Original Episode: #18 Roman Holiday (1953) (released June 11, 2020)
New Episode: #239 Roman Holiday (1953) Revisit ft. Christine Duncan and Klarissa (released December 4, 2024)
Guests:
Christine Duncan - Wife of Dana and Mother of Tom
Klarissa - I've Seen That One (IG)
Cast:
William Wyler, Director
Dalton Trumbo, Ian McClellan Hunter, and John Dighton, Writers
Georges Auric and Victor Young, Music
Gregory Peck as Joe Bradley
Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann
Eddie Albert as Irving Radovich
Hartley Power as Hennessy
Harcourt Williams as the Ambassador of Princess Ann's country
Margaret Rawlings as Countess Vereberg
Tullio Carminati as General Provno
Paolo Carlini as Mario Delani
Claudio Ermelli as Giovanni
Recognition:
Roman Holiday was released on August 27, 1953 in the United States.
On a budget of $1.5 million, the film would gross roughly $12 million and finish #2 at the 1953 box office.
Roman Holiday also received widespread critical acclaim mostly for its charming tone and use of actual scenery on location.
Roman Holiday was nominated for 10 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director (Wyler), Supporting Actor (Albert), Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Cinematography, and Film Editing.
The film won Oscars for Best Actress (Hepburn), Story (Trumbo), and Costume Design (Edith Head).
The Academy Award for Best Story was initially given to Ian McLellan Hunter, since he took story credit on behalf of Dalton Trumbo (who was blacklisted). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences later credited the win to Trumbo, and in 1993 Trumbo's widow, Cleo, received her late husband's Oscar.
The American Film Institute lists the film at No. 4 in its AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions, and at No. 4 in the romantic comedy category in its AFI's 10 Top 10.
The film was very popular outside of the United States. As late as of 1990, it was cited as the favorite foreign film of all time for Japanese audiences.
In 1999, Roman Holiday was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Roman Holiday currently holds a 96% among critics on RT, a 78 score on Metacritic, and a 4.2/5 on Letterboxd.
Plot Summary: In the pantheon of classic cinematic escapades, "Roman Holiday" stands as a luminous testament to the transformative power of love and the allure of adventure. Picture this: a weary princess, suffocated by the pomp and circumstance of royal life, seeks solace in the vibrant heart of Rome. Audrey Hepburn, in her iconic role as Princess Ann, embodies youthful exuberance and longing. Her quest for normalcy leads her into the unsuspecting arms of Gregory Peck’s Joe Bradley, a hardened journalist looking for his next big scoop.
This isn’t just a love story—it's a celebration of serendipity. The narrative waltzes through the cobblestone streets of Rome, capturing the city’s soul through enchanting vignettes: a Vespa ride, a mouthwatering gelato, and a dance by the Tiber. The chemistry between Hepburn and Peck is palpable with their performances grounding the whimsical tale in emotional truth.
But "Roman Holiday" is more than escapist fantasy; it's a poignant commentary on the dichotomy between duty and desire, a meditation on the fleeting nature of freedom. As Ann returns to her royal obligations, we’re left with a bittersweet reminder of the price of responsibility. In an era where reality often feels burdensome, this film invites us to lose ourselves in its magic, if only for a moment.
Did You Know?:
Paramount originally wanted to shoot this movie in Hollywood. William Wyler refused, insisting it must be shot on location. They finally agreed, but with a much lower budget. This meant the movie would be in black and white, not the expected Technicolor, and he would need to cast an unknown actress as the Princess, Audrey Hepburn.
Audrey Hepburn won the role of Ann thanks to a legendary screen test. She performed a scene from the film, and the cameraman was instructed to keep the cameras rolling after the director said, "Cut." Several minutes of unrehearsed, spontaneous Hepburn was captured on film. That, combined with some candid interview footage, won her the role.
Gregory Peck's role was originally written with Cary Grant in mind. Grant, however, turned the role down as he believed he was too old to play Audrey Hepburn's love interest. He also turned down the lead in Billy Wilder's "Love in the Afternoon" in 1957 for the same reason. He did, however, play her on-screen love ten years later in Charade (1963). The two became firm friends working on the film, and Grant considered her one of his favorite actresses to work with.
When Gregory Peck came to Italy to shoot the movie, he was privately depressed about his recent separation and imminent divorce from his first wife, Greta Kukkonen. However, during the shoot he met and fell in love with a French-born woman named Veronique Passani, of Italian and Russian parents. Following his divorce, he married her, she became Veronique Peck, and they remained together for the rest of his life.
After filming, Gregory Peck informed the producers that, as Audrey Hepburn was certainly going to win an Oscar (for this, her first major role), they had better put her name above the title. They did and she did.
At the end of production, Paramount Studios presented Audrey Hepburn with her entire wardrobe from the film, including hats, shoes, handbags, and jewelry. They were intended as wedding presents. Soon after production, Hepburn ended her engagement to James (later Lord) Hanson, a businessman.
Ask Dana Anything:
Klarissa (I've Seen that One)
What is a jaw-dropping film for you?
What is your best theater experience?
Tom Duncan (co-host)
What is your favorite episode of the last year?
The Stanley Rubric:
Original Legacy Score: 7.5
New Legacy Score: 7
Original Impact/Significance Score: 6.5
New Impact/Significance Score: 9.25
Original Novelty Score: 6.75
New Novelty Score: 7.5
Original Classicness Score: 9
New Classicness Score: 9
Original Rewatchability Score: 7
New Rewatchability Score: 7.63
Original Audience Score: 9.3 (93% RT)
New Audience Score: 8.6 (79% Google, 93% RT)
Original Total Score: 46.05 (currently #116)
New Total Score: 48.98
In Memorium:
Chuck Woolery, 83, American game show host (Wheel of Fortune, Love Connection) and musician (The Avant-Garde)
Earl Holliman, 96, American actor (Police Woman, The Rainmaker, The Twilight Zone, Forbidden Planet)
Jim Abrahams, 80, American film director and screenwriter (Airplane!, The Naked Gun, Hot Shots!)
Remaining Questions:
Does this story make more sense if it's over a week instead of in one day?
Who would you cast in a 2024 remake?
Who has the most character development in the movie?
What is the significance of it being in Rome as opposed to another major European landmark?
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