Do you remember the first black and white movie you ever watched?

Mine was probably La Strada (1954), courtesy of my sophomore English Honors teacher. She had the class watch it for an assignment and I must say, looking back now, she had fantastic taste in movies!

But the first real black and white movie I watched out of my own accord, was Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s Roman Holiday (1953) in my junior year of high school. It was a spur of the moment decision, mainly because I was curious about Audrey Hepburn as a person and the premise seemed easy enough to enjoy.

The story tells of a sheltered princess in Rome. All she wants to do is see the city and she is given that very opportunity when she manages to sneak out of her palace. She stumbles upon a reporter looking for his next big story. He runs into her and initially wants to use her for his story and…as I always like to say, the rest is history.

Whereas Audrey Hepburn is more famously known for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday is the movie that maintains a special place in my heart. Though, I could be biased because I would prefer Gregory Peck over George Peppard any day. And Audrey, still ever so young and innocent in her career, shines so brightly in this movie.

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s chemistry is truly slept on. They compliment each other so well in this film. Ever the gentleman, Gregory Peck famously had Audrey Hepburn’s name appear first in the movie, which eventually won her her first Oscar.

I always like to preface old movies with younger people and tell them that it really is an acquired taste. I remember first watching these movies and yawning a bit. They are a bit slow compared to today’s standards. But with practice and time, they can be slowly savored and appreciated. There’s just something so different about these times and the movie making that encapsulates it, making it truly timeless.