Roman Holiday

ROMAN HOLIDAY -- 1987, starring Catherine Oxenberg and Tom Conti, looked to be a treat for any romantic person, and I eagerly looked forward to the day when it would be broadcast... Well, I did like the updating, wherein the Princess got to eat pizza for the first time, and also enjoyed the appearance, in this version, of the princess's father, the King, who was not seen in the original. All the acting was very good and earnest. Unfortunately, the storyline was not. I am surprised that it was by Dalton Trumbo, (even, as a blacklisted author, using another author as his "front") because every other movie I have seen which was written by Mr. Trumbo was superiour! The dialogue is OK -- but the storyline......! The two leading characters, (the Princess and reporter Joe Bradley), didn't seem to love each other AT ALL in this 1987 version. The interplay of duty-vs-love was never really in the forefront of this latter version, (1987), as it was in the 1952 version with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. So, all the emotion from the story had just about vanished. "Roman Holiday"'s one-day romance is is said to have gotten its inspiration from the much longer Princess Margaret/Peter Townsend affair....but you'd never guess it here. I wish that Catherine Oxenberg and Tom Conti had been given a better script...they are both very fine actors, and would have given this "eternal story from the eternal city", the depth of feeling as seen in t original, but updated for a modern audience. As it is.... Well, my advice would be, if you have only time to see one version, see the original. (A third version, incorporating the appearance of the King -- and the pizza, seen only in the updated, 1987 version -- with the feelings of longing and love of the original, 1953 version -- would still be very welcome, I think, by all romantics around the world!)

It's not a scrap on the original. Of course Audrey Hepburn's version is superior - the woman won an Oscar for it. However, this version does stay very true to the heart of the story, and is well done. There really aren't any major changes made, just the story is now in color and updated a little. It's nice to see what they did with it, perhaps a little more true to what would happen today. There's nothing spectacular about this production, but it's worthwhile. Overall, if you can only see one version, see the original.