549. Roman Holiday (1953)

Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert

Director: William Wyler

Running Time: 118 mins

Roman Holiday is an American film about a young princess, bored and feeling constrained by her official lifestyle, who escapes from her guardians and meets a dashing American newsman, with whom she spends a day in Rome living the real life.

This film really made me smile. It’s a fun and silly story that makes you laugh and smile as its escapades unfold, while it’s also inspiring, as it shows you the importance of living life as you love it, and escaping from the constraints of what may be ‘socially acceptable’, and with some hugely likeable characters in the centre, there’s little you can’t enjoy about this film.

The comedy was absolutely great in this film. It wasn’t particularly hilarious, but that’s because of its ageing, however it was consistently pleasant and entertaining to see, with a good level of farce as well as satire and repartee, meaning that I was always laughing and smiling as the film went on.

The more slapstick-style comedy was a tiny bit dated, and not as side-splittingly hilarious as I’m sure it was in 1953, but the fact that this film manages to have such a great range of comedy, which is of a consistently high quality, shows what a hugely entertaining and funny film it can be.

The whole concept of this princess escaping from her official lifestyle feels a little bit like a fairytale. As you see this young woman discover an entire new world, it really feels like you’re watching Snow White, or some other classic Disney fairytale, and that makes it all the more pleasant to watch.

And then there’s all the crazy escapades that she undertakes along with her new-found friend, the American news reporter. Along with seeing this woman’s discovery of a new world from a more fantastical point of view, it’s a really fun and simple concept that keeps you entertained throughout, bringing up all manner of crazy situations that she somehow has to deal with while maintaining some sort of dignity.

The main thing about this whole story, though, is how inspiring it is. It honestly teaches you that living by the rules is never as satisfying as taking risks and exploring the wider world, and portrayed by Audrey Hepburn’s immensely likeable and innocent Princess Ann, it’s a delightful and rewarding film to watch, so that’s why it gets a 8.1.