Roman Holiday

While I have been blogging about movies that are new or that I finally got around to seeing, this week I have decided to re-watch and blog about some of my favorites. My favorite movie is Roman Holiday, a 1953 romantic comedy starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. I saw it for the first time years ago with mom and fell in love. Hepburn plays a rebellious princess on a diplomatic tour of the European capitals. During her stay in Rome, she is fed up with her predictable life and decides to break free and explore the city. In doing so she meets Joe Bradley, an American reporter who sees it as an opportunity to spend the day with her and write an exclusive article about her with pictures. She of course is unaware that he recognizes her. I think the word that describes this movie best is charming. It is a beautiful picture of the past and a glimpse into life in the 1950s. It is a really amusing old fashioned romance and you can't help but fall in love with the two leads. The ending of the movie is also surprising and perfect. This movie was actually Audrey Hepburn's first major starring role and she won an academy award. Interestingly Cary Grant was chosen to play the love interest, not Gregory Peck. Although I am glad he turned it down because now I can't imagine the movie without Peck. Another interesting fact about the movie involves the scene where the pair visit the "mouth of truth," a marble face that is rumored to bite the hands off of liars. In the scene, Peck's character scares Ann by pretending that his hand gets cut off. This is actually a joke played by Gregory Peck on Audrey Hepburn and her screams are real.