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1、Audrey Hepburn is one of those actresses who symbolize everything glamorous and good about Hollywood. With natural grace, sparkling eyes, a contagious smile, and almost pixie-like charm, she captivated audiences and continues to do so today having achieved that rare status of cultural icon. But in 1
2、953, when she made her film debut in William Wylers Roman Holiday, she was familiar only to Broadway audiences. The part of a burned-out princess who bolts for a day of plebian fun almost went to Liz Taylor or Jean Simmons, we learn in a making-of feature. But both of the marquee actresses were busy
3、 with other projects. Frank Capra was originally slated to direct this feel-good film, but bailed out when he learned that the screenplay by Ian McLellan Hunter was really penned by blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo. Enter the gutsy Wyler, who went ahead with the film despite the fact that the Korean
4、 conflict was still going on (it would end in July, 1953), anti-Communist feelings were running strong, and Trumbo was among the most defiant of the Hollywood Ten accused of having Communist ties.Timing is everything. The movie-going public was eager for escapist fare, and this romantic comedy about
5、 a princess who falls for an American newspaperman (Gregory Peck) was mirrored in the headlines of the day. Britains Princess Margaret was creating a stir over her much-publicized relationship with commoner Peter Townsend, and a riveted public wondered: Would love triumph, with the princess giving u
6、p her royal status and marrying him, or would her sense of duty and obligation win out?Oscar TimeHepburn would be nominated for Best Actress performances in Roman Holiday, Sabrina (1954), The Nuns Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961), and Wait Until Dark (1967). She would only win for this, he
7、r first and many feel best film. Though we learn that Roman Holiday was shot in black and white so that the location (romantic Rome) wouldnt compete with the characters, the cast chemistry is so strong that the movie bubbles with energy. People who know Eddie Albert only from his kitschy Green Acres
8、 days will be surprised by his performance as journalist Joe Bradleys photographer sidekick. Peck, Hepburn, and Albert romp through Rome the way Gene Kelly, Donald OConnor, and Debbie Reynolds did in Hollywood, without the singing ?or the rain. And for a contrast in styles, we learn in one of the DV
9、Ds extras that Cary Grant turned down the lead role because he felt the focus was too much on the princess. Peck, meanwhile, insisted that Wyler bill Hepburn above the title with him, because she was going to win an Oscar for her performance and become a huge star, and it would have looked silly to
10、put her under the title.Almost Frame-by-FrameAlong with Sunset Boulevard, which Paramount released simultaneously, Roman Holiday has been restored frame by frame. But in the one disappointing feature on this disc, Restoring Roman Holiday, we get very little in the way of explanation or demonstration
11、 only the information that the film was in very bad shape, and that the greatest challenge was the amount of dirt (400-500 particles per frame) on the master. Unfortunately, its mostly talking heads telling us how arduous the process was, with only a brief original and restored comparison. Were not
12、told all that much about the original film or the process to restore it. The final result is sharp and clear, but not perfect, and theres no mention in this short feature about the half-dozen moments in the movie when a few frames seem to be missing and the film skips forward.The other two 20-minute
13、 features are considerably stronger. Remembering Roman Holiday includes talking-head interview clips from Albert, Wylers daughter, film critic Molly Haskell and others, with vintage interview clips of Peck discussing the movie and Hepburn talking about Peck at a 1992 tribute. There are enough movie
14、minutiae moments to make the feature a worthwhile watch. Hepburn, for example, was discovered on the French Riviera by the French writer Colette, who selected her to play the lead in Gigi on Broadway. Hepburns screen test for Roman Holiday is included, and we can see that even then, she looked remar
15、kably poised and icon-like. There are some fun moments, too, as when we hear Peck tell how he got Wylers permission to ad lib an old Red Skelton gag while he and Hepburn were standing, in character, by the Mouth of Truth. The legend was that if you inserted your hand into the mouth, it would be bitt
16、en off if you had told a lie. And of course Peck acts as if his hand is caught in a garbage disposal, finally extracting a hand-up-the-sleeve arm that produced a memorable one-take reaction from Hepburn. Also included is a wonderful feature on costume designer Edith Head and the Paramount years, with plenty of period photos and clips, and three trailers for the film: a teaser, the theatrical trailer, and the re-release trailer proclaiming the film as
