Roman Holiday (Special Collector's Edition)

Possibly my favorite romance of all time, ROMAN HOLIDAY is a heart-wrenching, charming and timeless tale of a young Princess Ann(Audrey Hepburn) who runs away and ends up in the arms of wise newspaperman Joe Bradley(Gregory Peck).

Of course through a handful of events by random happenstance Joe and Ann fall in love, and their chemistry is really beautiful.

"Do you have a silk nightgown with rosebuds?" "I haven't worn a nightgown in years!"

Gregory Peck is a dream, and Audrey Hepburn is simply stunning in her oscar-winning performance. In addition, Eddie Albert adds the perfect amount of 'comedy relief'.

It's one of those movies that you never feel the desire to fast-forward through and the end will make your heart shatter no matter how many times you have seen it unfold before.

Couldn't you just die as he exits and 'the end' comes up on that screen? Just Amazing.

It is hard to read some of these reviews and not scratch one's head. To think, for example, that Cary Grant would have been better in this film is crazy. Cary Grant is a knowitall sophisticate. He would have wrecked the film. The whole point of the film is that everyone is innocent and learning how to be truly noble as adults. Only Gregory Peck could have carried off the male role without making him appear naive or an idiot. All the sexuality in it is very, very carefully dealt with -- one false move, and it would have crashed and burned. The film is about restraint and duty.

It was Audrey Hepburn's best film. The final scenes -- so understated, but speaking volumes -- are brilliantly acted. Of course, nobody would behave like these two now. And of course we are so much better off. Sure we are.

Roman Holiday -
Audrey Hepburn, a young stressed princess, experiences life without schedules and guards when she sneaks outside her country's embassy in Rome after being given sleeping medication. Gregory Peck, a poor newspaper reporter trying to earn enough money to get back to NY, thinks she is drunk and doesn't want her to be picked up by the police.

Thereafter follow several comedic scenes. He follows her around to get a real inside scoop on the life of a princess... His friend (Eddie Albert)brings a hidden camera. They tour several famous places in Rome, ending up back where she started in the shadow of the embassy on a boat and suddenly surrounded by several secret service agents from her own country. They end up falling in love and hence the interesting ending when she discovers who he really is.

The extra material, some told by Eddie Albert's son, tells you interesting side lights as to what part each of the actors put into making the movie unique. I had already seen the movie when I purchased this... It is a classic Audrey Hepburn film.

Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) is tired of the royal life. She is required to behave in such a silly way and she has no time to enjoy herself. She visits city after city without any real change of scenery and she's tired of it. No one in her employ will help her achieve any excitement, so she takes matters into her own hands and escapes. Reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) finds her, and recognizes her for who she really is. What a story! He takes her home and plans his story, but can't let her know that he knows. The two spend a perfect day together on the town experiencing life as neither have done before.

This movie is brilliantly executed. The cast is perfect and William Wyler's stylish direction puts Roman Holiday a cut above ordinary romantic comedies. The story is innocent enough for children to relish, but it rings true for adults too. Every new endeavor is a little adventure, so this film is exciting again and again even with repeated viewing.

I love this movie. I watched it right before my trip to Rome. The sights have not changed a bit and it's such a cute story line. Old black and white movies are so classic and so is Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. It portrays Rome so well.