Roman Holiday (1953)

NEUTRAL

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96%

1953, Comedy/Romance, 1h 59m

RT Critics’ Score: 97% (UNBIASED)
RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: Won 3 Oscars
11 wins & 17 nominations total

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Critics Consensus

With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy.

Audience Consensus

If you’re looking for a movie that’s both hilarious and stunning, Roman Holiday is the one for you. Audrey Hepburn absolutely shines in her first American film, and it’s no wonder she became a Hollywood icon. This flick is the OG of romantic comedies, and it’s still setting the bar high today. Trust me, you won’t regret watching this classic.

Storyline

Joe Bradley is a reporter for the American News Service in Rome, a job he doesn’t much like as he would rather work for what he considers a real news agency back in the States. He is on the verge of getting fired when he, sleeping in and getting caught in a lie by his boss Hennessy, misses an interview with HRH Princess Ann, who is on a goodwill tour of Europe, Rome only her latest stop. However, he thinks he may have stumbled upon a huge scoop. Princess Ann has officially called off all her Rome engagements due to illness. In reality, he recognizes the photograph of her as being the young well but simply dressed drunk woman he rescued off the street last night (as he didn’t want to turn her into the police for being a vagrant), and who is still in his small studio apartment sleeping off her hangover. What Joe doesn’t know is that she is really sleeping off the effects of a sedative given to her by her doctor to calm her down after an anxiety attack, that anxiety because she hates her regimented life where she has no freedom and must always do and say the politically correct things, not what is truly on her mind or in her heart. In wanting just a little freedom, she seized upon a chance opportunity to escape from the royal palace where she was staying, albeit with no money in her pockets. Joe believes he can get an exclusive interview with her without she even knowing that he’s a reporter or that he’s interviewing her. As Joe accompanies “Anya Smith” – her name as she tells him in trying to hide her true identity – around Rome on her incognito day of freedom somewhat unaware that the secret service is searching for her, along for the ride is Joe’s photographer friend, Irving Radovich, who Joe has tasked with clandestinely taking photographs of her, those photos to accompany the story. As the day progresses, Joe and Ann slowly start to fall for each other. Their feelings for each other affect what both decide to do, Ann with regard to her royal duties, Joe with regard to the story, and both with regard to if there is a future for them together.

Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures,

Distributor
Paramount Pictures

Release Type
Theatrical

Filming Location(s)
Cafe Rocca, Via della Rotonda 25, Pantheon, Rome, Lazio, Italy

MPAA / Certificate
Passed

Year of Release
1953

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Black and White
Sound mix:

Dolby
Aspect ratio:

1.37 : 1
Runtime:

1h 59m
Language(s):

English, Italian, German
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 27, 1953 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 26, 2002

Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance

Keyword(s)
starring Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert, Tullio Carminati, Hartley Power, Laura Solari, directed by William Wyler, written by Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton, comedy, romance, box office success, budget, reviewed by Milton Luban, Peter Bradshaw, David Jenkins, James Berardinelli, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, David Nusair, Matt Brunson, Frank J Avella, Allison Rose, Mike Massie, Clyde Gilmour, Audrey Hepburn’s American debut, European princess, American reporter, exclusive interview, romantic comedy, Rome, Italy, postwar Europe, William Wyler as producer, Paramount Pictures as distributor, Mono sound mix, 97% Tomatometer, 93% audience score

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA

US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA

Cast & Crew

Gregory Peck

Audrey Hepburn

Eddie Albert

Tullio Carminati

Hartley Power

Joe Bradley

Princess Ann

Irving Radovich

Gen. Provno

Mr. Hennessy

Gregory Peck – Joe Bradley
Audrey Hepburn – Princess Ann
Eddie Albert – Irving Radovich
Tullio Carminati – Gen. Provno
Hartley Power – Mr. Hennessy
Laura Solari – Secretary

William Wyler

Dalton Trumbo

William Wyler

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
William Wyler

Writer(s)
Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton

Producer(s)
William Wyler

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
Won 3 Oscars
11 wins & 17 nominations total

Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees

Top Reviews

Milton Luban

Peter Bradshaw

David Jenkins

James Berardinelli

Variety Staff

Hollywood Reporter

Guardian

Little White Lies

ReelViews

Variety

ROMAN HOLIDAY
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (2)
With Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn turning in superb performances, Roman Holiday is 118 minutes of sheer entertainment.

