Opened: August 27, 1953

Directed by: William Wyler

Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power, Harcourt Williams & Margaret Rawlings

Winning her only Academy Award for Best Actress, this film introduced Audrey Hepburn to the world. Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo also won an Oscar for Roman Holiday under a pseudonym while blacklisted.

When American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) discovers the woman asleep in his room is none other than Princess Ann (Hepburn), he convinces her to play hooky for a day while he writes a secret story about her.

Filmed on location in Rome, the film is absolutely beautiful and shows sights like the Spanish Steps and the Colosseum, which will make you want to travel.

Hepburn and Peck are formidable leads. Their romance grows slowly but has intense passion by the end. In her first role, Hepburn is charming, commands attention and solidifies herself as a star.

Final say: Lovely in a lovely city. ★★★★★