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Most people would probably give anything to be famous because that would mean being able to buy anything, go anywhere, do anything, and just generally enjoy a lifetime of leisure. It's the stuff of fairy tales, after all. But from time to time, we get a story about a famous person who simply wishes to be anonymous, if only for a day. That's precisely what the 1953 William Wyler film Roman Holiday is all about.

Roman Holiday stars the incomparable Audrey Hepburn as Ann, a princess who is touring the world with her family. Their current stop is Italy, and Ann is at that age where she is pretty much tired of the whole "royal duty" thing. She wants to go out on her own and see Italy the way a regular person would. So she waits until the rest of her family and entourage are asleep, and climbs out through the window to begin her adventure.

Ann soon runs into a man named Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) who is on his way back to his apartment after a late night out with friends. Joe notices that Ann doesn't belong on the streets, and sensing that she has no place else to go, offers to let her sleep at his place for the night. Ann accepts, and the two continue on.

The next day, Joe, a newspaper reporter, is late to work. He makes up an excuse on the spot, saying that he was busy interviewing Princess Ann. His boss then shows him a published article that claims Princess Ann was sick the night before, which essentially means Joe has been caught in his lie. But Joe is not interested in that point anymore. He's struck by the photo of Princess Ann because he realize that that's the young woman he took home to his apartment. Thinking quickly, he immediately strikes a deal with his boss: Joe will get a real interview with the princess -- an exclusive, with photos and all -- for a $5,000 payoff. The boss, while skeptical, nevertheless agrees to the proposal.

Joe then calls a photographer friend named Irving (Eddie Albert) and the two of them plan to take Ann out to see the sights. Of course they don't tell her that they're working for the newspaper, and Ann doesn't tell them that she's a princess, so that leads to some interesting situations.

As Joe and Ann tour Rome, Joe is quickly won over by the princess's charm. She is so innocent, genuine, and happy that he can't help but soften up towards her. They start to fall in love even though both know deep down that nothing could ever come of their relationship.

The rest of the film deals with the budding relationship that can't last very long and the eventual revelation of everyone's identities at the end.

I thought Roman Holiday was an excellent movie for many different reasons. First of all, it was fantastic to see the emergence of Audrey Hepburn as a true Hollywood star. Roman Holiday was Hepburn's first major film and paved the way for her long, successful career. Her performance as Princess Ann was so remarkable that she took home an Oscar for Best Actress. Hepburn positively glows each time she is on the screen, and it's so easy for viewers to believe that she could be a princess.

Gregory Peck was good as Joe Bradley too. It was fun to watch his character transform from a mostly cynical reporter to a sentimental, unselfish person after spending time with Ann.

As good as the actors were in this movie, another compelling reason to see the film is for all the external shots of Rome. Roman Holiday was shot entirely on location, so viewers get to see Rome through Ann's eyes, just as if they were seeing the Eternal City for the first time themselves. It's a magical tour that will make you want to jump on the next plane to Italy, rent a scooter, and do all the same things Ann and Joe did.

Overall, Roman Holiday is a fun, entertaining, lighthearted film that you won't want to miss. I recommend renting this one the next time you're in the mood for an old-fashioned romantic comedy.