August 30, 2019

Milton Luban
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
A lovely film.

July 18, 2013 | Rating: 5/5

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Hepburn represents all western cinema, finally allowed out to play on the cobbled streets of postwar Europe.

July 18, 2013 | Rating: 3/5

David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
For lovers of romantic comedies through the ages, Roman Holiday remains a favorite.

April 1, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4

James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
[Wyler] times the chuckles with a never-flagging pace, puts heart into the laughs, endows the footage with some boff bits of business and points up some tender, poignant scenes in using the smart script and the cast to the utmost advantage.

August 13, 2007

Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Wyler lays out all the elements with care and precision, but the romantic comedy never comes together — it’s charm by computer.

August 13, 2007

Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
…a somewhat overlong and exceedingly deliberate endeavor that undeniably grows more and more absorbing as it unfolds…

February 15, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4

David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
An utterly disarming romantic comedy. The “Mouth of Truth” scene is a genuine classic, but the film is packed with equally delightful interludes.

September 19, 2020 | Rating: 4/4

Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Hepburn is a marvel, mixing deep pathos with a restless yearning. She also proves to be a gifted comic. I cannot praise her performance effusively enough.

September 15, 2020 | Rating: A+

Frank J. Avella
Edge Media Network
The marrying of a classic movie with the most up to date technology makes this release a must-have.

September 15, 2020 | Rating: 5/5

Allison Rose
FlickDirect
None of the events are terribly thrilling or romantic, and the unhurried casualness with which they’re all approached borders on boring.

August 23, 2020 | Rating: 5/10

Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
William Wyler, an expert at heavy drama, here proves equally adroit in handling a gay romantic comedy.

November 14, 2019

Clyde Gilmour
Maclean’s Magazine…

Plot
Joe Bradley is a reporter for the American News Service in Rome, a job he doesn’t much like as he would rather work for what he considers a real news agency back in the States. He is on the verge of getting fired when he, sleeping in and getting caught in a lie by his boss Hennessy, misses an interview with HRH Princess Ann, who is on a goodwill tour of Europe, Rome only her latest stop. However, he thinks he may have stumbled upon a huge scoop. Princess Ann has officially called off all her Rome engagements due to illness. In reality, he recognizes the photograph of her as being the young well but simply dressed drunk woman he rescued off the street last night (as he didn’t want to turn her into the police for being a vagrant), and who is still in his small studio apartment sleeping off her hangover. What Joe doesn’t know is that she is really sleeping off the effects of a sedative given to her by her doctor to calm her down after an anxiety attack, that anxiety because she hates her regimented life where she has no freedom and must always do and say the politically correct things, not what is truly on her mind or in her heart. In wanting just a little freedom, she seized upon a chance opportunity to escape from the royal palace where she was staying, albeit with no money in her pockets. Joe believes he can get an exclusive interview with her without she even knowing that he’s a reporter or that he’s interviewing her. As Joe accompanies “Anya Smith” – her name as she tells him in trying to hide her true identity – around Rome on her incognito day of freedom somewhat unaware that the secret service is searching for her, along for the ride is Joe’s photographer friend, Irving Radovich, who Joe has tasked with clandestinely taking photographs of her, those photos to accompany the story. As the day progresses, Joe and Ann slowly start to fall for each other. Their feelings for each other affect what both decide to do, Ann with regard to her royal duties, Joe with regard to the story, and both with regard to if there is a future for them together.

Trivia