Joe Bradley is heartbroken and left abandoned, not before the Alter but a Princess’ vacant throne. Princess Ann, played by the beautifully childlike and radiant Audrey Hepburn, is given a shot in the arm to relax her but instead she escapes from her gilded cage and into the bustling Rome nightlife. Down and out reporter Joe Bradley stumbles upon this dazed and confused stranger and thus blossoms a 24-hour love affair; between both “Anya” and Joe…and the vibrant city of Rome.
Director William Wyler films entirely on location, which imbues the narrative with superlative energy and creates a romantic Neo-realism: the walk through the market and the use of non-actors bring this fairy-tale to the crowded streets, a stark juxtaposition that is necessary to empathize with the characters. Two superb DPs capture Wyler’s vision, Franz Planer and Henri Alekan, and their Academy Award nomination is deserved! Their deep focus photography places the Princess in large, looming rooms where she becomes just another decoration, like the foreboding angels that adorn these cavernous halls. Planer and Alekan also film her escape sequence like a film noir, their chiaroscuro and high angle compositions creating the needed tension. Edith Head wins her fifth Oscar for costume designs, and Audrey’s wardrobe perfectly accentuates her performance instead of overshadowing and obscuring.
Audrey’s performance of fiery independence and firm morality elevates the plot’s text concerning the feminist emancipation of a woman who ultimately must choose duty over a man. Dalton Trumbo’s script subverts the carefree romantic comedy with allusions to prostitution and drug use (the sedative that will make her happy…morphine?), that could victimize instead of empower. Also, the ascent into journalistic ethics by Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) who sacrifices a great story for love; he’s a shyster that has grown into a man. “Anya” meanwhile has understood that her duty to the many outweighs her need to the one...or herself. Eddie Albert provides slapstick relief as the sneaky photographer (LA DOLCE VITA wouldn’t coin the phrase Paparazzi for another 7 years) and he too makes the difficult choice.
Wyler plays with romantic convention, as we await the typical ending when lovers reunite, specifically: once in the car as “Anya” disappears around the corner, the camera holds upon Joe and the empty street for a few moments of suspense; and secondly, when the Princess and her entourage depart the ballroom and Joe is left standing alone, hoping for her to run back into his arms. The final tracking shot of Joe’s forlorn walk is through the empty hall, his footsteps a harsh staccato that echoes his loneliness; a sad love that could have been but can never be. It’s perfect.
Final Grade: (A)
