Delicious UK - (08)August 2020

ROMANHOLIDAY

(1953)

WHAT’SIT ABOUT?

PrincessAnn

(Hepburnin

anOscar-winningdebut)is the

shelteredheirtothethroneof

anunnamedEasternEuropean

country,feelingsuffocatedonan

interminable,much-publicised

goodwilltourofWesternEurope.

InRomeshefinallyflipsand,

afterbeinggivena sedative,still

managestoexecutea woozy

midnightflitfromherembassy.

Hard-upAmericanreporterJoe

Bradley(GregoryPeck)findswhat

heassumestobea drunkwoman

asleepona benchandtakesher

backtohisflatforhersafety.Next

morning,Joerealiseshehasanescaped

princessonhishands,thoughshe’s

passingherselfoffas‘AnyaSmith’.

Thepairendupona FerrisBueller-level

dayoffintheEternalCity,withJoe’s

photographerchumIrving(thebrilliant

EddieAlbert)secretlytakingsnapsfor

Joe’sstory,whichwillnetthemena packet.

ButJoe’saffectionforhisprincesscharming

is growing,andsecret-serviceagentssent

from her country are hot on their tail.

THE MOVIE

WHYTHISMOVIE?

Thoughnearly 70 yearsold,it stillfizzes

likea newlypoppedprosecco.It’sa film

aboutfreedomandescape– something

we’refantasisingaboutthissummer– but

alsoaboutdutyandthecommongood.

Foodis allaround:theprincessfleesthe

embassyina cateringvanwithclinking

bottlesoffizz;shevisitsa foodmarket

piledwithfruitandvegandglistening

live eels; and there’s a hilarious scene at

GRoccacafé(sadlylonggone)where

a liquidlunchis mostlyspilledonto

Irving’strousers.Seeingcarefreedinersin

pavementcaféswillprickyournostalgia

for travel,andthescenepicturedhere,of

theprincesseatinga gelatoonthe

SpanishSteps(anddiscarding

thecone– tsk)is a keymoment.

Thefilmhascharm,tenderness

andgreatcomiccameos,notably

fromClaudioErmelliasJoe’s

landlordGiovanni.There’sa

breezyfeeltothewholething,

right up until the affecting finale.

TRIVIATOMUNCHON

lHepburnleftherawardinthe

looonOscarsnightandhadto

runbackintothetheatreforit.

lThefilmhada reallifeparallel

intheUK’sPrincessMargaret,who

wasforcedtorenounceherloveforthe

divorced‘commoner’PeterTownsend.

l Sales of Vespa scooters rocketed in 1953.

THEQUOTETOQUOTE

PRINCESSANN:I’veneverbeenalone

witha manbefore,evenwithmydresson.

With my dress off it’s MOST unusual.

Rent/buyit onAmazon,GooglePlayand

YouTube. Turn over for the meal and wine→ WORDS: LES DUNN. FILM IMAGES: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK

SitbackandenjoyAudreyHepburnandGregoryPeckbuzzingaround1950s

Romeona Vespainthisclassicromanticcomedy andaccompanytheshowing

with an appropriately whizzy gnocchi bake and a bottle of something good

MOV I E N IGH T

film + meal + wine

76 deliciousmagazine.co.uk