Released - August, 1953 

Directed By - William Wyler

Starring – Gregory Peck (Joe Bradley), Audrey Hepburn (Princess Ann), Eddie Albert (Irving Radovich), Hartley Power (Mr. Hennessy), Harcourt Williams (Ambassador).

Description – The beautiful Princess Ann is on a widely publicized tour of several European capitals including Rome. What sounds like a great vacation is no more than a bore for the Princess. Her schedule is very regimented and includes little more than demanding official duties.

Stressed by the experience she is given a sedative by her Doctor and instructed to rest. Instead, she sneaks out of the embassy to see Rome by herself. With the sedative beginning to take effect she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by expatriate reporter Joe Bradley.

After refusing money for a taxi home, Joe takes her to his apartment to spend the night. The next morning, while she is still sleeping, Joe gets to work a little late and tells his editor that his lateness is due to an interview with a visiting princess at a press conference.

This excuse backfires as the editor informs Joe that the conference was cancelled due to the princess becoming ill. Joe now sees a picture of the princess and realizes that she is the woman in his apartment.

Sensing a great opportunity for a news exclusive Joe decides to take the girl on a tour of Rome without telling her that he knows she is the princess and that he is a reporter. Princess Ann shares with Joe her desire to live a normal life and it seems as though the two are falling in love.

Her absence from the embassy has now caused a great deal of concern and the princess is reported missing. Is is possible for the princess to marry the commoner or will a higher calling taker her away?

NOTABLE: In 1999 this motion picture was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Roman Holiday received three Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Audrey Hepburn), Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, and Best Writing, Motion Picture Story. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Eddie Albert), Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, and Best Film Editing.

In 2008 the American Film Institute ranked Roman Holiday as the fourth best film in the romantic comedy genre.

After filming completed, Gregory Peck declared that Audrey Hepburn, in her first major starring role, should win the Oscar. As it turned out, she did.

Audrey Hepburn’s screen test for the role was good, but not great. After her test the cameraman, unknown to Hepburn, was instructed to continue filming. It was Hepburn’s candid and spontaneous interview footage that won her the role.

The film was shot in black-and-white so that the beautiful scenery of Rome would not upstage the characters.

While filming, Gregory Peck who was depressed about his recent separation and ultimate divorce from first wife Greta, met French woman Veronique Passani. The two fell in love and remained together for the rest of his life.

Personal Note: Although the ending may be thought of as bittersweet, this is an totally charming romantic comedy.

Buy Here Roman Holiday (Special Collector’s Edition)

Audrey Hepburn Collection (Breakfast at Tiffany’s / Roman Holiday / Sabrina)

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Released - September, 1952 

Directed By - Howard Hawks

Starring – Cary Grant (Dr. Barnaby Fulton), Ginger Rogers (Mrs. Edwina Fulton), Charles Coburn (Mr. Oliver Oxley), Marilyn Monroe (Miss Lois Laurel), Hugh Marlowe (Hank Entwhistle).

Description – Dr. Barnaby Fulton is a research scientist working on a fountain of youth pill. One day, a lab chimp happens to get loose and pours some chemicals into the water cooler without anyone noticing.

Dr. Fulton, anxious to try his new fountain of youth formula, decides to test it on himself washing it down with water from the cooler. It doesn’t take long for the formula to kick in causing the Dr. to act as if he were a twenty-year old.

Mrs. Fulton hears of the effects and also decides to try it out turning herself into a prank-pulling schoolgirl. Soon, more and more people from the laboratory drink from the cooler causing a second childhood complex with hilarious results.

A minor comedy classic that is a lot of fun.

Monkey Business

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Released - August, 1952 

Directed By - John Ford

Starring – John Wayne (Sean Thornton), Maureen O’Hara (Mary Kate Danaher), Barry Fitzgerald (Michaleen Oge Flynn), Ward Bond (Father Peter Lonergan), Victor McLaglen (Squire ‘Red’ Will Danaher).

