55 years), to a truly enjoyable chick flick: Roman Holiday
In this classic romantic comedy, Audrey Hepburn stars—in her first Hollywood role—as Princess Ann, a beautiful young princess of unknown national heritage who’s taking the world by storm during an extensive tour of European capitals. After weeks of traveling, however, she’s tired of speeches and appearances and press conferences, so she decides to sneak out one night and enjoy the sights of Rome on her own.
Unfortunately, the sleeping pills that her doctor had given her before leaving for the night worked a bit too well—and American reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) soon finds her passed out on a bench. Unable to leave a girl to fend for herself in the city at night (no matter how intoxicated she appears to be), Joe brings her back to his tiny apartment and lets her sleep on his couch.
The next morning, Joe realizes that the woman sleeping soundly on his couch is actually the princess. Knowing that an exclusive, in-depth interview would earn him a fortune, he spends the day showing her the city, with the help of his photographer friend, Irving (Eddie Albert). But, before long, he finds himself falling for the princess’s charms.
With its gorgeous fairy tale setting and its irresistibly charming characters, William Wyler’s Roman Holiday is every bit as magical today as it was when it was released, more than half a century ago.
It’s no wonder that Hepburn won the hearts of moviegoers everywhere—and an Oscar, too—for this unforgettable role. She’s the ultimate princess—beautiful and elegant, adventurous and fun loving. Yet, at the same time, she seems so real. She doesn’t want to be waited on. She doesn’t want to wear jewels and fancy gowns. She doesn’t want to be famous. She just wants to wear pajamas and go out dancing and eat gelato. And her wide-eyed enthusiasm is so enchanting (and even contagious) that you can’t help but smile with delight as she glides down the streets of Rome on her unscheduled “holiday.”
And then there’s Gregory Peck. Though he had already established himself as a star by the time he made Roman Holiday, he famously (and humbly) requested that his unknown costar get equal billing. While he was happy to turn the spotlight over to Hollywood’s next big thing, though, that doesn’t mean that he fades into the background. He, too, is enchanting as the struggling American newsman. And his plot to dig up some juicy gossip on the princess may be somewhat maddening, but he’s so sweet and charming that you’ll just know that he’ll have to come to his senses sooner or later—or at least you’ll hope he will.
So if you, too, have been missing the good old days—when romantic comedies were smart and funny and wildly romantic—pick up a copy of this beautifully bittersweet fairy tale. You’ll thank me for it.
DVD Review:
Like the Centennial Collection release of Sunset Boulevard, the two-disc Centennial Collection release of Roman Holiday is packed with extras.
In addition to the usual DVD features—the trailers and galleries and things—you’ll find two features on Audrey Hepburn and one on Dalton Trumbo, the film’s blacklisted screenwriter. There are also a few classic Paramount Pictures features—including one on the studio’s popular films from the 1950s and another that offers a tour of the studio’s costume archives, showing the actual costumes from various classic films.
My personal favorite feature, however, is a sort of Roman Holiday travel guide, called Rome with a Princess. This feature takes viewers through the streets of Rome, showing the various locations (including addresses) used in the movie. So if you happen to be planning your own Roman holiday, be sure to consult this one before packing your bags.
With its extra disc filled with can’t-miss features on everything from classic stars to classic Hollywood, the Roman Holiday Centennial Collection release is just the thing for classic film buffs and Roman Holiday fans alike.
