Roman Holiday (Dir: William Wyler, 1953).

Via Margutta 51, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Most of the locations in ‘Roman Holiday’ are obvious, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the streets of the city itself.

The three locations really worth visiting as ‘Roman Holiday’ locations are Joe Bradley’s bohemian apartment, Via Margutta 51, the Mouth of Truth Fountain where Bradley pretends his hand has been bitten off by the big carved stone face, which is part of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin (the fountain is translated to Bocca della Verita) and the Palazzo Brancaccio which is where a lot of the scenes at the beginning of the film before Ann runs away are shot. More is made of the Mouth of Truth fountain in the film than it really is, and locals may mot be sure what you’re talking about, but if you make it to the church someone will help you out. I was told it’s more like a roof drain cover than a fountain, bit it’s still a unique and memorable prop. Bradley’s apartment building is still there, though not quite as romantic as I remembered it in black and white (the film was actually shot in black and white so as not to be upstages by the city!).

I’m reliably told (after touring Rome.) that Fellini lived on the same street as Bradley’s apartment.

Obviously hire a scooter and retrace the film's Roman tour properly, but bear in mind that not all the routes will be up to the standards of continuity purists.

Written by  Film Fan.

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