Roman Holiday
Originally published on social media on July 6th, 2024
I saw this film for the first time a decade ago, and it genuinely changed me. Here’s what I mean:
This wasn’t the first old Hollywood film I had seen, but it’s one of the first to become a favorite movie. There was a season somewhere in high school where I watched this film multiple times a week. I remember we had this blue couch in our old living room and I would watch the movie late at night, let myself fall asleep, wake up on this couch, fast forward/rewind to the scene where Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn kiss and attempt to say goodbye. I always had to end the night on that scene because it was so romantic and I wanted to go to bed with hopelessly romantic and wistful thoughts. In that way, Roman Holiday became a sort of lifestyle routine for me, and it always guaranteed a sort of magic.
Eight years after those formative years, a man and I parted ways and I remember saying to him and myself something like: “it’s like Roman Holiday…we were meant to enjoy our time together, but that time has ended and we have to move on with our lives.” The point of sharing that story is not to say it actually was like “Roman Holiday” (hindsight tells me that much). The reason I share it is to illustrate how much “Roman Holiday” will always be a part of me because of the role it played in my formative years.
I haven’t watched Roman Holiday for a few years, but tonight I find myself watching it because something in my soul feels dried out…my sense of whimsy and my inner hopeless romantic. Some people think those are character flaws, but I think they are only bad when they blind you. Otherwise, being a hopeless romantic can be quite fun I think.
Many people have those special movies that they may not watch all the time, but that are a genuine part of them. When movies enter that place in our lives, it’s hard to articulate why they are so good.
I invite you to reflect on those films that hold that special place in your heart, and I encourage you to watch them again soon. Films do not encompass identity, but they can play a role in who we are. It is never a waste of time to remind ourselves of the magic of film and the beauty within us.