Celebrate Prince George's Birth By Watching A Royal-Themed Movie

Being the Anglophile that I am, I would have had to give up my fake British citizenship had I not been excited about the events that transpired last week in London.  I, of course, mean the birth of the royal little boy who will one day be king of the British empire. 

Since little else is on my mind of late, I thought I would carry this train of thought to my DVD watching.  So, I re-watched two of my favorites: Roman Holiday, which is about a princess coping with the stresses of the public eye, and To Catch A Thief, which, though not about a princess, is starring a future princess (Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956).  To Catch a Thief also holds special “royal” significance since it was filmed throughout the French Riviera and even in some parts of Monaco.

But, first, Roman Holiday, a delightful, sweet drama/comedy starring Gregory Peck as a gruff, hungry reporter who lucks out when he discovers the woman he found sleeping at the side of the road was “princess” Audrey Hepburn (in her Oscar-winning debut performance). He will do anything to get her story but cannot let her know what he does for a living. And, as he gets to know her, they fall in love. Can they be together, though?  Is she willing to give up her life as a princess for him? For her first starring film role, Hepburn shines as the naïve dreamer who craves more freedom.  Peck is right on target as a hard-edged reporter who eventually finds his softer side.  Even though the country of origin of Hepburn’s princess is never named, I would like to think that this is something very close to what Princess Elizabeth felt before she became Queen Elizabeth II (coincidentally, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 (the same year this film came out) actually helped Roman Holiday become a bona fide success, since most people had royalty on their minds). 

Now, on to To Catch a Thief.  This one is hard not to want to watch.  I mean visually, it’s a stunner…Cary Grant…Grace Kelly…the French Rivera.  Director Alfred Hitchcock knew how to capitalize on the beauty of all three when he made this film.  The story of the film revolves around a series of recent cat burglaries, which may or may not have been done by former jewel thief Grant. Kelly plays a young socialite who enjoys teasing and seducing Grant, especially after she finds out he used to be a burglar. Hitchcock also teases the audience here—much of Thief’s dialogue is done tongue-and-cheek. Grant is perfect for that “light” tone…he had already proven in other Hitchcock movies (Suspicion and Notorious) that he could play the dark, brooding leading man. In Thief (and then later North by Northwest), Grant takes on a more satirical, even jovial persona that makes him more appealing to the audience and to his leading lady. Watching To Catch a Thief is just pure fun…fun to watch and fun to imagine yourself in the midst of picturesque France with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

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Roman Holiday: 1953, not rated, 118 minutes, directed by William Wyler, starring Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn and Eddie Albert.

To Catch a Thief: 1955, PG, 106 minutes, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, John Williams and Jessie Royce Landis.

The Niles Library owns these titles on DVD (To Catch a Thief is also owned on Blu-ray). 

About this column: Cecilia Cygnar the Niles Library's Film Specialist, reviews movies in the library's collection.