Roman Holiday

It's difficult not to have at least some, possibly subliminal, awareness of this classic and its imagery. Princess Audrey losing a slipper; Greg and Audrey on a scooter in Rome; Audrey bashing the guy with the guitar; Greg and Audrey at the end, back to Royal and Commoner; and surely - courtesy of "Only You" and Robert Downey's fine recreation with Marisa Tomei - the dare to risk hands being bitten off when put by the untruthful into the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth) and Audrey's wild, coltish reaction to Greg's silly amputation mime (hand retracted into sleeve on extraction from the Mouth). These images have long since been absorbed into most people's cinematic vocabulary of the timeless and delightful: quite rightly so. Some of us have even been in the Eternal City on a fast-paced weekend break and still found time for furtive indulgence in a bit of our own movie-recreation magic, down at La Bocca with a camera on timer...But come back, please, to this lovely film and you will find something that's more than the sum of admittedly exquisite parts. Dalton Trumbo wrote this under a Black-List-dodging cover, for a start; couple this with Director William Wyler's known insistence for precision-engineered scripting and you know you're going to be presented with a beautifully-shaped and paced experience. The casting is - of course - pitch-perfect, with Audrey justifying the latter iconics (which I've often considered a bit overdone in relation to her overall contribution) with a tremendous portrait of her character's initially innocent, fragmented, wrenched character, the evolution over the course of her self-discovering "holiday" and, most poignantly, the mature and genuinely regal way she conducts herself at the end.The film looks wonderful, naturally; location-work in Rome throughout will tend to do that for your movie. But you may not remember just how erotic the wet, underlit kiss on the Tiber's night-time banks really is until you come back. Or how funny the recurring shtick with Eddie Albert's bohemian photographer is. Or how spot-on the satire of the paparazzi is, for then and now. Edith Head does one of her finest fashion-jobs ever in this: not just Audrey, but all of them are dressed to perfection for their characters and their developments. Even the damned haircut is perfect!"Tragi-comic" is partly right for the final impact of the story. It's ultimately very uplifting, though, in both theme and structure. Both Audrey and Greg gain something permanent and perfect, even as they retire to their respective sides of the rope barrier. And how lovely that, in so articulate a film, the script calls for them to convey the final truths they've learned, what they've lost - and what they (and we) will have with us to enjoy forever - all of this is brought to life without words, in the looks they share at the end, Greg and Audrey acting their hearts out from their stillness whilst the state occasion goes on around them. The implied confidence in Greg's public question and Audrey's response near the start of the scene, along with the covert handing back by the cheeky reporter and snapper of the candid photographs taken on Audrey's incognito escapades, constitute some of the least cynical and most generous gestures ever realised on film - everybody finds nobility at the end.What a sweet and redeeming masterpiece this is! It's one of those films I'd cheerfully go and inhabit. Early on, Greg takes a "drunken" (actually drugged) Audrey up the outside courtyard stairs to his Rome apartment. In the night-light, she sways back to knock someone's door, just down a short flight from Greg's entrance; but he catches her hand (you should watch hands throughout this film) just before she can smack the door, twirling her up and away with comic grace, as if they're dancing. Well, I want to be the person who lives behind that door.

A delightful old-fashioned film. Shame it's in black and white. Just the thing for a cosy afternoon. No sex, no swearing - it just wouldn't get made now. A refreshing change from modernity.

Delightful film set in the wonderful city of Rome. William Wyler's direction makes sure all the major sight seeing attractions appear in the film. Audrey Hepburn is delightful in the role of a member of a royal family visiting Rome, part of her European tour. She aquaints the character played by Gregory Peck and their encounters together in Rome allows for some funny moments.

Old film in this day of age but for us oldies great watch with top quailty cast they don't make actors like this anymore

A classic film.and enjoyed it very much,speedy delivery.

They do not make these movies anymore. This is a timeless masterpiece that you can see over and over again, and laugh and enjoy at each time; and suffer too - the very last shot of the movie, with Gregory Peck walking towards the exit of the embassy and after the press conference, is one of the most romantic and saddest moments in cinema, at par with Casablanca. You can almost hear Gregory Peck thinking "we will always have Rome".Everything in this movie is pitch perfect: the direction of Wyler, the flawless trio of characters talking and moving around the streets of Rome with utter grace, the Italians picture as joyful people but never falling for the easy caricature and last but not least, holding the whole thing, the exemplar fairy tale devised by Dalton Trumbo.Buy this movie and watch it every now and then. They do not make them anymore.

This film made Audrey Hepburn, it's poignant, sweet, romantic and uplifting all at once. Other plus is that the black & white photography of Rome is stunning! Thoroughly recommend it.

Watching this film just b4 a trip to Rome helped remind me of all the must sights I would want to go see. The film is a charming story to.