Rom Com Season: Roman Holiday (Dir William Wyler, 1h 58m, 1955)

 

Of all cinema's genres, none seem to be regarded as dismissively as the romantic comedy. "The chick-flick", the impossible ideals of falling in love that they represent, "syrupy nonsense", the faults that some people seem to have with the genres are as myriad as the names that (mostly male) audiences and critics risably slap on the genre. Indeed, compared to almost every single other genre (aside from that other great pariah, horror), the five highest grossing romantic comedy films ever (a list topped by My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the most profitable film in history), got a mixed, if not entirely muted reception, and the genre's perceived frothiness has, with few exceptions, often seen it left out in the cold when it comes to awards season.

This being the month of Valentine's Day, of course, I feel it necessary to redress the balance, and turn my attention to the girl (or occasionally boy)-meets-boy (or occasionally girl), world of the romantic comedy in all its meet-cute, innocent misunderstanding, relationship-montage glory. This is, to be fair, partly because I've never really watched much of the genre, mostly because, to be entirely honest, I've unfortunately, largely been part of that dismissive group that regard the rom-com, in great generality, as a bit of a bore, and feel that I need to do a little to redress this balance. What better place to start than with the film that practically invented the genre, Roman Holiday, in which the incomparable Audrey Hepburn escapes the stifling structure of royal succession to explore, alongside Robert Peck's journalist, the Italian capital, and slowly, despite their differences, fall in love.

We begin with the gilded cage and Audrey Hepburn's Ann; a newsreel quickly introduces the Princess's visit to Italy, and the stifling structure of princesshood, as she fidgets with a shoe during a presentation to Italian dignitaries. In one simple scene, Hepburn, together with scriptwriters John Dighton and an uncredited and blacklisted Dalton Trumbo (indeed Trumbo did not receive his Academy award until 1993, when it was posthumously awarded to his wife), creates a perfectly poised portrait of a woman ill-at-ease in her formal and overly structured life. This comes to a head later in the evening, where, beginning to struggle with the overwhelming structure of her life, the princess breaks down, overwhelmed, and bursts into tears, eventually having to be sedate. This, though, does not stop her escaping from the palace in which she's staying, via a laundry truck, and she heads out into the Roman night.

From here, the film swaps to Gregory Peck's character, Joe-and it is here that the film presents one of the first major tropes of the rom-com, that of the mismatched couple-whilst this isn't a new trope, and certainly it predates the modern rom-com, it's something that Roman Holiday codifies for the genre going forward, from Howard and Maude in in the 1971 film of the same name, to Alvy and Annie, in Annie Hall (1977), to Madison and Allen in 1984's Splash. Joe is a down on his luck journalist-his antagonistic relationship with his boss, Hennessy, is later revealled to be bordering on servitude, and we meet Joe for the first time gambling with his colleagues in the early hours of the morning, and follow him into Rome, where he quickly comes across Ann, who, the worse for wear, he takes pity with and eventually takes home via taxi. Along the way, the "comedy" part of the film starts to become apparent, in one of the funniest scenes of the entire film as Joe tries to foist the sleeping young woman off on the taxi driver, only to reluctantly settle up with him and bring her inside to sleep.

It's here that one of the other great romantic comedy tropes makes its appearance, that of the mistaken, or indeed concealed identity. For, for much of this introductory meeting between Ann and Joe, Joe is unaware of Ann's true identity-though Ann's cover story of being a schoolgirl does much to support this, and Joe presents himself as a mere seller of fertiliser. This imbalance soon becomes apparent when Ann's identity is revealed to Joe by Hennessy, as he attempts to bluff his way through a (as it quickly becomes obvious cancelled) press conference, with us, the audience, in on the joke, before Hennessy brandishes a newspaper, and Joe realises the true identity of his unexpected guest. Thus, a plot is hatched between Joe and his colleague, Irving (Eddie Albert), to convince the princess to an interview, and thus the film gathers pace.

It is here that the film changes gear, with Anya, as she presents herself to Joe, beginning to enjoy her freedom; here, Rome, and its people take centre stage, with the film's black and white filming, of all things, a deliberate choice, so that the beauty of Rome did not distract or overwhelm the story it plays backdrop to. We see "Anya" explore her freedom, detached from the exceptions of royal duty gain agency over her appearance and her schedule, eventually running into Joe by the latter's designs, and agreeing to see the sights of Rome with him. What follows, thus, is a nigh-breathless tour through the Italian capital, from the Vespa ride through the streets at high speed, to a (surprisingly revealling) moment at the ancient and mythical Mouth of Truth, where Joe pretends, letting his mask and charade slip a little, that the stone head has claimed his hand as a liar.

It is here, thus, as the duo find themselves at a party, that the film pulls both its most comedic and its more poignant-for all their friendship and companionship through the rest of the film, it is only at this point that the romance of the film begins to make itself known, peppered as it is with the funniest, warmest sections of the duo's escapades, as they are chased down by detectives sent by the Government of Ann's country, and have to outrun them, leading to Ann smashing one of them over the head with a guitar and then rescuing Joe from the river into which he has fallen. If there is one sharp contrast to the films that Roman Holiday would inspire, it is that the kiss, when it comes, feels like an ending to the relationship, rather than a beginning.

Roman Holiday, though, feels more than simply the dawn of the romantic comedy, but a codifying of the entire genre, from its mismatched couple to mistaken and hidden identities, to its bittersweet finale. It is a love-letter to the Italian capital, it is a masterclass of comedy and romance, and it is the introduction of one of cinema's greatest talents onto the world stage, in the form of the defiant, and utterly charming Audrey Hepburn. It is, if nothing else, the film that practically launched the rom-com, and undeniably its critical highpoint in a perfect slice of romantic escapism.

Rating: Highly Recommended

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