Critic's Grade: A+

"Roman Holiday" plays like the polar opposite of "Cinderella," though it's fairytale quality and insatiable charm are in much the same form. It's the classic story that has been done over and over (and over) again by countless imitators and wannabes since its release in 1953, and after so many failed attempts to capture the magic that practically emanates from this William Wyler gem, it's nice to finally see where it all began.

This is the film that introduced world audiences to the beauty and charm of Audrey Hepburn, one of the most gifted and extraordinary actresses of all time, and ceraintly one of the most beautiful. She employs such a terrific grace in the role of Princess Ann, fictional royal figure of England who, when on a trip through the finer points in Europe to discuss political issues, decides to escape the pressures of her pampered palace life for a day and just have some fun with her life. Hepburn makes a sturdy segue from the frustrations of royalty to the carefree nature of her character in later moments with such incredible ease, her adorable smile forever embedded into our minds and hearts, her Oscar well-earned.

The rest of the story is pretty familiar for the most part: after being picked up drunken and spouting gibberish by an American journalist named Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), she proceeds to spend the next day with him visiting the sites in Rome (hence the title), doing everything from riding a motorcycle through the crowded city streets to dancing the night away at a gala. But, the pressures of her royal background come to cash in...

Throughout the film there are those little moments as only Hollywood can portray them. This is the type of movie where a brass band strikes up to add excitement to a brawl, where a one-day romance can become the stuff of cotton candy, where jubilance and happiness actually have some part to play within the material. The film is also shot on location in Rome, adding a sense of authenticity that keeps us involved in the holiday. The sweet-and-sour romance between Hepburn and Peck is further enhanced by their performances, not to mention the photography, which captures them from all the right angles in all the right places. The two strike sparks from the moment they step into the same frame, and carry this energy through to the final moments.

I think the thing that keeps me most intrigued by this picture is the ending, which I will not reveal, but will explain carefully. Wyler and screenwriters Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton play things out in such a fashion that you don't know exactly how things are going to end up; the question of whether or not the two lovers will end up together in the end is constantly nagging and never quite predictable, and that makes the final frame all-the-more affecting. That, in addition to a build-up filled with intensely romantic moments, witty dialogue, unbeatable acting, and exquisite photography, makes "Roman Holiday" one escapist romantic comedy that withstands the test of time and comes out sparkling.

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