Roman Holiday [1953]

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Primary Contributor : Gregory Peck
Primary Contributor : Audrey Hepburn

Product Details

Director : William Wyler
Actor : Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Harcourt Williams
Format : Black & White, HiFi Sound, PAL
Binding : VHS Tape
EAN : 5014437429421
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Video
Release Date : 1996-02-05
Running Time : 113minutes
Studio : Paramount Home Entertainment

ASIN : B00004CLJC

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

The three-way combination of ingénue Audrey Hepburn, admirable Gregory Peck and the Eternal City itself guarantees that Roman Holiday (1953) still knocks the socks off any modern rom-com you might care to name. Add to this stellar triumvirate the meticulous, loving direction of William Wyler and a warm-hearted original story by Dalton Trumbo (blacklisted and uncredited at the time) and the result is assuredly one of Hollywood's timeless classics.

At the leading man's own suggestion, newcomer Hepburn was generously accorded equal above-the-title billing with Peck: he knew that the film belonged to her anyway and wasn't one to stand on ceremony. As the princess who chafes at stuffy responsibility Hepburn's appealing girlishness is suffused with a will and wilfulness that rubs delightfully against Peck's more earnest mannerisms (even playing light-hearted comedy, he's still Atticus Finch at heart). The then-unusual decision to shoot entirely on location provides the movie with its glorious travelogue backdrop, and stalwart character-actor Eddie Albert is a fine foil for the two leads. Although Wyler is best known now for the grander vistas of The Big Country and Ben-Hur, none of his epics have as much heart as this.

On the DVD: Roman Holiday comes to DVD in a good digitally restored print--in itself a powerful reason to acquire the movie on disc. Sound is clean Dolby mono. Extras include a brief piece on the film restoration process, and a short documentary about costume designer Edith Head, which isn't specifically about this movie. The 25-minute making-of featurette has recent and archive interviews with cast members, including Peck and Eddie Albert, as well as William Wyler's daughter, plus Hepburn's screen test footage. Still-photo galleries and trailers complete a pleasant selection. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews

Princess abroad (2008-10-01)

Fairy tales don't really happen in our world -- especially not the kind that actually involve princesses.But you wouldn't know that from "Roman Holiday," one of Audrey Hepburn's earliest ever movie roles -- as well as her breakout one. This adorable romantic comedy balances itself nicely between a sweet little romance, a lighthearted romance and the bittersweet, overhanging specter of royal duty.Bored young Princess Ann (Hepburn) goes on a "Roman Holiday," when she gets upset, is sedated by a doctor, and has an odd reaction to it. Soon she has wandered out of the palace and into the streets of Rome, where she is found by struggling American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). Since she appears to be drunk, he takes her home.When Joe realizes that he has the missing princess in his apartment, he takes her on a whirlwind tour of Rome, with his pal taking photographs for a full article about her. But he doesn't count on falling in love with Ann, or having her truly fall for him. And Ann has a tough choice to make -- should she give up her royal life and stay with Joe, or fulfil her responsibilities as a princess?"Roman Holiday" is one of those rare movies that sounds incredibly trite and Hollywoodish when you just hear what it's about, because it's been done so many times before. Surprise -- instead we get a movie that is mostly a cute, innocent little romance, but with an inevitable choice that looms over Anne throughout her fun.But it's a fun ride while it lasts, with Anne and Joe careening through Rome on a scooter, dancing by the river, and getting her hair cut. This doesn't sound very funny, but William Wyler plays it with plenty of little jokes, including Joe's scandalized landlady raving at poor Anne in Italian, assuming that she's a one-night stand. And near the end he twists the storyline into a bittersweet examination of duty vs. love, with Anne forced to consider which way her life will go.And there's one joke that Peck played on Hepburn in reality -- the infamous "Mouth of Truth" scene. There's a reason Hepburn shrieked so convincingly: she had really been tricked.Hepburn and Gregory Peck are thoroughly solid as love interests -- Peck is breezy and likable as the jaded American journalist who is seizing an opportunity. And Hepburn showed off her range here -- she can be funny and quirky (including a hilarious "drunk" scene), then switch over into a doe-eyed sadness that breaks the heart."Roman Holiday" is a modern-day fairy tale that never sacrifices integrity for cheap gooey romance. A truly magical, bittersweet little movie.

