If this perfect jewel of romance & fantasy were made today, it would be be given a ridiculous ending w/the princess running away w/ the journalist. This movie makes the hard decision to give us a more realistic yet bittersweet conclusion. It may be a romantic comedy fairytale but the writers and the superb director William Wyler were smart to give us the only believable ending possible. The story is effortless. It goes as deep as it needs to go considering everything happens in one day & it's packed full of adventure & charm. Only the most hardened individuals wouldn't respond to it w/ enduring affection. It is a sweet story of another time & it's a great joy to spend this day w/ these characters. There are insufficient superlatives to speak about Audrey Hepburn's elegant performance. It was unlike anything before it & it is as luminous today as it was then. Gregory Peck is surprisingly effective as a romantic lead. The usually very stoic actor has never been so charming. Eddie Albert brings his superb comic timing and he is used well. Pay no attention to the 1 or 2 foolish detractors in these user reviews. Watch it. It's a great movie you will not forget, for all the right reasons.
Review of Roman Holiday
