“If only I had bought a few more things online. Then I wouldn’t be exiting this world with sorrow and regret.”—Nobody on their death bed. Ever.
On the other hand, you might regret it if you don’t take more vacations.
If you can train yourself to leave your anxiety and work stress behind, vacations will be the happiest and most adventurous time in your life.
The only thing better than travel is travel when you are single. A plane ticket to a distant city is worth its weight in Spanish Fly.
It’s not just being in another place; it’s about being another person. Vacation Max is cooler and more fun than Home Max. Vacation Max is a different man; a better man.
“Roman Holiday” captures the romantic magic of travel. It shows what can happen when you leave your true self behind for a while and pretend to be someone better.
Audrey Hepburn is magnificent as Princess Anne – heir to the throne of an unnamed European country. When we meet her, Anne is overwhelmed by her solemn royal responsibilities and throwing a slight tantrum. The doctor rushes in and injects her with a sedative.
Anne sneaks out, anyway, and enjoys the sights and sounds of Rome until she falls asleep on a park bench. Down on his luck reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) finds the sleeping beauty.
Anne is too zonked to remember where she’s staying, so Joe is stuck dragging the drugged girl back to his room for the night. (Bill Cosby also gives this movie four stars).
In the light of morning, Joe realizes that he can get an exclusive story about Princess Anne if he doesn’t admit he’s a reporter. And Princess Anne realizes that she can play hooky for a while and just be a regular young woman.
They’re both pretending to be someone else. But that doesn’t stop them from having a romantic day in Rome; it only adds to the magic.
On paper, “Roman Holiday” is just a chick flick fantasy. But the amazing lead performances elevate it to a masterpiece.
Young Audrey Hepburn had two jobs: look spectacularly pretty and convince us that she’s a real princess. She nails both. No wonder she became an instant superstar.
Gregory Peck is just as good. He could have made the mistake of playing Joe like Cary Grant: impossibly charming and witty.
But Joe Bradley isn’t a knight in shining armor. He’s not a great guy. It’s the vacation that makes him alluring. By pretending to be a carefree business man on vacation, Joe becomes exactly what Anne needs to have a great time.
And that’s what makes the film’s conclusion so perfect [huge spoiler alert]. Joe and Anne never admit to each other who they really are. And they definitely don’t end up together.
They obviously don’t belong together. It’s not a real romance; it’s an exciting little crush.
“Roman Holiday” is the best movie I’ve ever seen about a vacation fling. Hopefully it will inspire unmarried viewers to cancel their Amazon memberships and spend that money on a trip. Vacation romance is more wonderful and life-affirming than anything money can buy.