Film Review: Roman Holiday

Director: William Wyler

A classic 1953 romantic comedy which is beautifully set in the bustling streets of Rome, it has now become infamous for the visit to the main sights of the Italian capital city. Audrey Hepburn looks at her ravishing best but what is often forgotten is how incredibly slow the first hour is as the backstory to their day of escape in Rome is set up. At times I felt like physically trying to push the movie forward so as something interesting may happen, once you finally reach the final act of the film it is once again a joy to behold.

Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) is the royal princess of a un-named country which is doing a publicized tour of major cities in Europe and her latest stop is Rome. She is growing tired of the regimented schedule that she has to keep and the fact she never gets any privacy so one day she sneaks out of the embassy to see Rome for herself. But haven taken a sedative to calm herself down she falls asleep on a bench and is helped by American Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) who is a journalist but doesn't initially realise who she is before agreeing to look after her.

Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) and Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck)

Hepburn is understandably impressive in a very comfortable role for her, Peck is an actor I've never been that impressed with and that opinion hasn't been changed on viewing this film. His character Joe Bradley is at times a hard one to like considering his attempts to get a sneaky interview with the princess and his actions against a child whose camera he wants to borrow/steal and the deliberate attempts to make his photographer Irving leave. I think its a film that you remember the fond moments and slowly forget the first hour giving you a greater impression than what you had after the first viewing.

2/4 Enjoyable final act is the saving grace.