The Romantic Tale of a Disconnected Princess (2007-10-18)

This is a story of a princess who is young to be performing the official duties of the Royal family but loves to experience the outside world. On the night of her visit to Rome, having disconnected from the real world for long, she slips away from her residence. During this little adventure she meets an American news reporter named Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck.) Audrey Hepburn offers great performance as a naïve young woman who wants to be a common person away from the pageantry she is used to. It is a sheer luck that Hepburn was cast for this role. After she auditioned for the movie, a brief chat with director William Wyler convinced him that she is the best for the job. No one has ever regretted this decision as Hepburn went on to win the Academy award. Hepburn is a natural, and remains at ease in her portrayal as a princess enjoying the real world. No wonder Academy awarded the biggest prize in Hollywood even though she was novice to a Hollywood film and this is her first movie. Originally Cary Grant was offered the lead role but casting Gregory Peck was not the best decision one could have made. Peck has made great movies but he does not shine in this film. Shooting of the film in and around Italy adds depth to the story of movie. The princess taking a ride with Bradley in a Vespa motor scooter is an iconic symbol of American cinema. Anyone who has seen the other movie of Hepburn; Breakfast at Tiffany's could see some similarities in the story of these two films as she play a free spirited woman who doesn't know what she really wants in life. The movie was written by a Hollywood Blacklisted author Dalton Trumbo who did not get credit in the original movie but the DVD released later gives credit he really deserves.

the best romantic movie I have seen (2007-05-30)

This is my favourite romantic movie and I think it is because it has nothing going for it but great acting,lively dialogue,a very good storyline and two of the most handsome actors in the history of cinema,filmed in one of the handsomest cities on Earth!A journalist(Gregory Peck) and princess(Audrey Hepburn) fall in love with each other - as unlikely a premise in the 1950s as it would be today.The two are united by the fact that they are both concealing their true identities from one another,but the journalist knows the true identity of the princess throughout the film and the viewer is constantly wondering if and when they are going to be honest with each other.Watch out for the scene where Gregory Peck scares Audrey - he scared her for real because he didn't believe she could act well enough to convince cinema goers she was frightened!The end of Roman Holiday also has one of the most subtle,attention-grabbing and delightful scenes you will see in any film.

Love, Pleasantness and Beauty of Rome! (2007-05-28)

Please be sure to watch this movie!When I watched it, I wanted to go to Rome. I felt love and pleasantness all the time I was watching it. Never fail to hear the last lines, please. The princess said "I have every faith in friendship among nations as I have faith in relations between people. How beautiful she is at this point! Joe replied "We believe that your Highness's faith will not be unjustified" to her. She looked back with a broad smile. This last scene was impressed very much!

The princess is in town. Lets gets a story (2007-05-07)

What attracts me to Roman Holiday?Roman Holiday is a great romantic comedy, starring two of the Hollywood greats the handsome Gregory Peck and the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. The casting for the movie is spot on. The screen presence of these two greats is well suited to the role.The movie is about an American journalist who accidentally meets the princess. The princess escapes from the burden of being a royal figure, to experience normal life. The close bonding between the two is pivotal point of the movie. The journalist Joe Bradley grabs his opportunity to gain an exclusive story about the princess. Does he managed to achieve that? Will the true identities be revealed amongst each other? The issue of the pressures of being a huge public figure is well tackled in the movie. Today, we are still witnessing how many public figures are denied of a normal life like pop stars, musicians, actors and even the British monarchy. You kind feel empathy for the frustration and intrusion of the private life, they experience. The comments outlined above provide a real flavour of what to expect from the movie.The movie is absolutely hilarious with crazy adventures and some funny dialogue you cannot forget "Joe, we can't go running around town with a hot princess!" The setting for the movie is ideal and blends in well with the romantic comedy. Rome is a beautiful city, filled with rich history, boosts some of the finest world attractions and has a great culture with it coffee shops and restaurants. The cinemagraphy and direction to the movie is something that it must be highly praised for. No location in the world, can surpass Rome for the setting of the movie.The above comments provides so far, are straight to the point, informative and without any needless waffling. In a nutshell, Roman Holiday is a great comedy film, with a simple storyline and really funny. The balls in your court.

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