Watching Roman Holiday. I just love Audrey Hepburn in this film. She plays exactly what you would imagine Julie Andrews’ character from The Princess Diaries would have been at age 15. In fact, if you can imagine that this is the case watching The Princess Diaries becomes even a little more enjoyable. Gregory Peck is, of course, delightful as well - I love how his character is just enough of a gentleman to let Ann stay the night, but not enough of a gentleman to let her have the bed!
One doesn’t think of this film as being particularly funny in retrospect - that's probably because of the downer ending - but watching it right now I’m actually giggling to myself at some of the particularly cute parts. And it is a very cute film. I don’t care how hammy Audrey can be - it’s a stylish, dignified hammy and she deserved that Oscar, just for the sheer sweetness of the thing. I also forgot how sneaky some of these jokes are - like the cleaning lady coming in and finding Ann in the bathroom and the scene shortly after when the landlord sees Joe giving Ann some money for a taxi! I’m not sure I understood those the first time I saw this...
I wonder what the normal ratio of Hepburn’s age to that of her male costar was. If it weren’t for the fact that Gregory Peck is, well, Gregory Peck, the romantic aspect of this film would really be quite creepy, since he gives the impression of being about twenty years older than her. But, oh, darnit, I want to ride around Rome on a Vespa with Gregory Peck! There are so many landmarks I didn’t know about previously that are now top of my list of places to go ‘when in Rome’!
As for the ending... I don’t like the end of this film, but I respect it.
Do watch Roman Holiday. It's a darling film.
"But I'm not two hundred years old. Why can't I sleep in pajamas?"
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