‘Roman Holiday’: A film for the ages
Before Audrey Hepburn sipped coffee in front of Tiffany’s and Gregory Peck became a staple in grade school English classes through portraying Atticus Finch, the two Golden Age stars toured the streets of Rome in William Wyler’s classic romantic comedy “Roman Holiday.” Now, 70 years after its initial 1953 release, “Roman Holiday” has returned to the screen for a two-day theatrical run on Jan. 22 and 25.
When on a stop in Rome during her diplomatic tour of Europe, Princess Anne (Hepburn) craves freedom from her royal duties and decides to sneak away into the city. Before escaping, she throws a fit and is given a calming sedative, causing her to fall asleep on the side of the street. In a serendipitous meeting, American journalist Joe Bradley (Peck) stumbles upon her, unbeknown to her identity, and takes her to his apartment for shelter.
When she wakes up the next day to find herself free from her constraints, Anne seizes the opportunity to live life outside palace gates; after realizing who he has taken in, Bradley seizes the opportunity to get an exclusive story about the princess. What follows is an escapade of Roman wanderlust as the two spend the day together, but life’s circumstances threaten to drive them apart.
Not often do films get to return to theaters after their original run, let alone for a nationwide release. With “Roman Holiday” especially, a film produced in classical-era Hollywood, viewers enjoyed the opportunity to view it as it was first intended.
“There were so many people [in the theater] who were older and who had the movie come into their lives when they were as young as I am now and who are coming and revisiting it as older adults,” said Quinn Soltesz, a junior majoring in business of cinematic arts. “It was really lovely to see it amongst that type of crowd.”
In 2023, viewing “Roman Holiday” in its original scale serves as a reminder of past audiences who once did the same.
“It’s like a time traveling device,” said Riley Ruiz, a senior majoring in public relations and marketing. “I got to see what people saw the first time they experienced it.”
For the occasion of the film’s re-release, theater goers were also treated to commentary from veteran film critic and film historian Leonard Maltin. He is also a USC professor known for his instruction in the School of Cinematic Arts’ flagship course, Theatrical Film Symposium.
“I’m pleased to be asked to participate in anything that brings a good movie back into the spotlight,” Maltin said in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
In his commentary, which was played after the film, Maltin shared behind-the-scenes facts about the production of “Roman Holiday” — discussing the impact of Wyler’s direction on the film, his groundbreaking choice to shoot on location in Rome and background stories about the actors and their performances in the film.
It is universally agreed upon that the film’s most significant performance is that of Hepburn, one that made her a star after being unknown to American audiences.
“Audrey Hepburn’s charm is apparently ageless,” Maltin said. “She remains a style and cultural icon for girls and young women, even after all this time.”
She also received the coveted Best Actress Award at the 1953 Academy Awards for her performance as Princess Ann.
“I really truly believe that Audrey Hepburn is a luminous, eternal presence on the screen,” Soltesz said. “She contains ferocious emotions underneath that are universally appealing.”
Ruiz finds Hepburn’s character of Princess Ann and her journey of personal growth to feel timeless and relatable.
“There’s an expectation that I think a lot of young people have when they’re still under their parents roof and they haven’t quite broken free and come into their own yet,” Ruiz said. “I think that the moment when [Ann] gets her hair cut … it’s one of the very first things that she does for herself. I think as a young woman that is so powerful, especially for me, whose mother literally cut their own bangs for them.”
Despite being released 70 years ago in black and white — a factor that tends to scare off modern audiences — the cinema of “Roman Holiday” has failed to diminish.
“The movie is quite funny and it’s quite physically comedic,” Soltesz said. “I think that it’s maybe overlooked for its physical comedy and only remembered for the romance, which I love both and I think they work in tandem perfectly.”
Ruiz also shared what elements of the film she found appealing.
“It’s the cutest rom-com, with a twist. It has all the great makings of one, from the meet cute and the makeover scene,” Ruiz said. “Joe Bradley — what he was saying, ‘Life isn’t always what we want.’ To get to see someone live out that wish fulfillment with us in Rome, Italy of all places is such a fun version of escapism.”
With the chance to see “Roman Holiday” on the big screen surrounded by others, Maltin highlights the novelty of theater viewings — especially in a world where home entertainment is the standard experience for film watching.
“The best way to see any vintage movie is on a theater screen … such opportunities are becoming scarce,” Maltin said. “So I would jump at the chance to see this or any other classic film in a theater.”