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Audrey Hepburn became a adept overnight with her first leading function in William Wyler ’s masterfully craft romcom classicRoman Holiday . Her iconic performance as Princess Ann earned her an Academy Award . She smoothen so brightly in the role that she overshadow her co - star Gregory Peck , who was an established A - Baron Lister at the time .
While the success of the finished picture speaks for itself , it had a tough road getting to the screen . With a different manager purchase the initial rights to the story and several blacklisted communists working on the gang , Roman Holidayhad a long and enthralling output process .
Cary Grant And Elizabeth Taylor Were Considered For The Lead Roles
The character of Princess Ann inRoman Holidaymade Audrey Hepburn a movie star . She ’d previously only play bit parts and done theater work . William Wyler ’s top option for the role was in reality Jean Simmons , while Elizabeth Taylor was also consider .
Cary Grant was the initial choice to dally Joe , but he turned it down because he thought he was too old to toy Hepburn ’s honey pastime – although they did finally wreak a couple inCharadea 10 after .
Frank Capra Was The First Choice To Direct
The story forRoman Holidaywas originally optioned in 1949 with the intention that Frank Capra would direct it as a bid on his previous work , It Happened One Nox . It was under Capra that the producers project to roll Cary Grant and Elizabeth Taylor in the lede persona .
However , when Capra ’s production party ran into fiscal trouble , he had to sell the right to the write up to Paramount , after which he had a few creative differences with the studio and drop out , allowing William Wyler to step in .
Gregory Peck Was Dying To Do A Comedy
Cary Grant sour down the role of Joe lined up nicely with Gregory Peck need to take a shift from his usual spectacular work to star in a funniness .
Peck was initially line up for top charge , but during motion-picture photography , it became evident to the actor thatAudrey Hepburn was the film ’s on-key star . He thought she was destined for an Oscar and encourage the producers to give her top billing instead . Of course , she did end up succeed the Oscar .
Blacklisted Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo Couldn’t Receive A Credit
The writer ofRoman Holiday , Dalton Trumbo , was blacklisted as a member of the Hollywood Ten for his communist sympathies , so he could n’t receive a reference for the plastic film – even when his work won an Oscar for Best Motion Picture Story .
Instead , his ally Ian McLellan Hunter , who work on the net draft , took credit and consent the Oscar . Hunter gave his $ 50,000 fee to Trumbo .
William Wyler Shot On Black-And-White So He Could Shoot In Rome
Paramount in the first place want to shootRoman Holidayon soundstages in Hollywood . William Wyler was so dire to buck it on position in Rome that he match to let the studio apartment slash the budget to accommodate the head trip . This made it the first American movie to be shot in its entirety in Italy .
The movie was originally project to be snap in Technicolor , but Wyler had to shoot it on calamitous - and - white film so as to keep costs down . This is also why Audrey Hepburn , then an unknown actor , land the lead role . Still , the movie cease up going around $ 700,000 over budget .
The Movie’s Royal Heroine Necessitated A Deal Between The Studio And The British Government
SinceRoman Holidayrevolves around a princess , Paramount had to make a deal with the British government that there would be no indication in the film that Audrey Hepburn ’s fiber was any relation to the British royal phratry – peculiarly Princess Margaret .
William Wyler had to shoot an entire scene for the film just to make it clear that Hepburn ’s fibre is not a British princess .
Gregory Peck Improvised The Scene At The Mouth Of Truth
The iconic setting that takes position at the Mouth of Truth , where Joe pretends his paw has been bite off , was improvised by Gregory Peck . Audrey Hepburn was n’t anticipate it , so her chemical reaction is genuine . This kind of spontaneousness is on the nose what director William Wyler wanted to capture with the film .
This fit was later on repair by Robert Downey , Jr. and Marisa Tomei for the movieOnly You , as well as myriad other takeoff .
Audrey Hepburn Couldn’t Cry On Cue
For the conniption in whichAnn bids farewell to Joe , the princess was theorize to cry , but a then - inexperienced Audrey Hepburn was ineffective to outcry on pool stick .
After a few takes where Hepburn failed to scream , theatre director William Wyler became furious that they were wasting film , which propel Hepburn to bristle into teardrop , allowing Wyler to get the footage he require .
There Were Seven Japanese Dubs Of Roman Holiday
WhileRoman Holidaywas generally popular all over the world , it was particularly popular in Japan . A grand total of seven Nipponese dubs of the movie were made .
Audrey Hepburn ’s typical coiffure from the film was emulated by people from a lot of commonwealth , but it especially became a fad in Japan .
A Sequel Was Considered, But Never Materialized
In the seventies , two decades afterRoman Holidayhit theaters and waslauded as a masterpiece , Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck were both come on about asterisk in a possible subsequence .
For whatever reason , the subsequence never materialized . This was probably for the well , as belated continuation to classic seldom work out .
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