Description – Irish-American Sean Thornton travels from his home in Pittsburgh to Ireland to reclaim his family’s farm. Sean had just outbid bullying landowner ‘Red’ Will Danaher who had wanted the Thornton land which is adjacent to his.

While Sean and ‘Red’ don’t mix well, ‘Red’s’ beautiful sister Mary Kate has captured Sean’s eye and his heart. Will Danaher refuses to sanction a wedding between the two until tricked into believing that a rich widow wanted to marry him, but only if his sister was out of the house.

Will learns of the trick on his sisters wedding day and refuses to turn over her full dowry. While the dowry means little to Sean, it is very important to Mary Kate as it represents her identity, independence, and pride.

The lack of importance Sean places on the dowry causes Mary Kate to believe his is a coward for not standing up to her brother and she plans on forcing him to confront Will by threatening to leave him. However, there is more than meets the eye in Sean’s apparent lack of interest in the dowry; he is hiding a dark secret.

NOTABLE: This film won two Academy Awards; Best Director (John Ford), and Best Cinematography, Color. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Victor McLaglen), Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color, and Best Sound, Recording.

This motion picture represented a change of pace for the duo of John Ford and John Wayne. Previously, the pair were noted for action pictures and westerns.

The Quiet Man was the only film to receive a Best Picture nomination for Republic Pictures, known for low-budget B-movies.

The Quiet Man (Collector’s Edition)

Released – June, 1952 

Directed By - George Cukor

Starring – Spencer Tracy (Mike Conovan), Katharine Hepburn (Patricia “Pat” Pemberton), Aldo Ray (Davie Hucko), William Ching (Collier Weld), Sammy White (Barney Grau).

Description – Pat Pemberton is a top female athlete in position to win a women’s golf championship. Only one problem, she has a domineering fiance and when he is around, flustered is the word of the day.

Pat’s fiance would like her to forget the whole athletic thing and get married. However, this is not something she wants to do. In an effort to get some help changing his mind she enlists the aid of  somewhat shady sports promoter Mike Conovan.

Recognizing a good thing when he sees it, Mike becomes Pat’s manager and tries to hide his rather dubious past. But, that’s not so easy. Enter mobsters, a jealous boxer, and the fact that they are actually starting to like each other.

With Tracy and Hepburn, good chemistry equals good comedy!

NOTABLE: This motion picture received an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay.

Quite a few notable athletes show up in cameo roles here including golfers Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Helen Dettweiler, and Betty Hicks, as well as tennis players Don Budge, Alice Marble, and Gussie Moran.

This was the seventh of nine films that paired Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Katharine Hepburn has stated that this was her favorite.

In real life, Katharine Hepburn was an avid golfer.

This film marked the debut of Chuck Connors.

Pat and Mike

The Hepburn & Tracy Signature Collection (Woman of the Year / Pat and Mike / Adam’s Rib / The Spencer Tracy Legacy)

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Released – October, 1951 

Directed By - Clarence Brown

Starring – Paul Douglas (Aloysius X. ‘Guffy’ McGovern), Janet Leigh (Jennifer Paige), Keenan Wynn (Fred Bayles).

Description – In last place again the Pittsburgh Pirates abusive and foul-mouth manager Guffy McGovern is taking a beating in the press as well. It seems as though only some form of divine intervention can help a team this bad.

Well, guess what? There seems to be an ex-ballplaying angel who is willing to make a deal with the manager. If Guffy will change his habits of swearing and fighting, the angel just might be able to help. Just when it looked as though the Pirates feet were permanently rooted in last place cement the ‘spirits’ of past Pirate greats begin to help the team turn their fortunes around.

It was due to the prayers of orphan Pirate fan Bridgit White that prompted the angelic visit to Guffy and just might get the Pirates win the pennant.

Enjoy this little fantasy charmer with the whole family.

NOTABLE: Look for cameo’s by Bing Crosby (who just happened to own 15% of the Pirates at the time), along with Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, and Ralph Kiner.

Angels in the Outfield

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