[edit] # 21:50

"She ain't gonna call you back"

Roman Holiday is Audrey Hepburn's debut film. In it, she plays a princess who gets fed up with the demands of state and runs away from her minders during a visit to Rome. And that pretty much tells you enough to imagine the entire plot and resolution to the film. (Hint: she doesn't ultimately decide to give up royal life in favor of slinging chianti at a trotteria near the Spanish Steps).

So there's not much in the way of compelling story. Which is why it's all the more remarkable that Roman Holiday is incredibly fun to watch. For one, it's got that whole Edith Head/50's chic thing going on ... which you know, looks nice. And it's filmed on location in Rome ... also nice-looking.

But really it's all about Audrey.

Audrey, Audrey, Audrey.

Damn.

I don't think there are many other actresses who could make a movie turn on a scene about getting a haircut. But, man, does she get a fine-looking do.

There's a featurette on the DVD for Roman Holiday that has a clip from Audrey's screen test. In it she talks about how, during WWII in occupied Holland, she put on ballet performances to raise money for the resistance. I love the idea of little Audrey using her innocent art to fight the war against fascism. But then they ask her "Well, what if the Nazis had found out?" She goes wide-eyed and says in that blue-blood tinged yet still vulnerable voice "Oh, but they couldn't!"

The lady breaks my heart.

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