Roman Holiday (1953)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers (WGA):

Dalton Trumbo (story) (front Ian McLellan Hunter)
Ian McLellan Hunter (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 September 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Audrey Hepburn at her Oscar-winning best in an immortal comedy-romance!

Plot:

A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | American | Press Conference | Sedative | Editor

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Joe Bradley
Audrey Hepburn	...	Princess Ann
Eddie Albert	...	Irving Radovich
Hartley Power	...	Mr. Hennessy
Harcourt Williams	...	Ambassador
Margaret Rawlings	...	Countess Vereberg
Tullio Carminati	...	Gen. Provno
Paolo Carlini	...	Mario Delani
Claudio Ermelli	...	Giovanni
Paola Borboni	...	Charwoman
Alfredo Rizzo	...	Cab Driver
Laura Solari	...	Secretary
Gorella Gori	...	Shoe Seller
Heinz Hindrich	...	Dr. Bonnachoven
John Horne	...	Master of Ceremonies

Runtime:

118 min | Portugal:117 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) (original rating) | West Germany:6 (f) (re-rated) | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #16114) | UK:U | USA:Passed

Filming Locations:

Bocca della Verita "Mouth of Truth", Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Piazza Bocca della Verita, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Part of the joke where Joe (Gregory Peck) pretends that his hand was bitten off in the mouth of the stone carving was ad-libbed by Peck; when he pulled his hand from the mouth, he hid his hand in his sleeve, borrowing the gag from Red Skelton. This addition surprised Hepburn, and the scene was finished in one take.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Joe returns to his apartment upon finding out from his boss that Princess Ann is sleeping there, he straightens the bed, moves the pillow, and moves Ann from the couch back to the bed. In the process of tidying his apartment, he moves his alarm clock to the center of the top of the bed's head board. In the scenes following while Ann awakes, as the camera cuts back and forth, the clock changes places back and forth from the center to the left on the head board.

Quotes:

Dr. Bonnachoven: The best thing I know is to do exactly what you wish for a while.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Raising the Bar: Roman Holiday (#1.9)" (2008)

Unabashed innocence

Audrey Hepburn doesn't have a vulgar bone in her body: she breezes through this comedic romp with the spirit of a saint on holiday. When a princess escapes the castle while touring Italy, a down-on-his-luck American reporter chances to meet her and smells a good story. A joyful fairy tale, but with the heartbreak of reality at the finale, and what sweet sadness there is in those final shots! Hepburn won an Oscar for Best Actress, and deserved it. Gregory Peck is almost playful in his scenes with her, and Eddie Albert is a perfect buddy-match. Director William Wyler sets up the story very gingerly, but he cuts loose as well, and the whole picture plays like a delectable dessert. ***1/2 from ****