The Answer Is Roman Holiday

Today is They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To's 2nd anniversary, and that means it is also revelation day...the day on which I will reveal which film began my love affair with the classics and the winner of my contest.  Drum roll please...

The answer is Roman Holiday. It happened like this...it was November, 2003, and our family was spending a week with some friends.  Wanting a little "girl time" in the midst of all the craziness that comes with 6 kids, 2 husbands, 2 dogs, and 1 cat, my friend decided that she and I were going to have a "chick flick" movie night.  We would grab a movie, pop some corn, brew a pot of tea, and curl up under a blanket on her bed.  (That may sound strange, but since their family's only TV was in the master bedroom, that was where we had to go; plus, we could shut the door and be removed from the chaos of the other 8 people in the house.)

Anyhow, she chose Roman Holiday as our movie, and I have to tell you, I was dismayed.  A black and white movie? With an actor and actress I had barely ever heard of?  Oh, I had heard the names Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, but I certainly didn't know them...and I couldn't have told you any other movies they were in.  I couldn't believe my friend had chosen a movie like that, but since I wanted to be a good sport, without complaint, I settled in to watch...with exceedingly low expectations, of course.  Imagine my surprise to discover that I was immediately interested, and as the film went on, I grew more and more delighted.  I was completely and totally shocked to find that I loved that movie.  It set me on a course of discovering more films of both stars, which, of course, led me to Sabrina and my love affair with William Holden.  Roman Holiday showed me that films from the former days are interesting, well-acted, and well-written and that they aren't filled to overflowing with nudity, sex, and foul language.  (In the interest of keeping trash from my young children's minds, I had virtually removed TV and movies from our home in the late 1990's.)

In the nine years since then, I have become more and more passionate about classic films.  Truly, I believe, Hollywood just doesn't make 'em like they used to!  Of course, there are other movies I've come to love even more than Roman Holiday, but that delightful 1953 Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck romantic comedy will always be very precious to me and one of my favorite films.  And it will always have the distinction of being the film which opened my eyes to the amazing artistry of the classics.  (Reviewed HERE, way back in the first weeks of this blog's existence)

(By the way, I've made known that I watched Casablanca as a teenager; however, I had zero appreciation for the film then, and it wasn't until I had gotten in to classic films that I began to love it.  So, even though it may have been the first classic film I ever saw, it did not open my eyes to their beauty.)

No one got this correct, though Victoria knew that I love Fredric March, The Best Years of Our Lives, and a specific line from that movie; Dawn knew that my top 3 movies are A Place in the Sun, Now Voyager, and Casablanca; others, too, knew that I love Now, Voyager.  All of you left very kind, encouraging, heart-warming comments, and I am touched and humbled by your words.  I wish I could give a prize to all of you just as appreciation for your friendship; however, since I can't do that, I simply chose one of the commenters at random...and that person is Victoria, which is actually kind of fitting since she was a friend even before I started this blog.  She will be receiving a fun little book...Movie Stars of the '40's.

Thanks again to all of you for faithfully popping by my little place in the blogosphere.  I know that there are many wonderful blogs out there; I know, also, that there is so little time to read them all.  Therefore, I am truly humbled that you took the time to stop by and visit me.