William Wyler’s 1953 romantic comedy, “Roman Holiday” is a delightful film starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in her first major American screen role. It’s the one in which she famously gets her hair cut, telling a Roman hairdresser, “All off” and inspiring millions of women to crop their hair in real life.
Hepburn plays Princess Ann, who is on a tour of several European capitals including Rome. She is young and bored by the stuffiness of the official functions she has to attend and one night she becomes hysterical about the following day’s programme. She is forced to take a sedative but before it can take effect she escapes from her country’s embassy, determined to explore Rome by herself.
She wanders the streets but eventually the sedative kicks in and Joe Bradley, an American journalist played by Peck, finds the Princess asleep on a bench. He does not recognise her and, when she declines his offer of money for a taxi, realises he is going to have to take her to his apartment. He is amused by her regal manners but less amused when she takes his bed.
The next morning, Joe goes to work and tells his editor he is late because he was at the Princess’s press conference. His editor tells him that it hasn’t taken place and the two have a bet on whether Joe can get an exclusive interview with her.
Meanwhile Ann, as “Anya Smith” is enjoying herself wandering around Rome. Joe follows her and “accidentally” meets her again. By now he knows who she is and has invited his friend, Irving, along to take pictures. Together Joe and Ann see the sights of Rome, have fun and fall in love.
At the “Mouth of Truth” Joe puts his hand in and, when he takes it out, it appears to be missing. Hepburn’s scream was real, for Peck had played a trick on her, hiding his hand in his sleeve.
Government agents from Ann’s country finally catch up with her at a dance but she and Joe escape by jumping into the Tiber. However, Ann realises that she has to go back and bids Joe a fond farewell.
Speaking the next day at a press conference the two send each other coded messages of their feelings. Irving gives Ann the photos he has taken. Joe will not use them, after all.
The film won three Oscars: Hepburn won the Best Actress Award and there were Oscars for the screenplay and costume design as well. Interestingly, one of the writers, Dalton Trumbo, did not receive a credit at the time because he was on the Hollywood blacklist. He finally received credit for his work in 2003.
Britain’s Princess Margaret was said to have been the inspiration for the film.
