Written by Robin Houghton
One part of LEAP’s mission is to expand cultural horizons, and this includes exposing students to classic films. Thus it was on the Sunday of our retreat in Houston, we attended a showing of “Roman Holiday” at the historic River Oaks Theatre.
Directed by William Wyler, “Roman Holiday” tells the story of Princess Anne (Audrey Hepburn), who, overwhelmed by the tedium and responsibilities of her title, escapes the embassy for a night in Rome. She stumbles across reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who, upon learning her identity, realizes he has a chance at a scoop of a lifetime.
Of the seven students attending, five of us had never seen the film, and it was a treat to find it witty, charming, and romantic, with Audrey Hepburn stealing the show.
Her on-screen chemistry with Gregory Peck was palpable, and it was a surprise to learn this was her first starring role!
Roman Holiday both subverted and helped shape the modern romcom genre. It includes the classic “meet-cute,” montages of Anne and Bradley falling for each other, and many comical and romantic touches throughout.
It does not (spoiler alert), however, include the happy ending that some viewers expect (talking to you Michelle Cardenas) from their films. Princess Anne chooses to resume her duties as a princess; Joe foregoes the story he could have sold. Both do their duty and both willingly take on the personal cost of doing so, making the ending even more romantic.
As a side-note, this was one of the first American films to shoot on location overseas. The entire film was shot in Rome, displaying iconic landmarks (including the “mouth of truth,” one of our favorite scenes) and the charm of post-war Italy.
After the film’s release, Rome transformed into a top tourist destination, in part due to the unique filmmaking choice made by William Wyler.
The ending was, in many ways, the perfect end to our retreat–a flavorful and light scoop of gelato, following a weekend of substantive progress and hearty fare. It was the treat of the retreat.
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