Did you know your local movie theater might show a classic film every now and then?
A couple of weeks ago I discovered that the theater I frequent was planning on featuring Roman Holiday, my favorite Audrey Hepburn film. Of course I had to see it! And, thankfully, one of the showtimes was on a Sunday afternoon, a time at which I could attend.
I was the first one in the theater, and chills washed over me as I thought of what seeing this film must have been like for the moviegoers of the early 1950s (the movie originally released in 1953). As I sat there waiting for the movie to begin, I realized again just how much the movie experience had changed over the years (not that I was there for all of the changes, considering I was born in the late 1980s). Though I won't go into the details today, here's a neat article about some of the differences.
It also occurred to me that people coming into the original release's theater might have been Gregory Peck fans (he was already a household name by that time), but they may have left the cinema wondering what new pictures Audrey Hepburn would star in. This was her first major movie role, and it made her famous basically overnight. If you've seen Roman Holiday, you probably know why it launched her incredible career. It's not one particular thing you can pinpoint, really. At least, I'm unable to do so. There's just something about Audrey that emanates grace and charm and innocence that remains timeless and precious to this day.
Seeing Roman Holiday on the silver screen was a once in a lifetime experience that I will treasure forever. If I wasn't tutoring on Tuesday evening, I'd go see the showtime the theater is offering that night as well. I've thought for years that classic films should be available to see in theaters, so that the new generations would have the opportunity to be exposed to a brilliant era of motion pictures. Honestly, they don't make movies like they used to. And sometimes... I wish they did.
(Don't misunderstand: I'm a fan of movies from all eras, including current-day films such as the Mission Impossible series, Bourne series, and Letters to Juliet. But there was something really special about movies from the 1950s that I haven't seen replicated well in other decades of films.)
I'll be keeping my eyes out for more of these classic gems. I've long enjoyed classic movies and appreciate the wit included in many of them even more now that I'm old enough to understand the word sparring that used to be done so beautifully in film. I wish I had the ability to create such great dialogue in my novels. Maybe I should watch more classic movies like Roman Holiday, and more often too! I must say, that type of research would be delightful.
If you haven't seen Roman Holiday yet, you really don't know what you're missing. It's a sweet romantic comedy about a princess who escapes her schedule for an impromptu sightseeing tour as a commoner, and the news writer who discovers who she is and hides his occupation in order to snag the huge story that fell in his lap.
Please, friends, rent this one, buy it, borrow it from a friend. It's a must-see classic that tugs my heartstrings every time I watch it. Once you see it, come back and tell me what you thought about it! I'd love to know your opinion of one of my favorite movies of all time.
Friends, is your local theater showing Roman Holiday right now? What are some of your favorite classic films? Do you like the idea of seeing classic films on the big screen?
Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.
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