Roman Holiday,
A film review & discussion by Kate O’Brien.
This time last year I was getting ready to jet off to Italy for my very own roman holiday, so I am very excited to be talking about this classic Audrey Hepburn film this week on Katelovesliterature.com
Roman Holiday was released in 1953, directed by William Wyler. The film stars the iconic, elegant, Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck. This film was quite the success, Hepburn took home the Oscar for best actress & the costume design also won awards. Roman Holiday is considered by many to be one of the most romantic films in history.
When the film was originally released it was in black & white, the version I own is in black & white however I believe that there are versions of this film that have been colourised. While this film was not Hepburn’s first ever role, it was her first time to appear in an American film.
Roman Holiday is a romantic comedy which follows Princess Ann (Hepburn) who, while on a tour of European cities, manages to run away from the confines of royal life when in Rome. Exhausted by the constant schedules, the constant smiling, the constant very scripted answers to questions & routine, Princess Ann just wants a break. She wants a chance to see the city she is in, & she wants to spend the day doing exactly what she pleases. While on her escape from royal life, she meets Joe Bradley, a reporter for the American News Service. At first Joe does not recognise her, but when he learns that his new friend is actually the Princess, he’s determined to get the hottest scoop of the summer. He teams up with his friend Irving Radovich, a talented photographer. The pair bring the disguised Princess on a fun filled tour of Rome, snapping photos all day long as they go. Needless to say, hijinks ensue, & feelings develop, & by the end of the film, the reporter & the Princess are very much in love. Spoiler! Apologies, although I think if you’ve watched any romantic comedy before then you knew where this plot was going before I told you.
This story is nothing new, it is nothing revolutionary. It is simply good fun.
It is a straightforward, charming, easy to follow story about two people from different worlds who find a connection while they explore a beautiful city. They eat, they drink, they laugh, they dance, they famously ride a Vespa through the streets of Rome, & Hepburn is elegant in every step she takes.
The film has no huge stakes. We worry that Princess Ann will be caught while she is exploring & later, we worry that she will be betrayed by the people she thinks are her new friends, however it soon becomes clear that Joe is falling for her too. As I said, the stakes are not huge & yet in my opinion the film manages to still subvert expectations.
In a film like this, romantic comedy conventional norms as we know them in 2023 lead us to expect certain things. As an audience, we expect a huge fight when Princess Ann learns that Joe is actually a reporter & he’s been using her all along to get a scoop. That scene never comes.
We expect Princess Ann to renounce royal life, unable to return to the schedule, instead she leaves it behind in the name of love. That scene also never comes. Instead, after bidding Joe a tearful farewell, the pair depart after a passionate kiss. The Princess returns to her life of royal duties, & Joe leaves to return to work. A press conference is held. The Princess’s absence was put down to sickness, but now she is “better,” & ready to meet the press. Joe is in the crowd.
For the first time ever, the Princess is honest in her answers. When asked what her favourite stop on this European tour has been, she begins her usual diplomatic speech about how each stop is special in its own way, but then she stops. She looks straight at Joe, & she exclaims proudly that her favourite stop was Rome. It is a memory that she will always treasure.
The film ends with Joe & Irving giving Princess Ann the envelope of all the photographs they took on their roman holiday, & the Princess is reassured that their secret adventures are safe. Joe will not be using her for his story, as by now she is more important to him than any hot scoop. The pair go their separate ways once more, exiting the press conference, walking away in opposite directions before we fade to “The End.”
I really enjoyed rewatching this classic as it is a favourite of mine. I think the film is charming. It is a light, summer watch. I think Hepburn is dazzling onscreen, & I do think that despite the stakes not being too big or too stressful, the film does manage to be very poignant especially at the end. Two people who have bonded so much, who have grown to love each other, are going in separate directions. It is likely that these two characters will never meet again, but they both will always cherish the memory of their roman holiday, particularly Princess Ann as this trip symbolises so much for her. It was her freedom, she was doing what she wanted when she wanted, she was expressing herself. She was not representing anyone or anything, she was not doing a duty. For this short time, she was living just for herself, she had so much fun. She found love & adventure in Rome & she will always look back on that time with fond memories. Yet it could not last. She had to return to her royal life & I think there is a true poignancy in that.
If you’ve never seen Roman Holiday, then I would highly encourage you to watch it.
It is a fun, poignant, bright & charming film. You’ll fall in love with Audrey Hepburn & you’ll want your own Vespa!
Stay tuned as there is much more coming up on Katelovesliterature.com
If you’d like to read all about my very own roman holiday, then click the link to read my literature inspired travel guide from last summer.
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