Latest news with #GregoryPeck
The Age
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Rome's forgotten river is actually home to some of its greatest sights
4 Peek through the keyhole at Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta Atop the Aventine Hill, one of Rome's magnificent seven mounts and the site of the gorgeous Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden) overlooking the Tiber, is this Roman novelty. You'll probably have to queue for a glimpse, but it's worth it for the perfectly framed, almost-too-good-to-be-true view of St Peter's Basilica, flanked by poplar-like trees, that can all be enjoyed through the bronze keyhole in the huge priory door. 5 Relive the classic scene from Roman Holiday Resist, if you can, the urge to queue before Bocca della Verita, or the 'Mouth of Truth' for an obligatory photo (and definitely don't place your hand in the mouth). But do pause to admire this slightly scary-looking medieval carving as you enter the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, distinguished by its elegant Romanesque bell tower. Film buffs will recall that Bocca della Verita features in Roman Holiday, the delightful 1953 Hollywood romantic comedy. In it Gregory Peck plays a hilarious practical joke – relating to the legend that claims that if you place your hand in the carving's mouth and tell a lie its jaws will snap shut – on his co-star, Audrey Hepburn. 6 Stroll along the quiet banks of the Tiber A great way to escape the Rome ruckus is to take a walk along the Tiber's serene banks, something few Romans do. The river's 13-metre embankments – built in the 19th century to contain the river and prevent flooding – were scrubbed of graffiti in time for this year's Papal Jubilee though doubtless it's returned. While the embankments do spare Rome from periodic flooding they also deny the city a relationship with the river akin to that of Paris and its Seine. 7 Capture the classic Tiber River scene at dusk One of the eternal images of the Eternal City is the photo opportunity that presents at dusk from Roman Emperor Hadrian's 134 AD Ponte Sant'Angelo. In the right conditions, as night begins to wrap itself around Rome like a papal cloak, feathery pink clouds can form around the orb-like dome of St Peter's Basilica, with even the capital's much maligned, all aglow, waterway picture-perfect in the rapidly fading light.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Rome's forgotten river is actually home to some of its greatest sights
4 Peek through the keyhole at Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta Atop the Aventine Hill, one of Rome's magnificent seven mounts and the site of the gorgeous Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden) overlooking the Tiber, is this Roman novelty. You'll probably have to queue for a glimpse, but it's worth it for the perfectly framed, almost-too-good-to-be-true view of St Peter's Basilica, flanked by poplar-like trees, that can all be enjoyed through the bronze keyhole in the huge priory door. 5 Relive the classic scene from Roman Holiday Resist, if you can, the urge to queue before Bocca della Verita, or the 'Mouth of Truth' for an obligatory photo (and definitely don't place your hand in the mouth). But do pause to admire this slightly scary-looking medieval carving as you enter the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, distinguished by its elegant Romanesque bell tower. Film buffs will recall that Bocca della Verita features in Roman Holiday, the delightful 1953 Hollywood romantic comedy. In it Gregory Peck plays a hilarious practical joke – relating to the legend that claims that if you place your hand in the carving's mouth and tell a lie its jaws will snap shut – on his co-star, Audrey Hepburn. 6 Stroll along the quiet banks of the Tiber A great way to escape the Rome ruckus is to take a walk along the Tiber's serene banks, something few Romans do. The river's 13-metre embankments – built in the 19th century to contain the river and prevent flooding – were scrubbed of graffiti in time for this year's Papal Jubilee though doubtless it's returned. While the embankments do spare Rome from periodic flooding they also deny the city a relationship with the river akin to that of Paris and its Seine. 7 Capture the classic Tiber River scene at dusk One of the eternal images of the Eternal City is the photo opportunity that presents at dusk from Roman Emperor Hadrian's 134 AD Ponte Sant'Angelo. In the right conditions, as night begins to wrap itself around Rome like a papal cloak, feathery pink clouds can form around the orb-like dome of St Peter's Basilica, with even the capital's much maligned, all aglow, waterway picture-perfect in the rapidly fading light.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
To Kill a Mockingbird: a call to compassion that's more urgent than ever
It's impossible to watch Robert Mulligan's 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee's great novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, and not be moved by Gregory Peck's performance as Atticus Finch, a small-town American lawyer with an unfailing moral compass. Light years from the archetypal legal eagle, he radiates good old-fashioned decency, espousing tolerance and compassion that sadly feels almost passe amid the Sturm und Drang of the current world. 'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view,' goes one of Finch's great lines, sourced from Lee's book. In perhaps the film's most memorable scene, Peck deliverers a grand courtroom monologue, declaring that 'all men are created equal', imploring the jury to 'in the name of god, believe Tom Robinson,' the black man accused raping a white woman – a crime he didn't commit. When I think about this film, my mind recalls that monologue in vivid colour – even though it's shot in monochrome. I've watched To Kill a Mockingbird several times but still have to gird my loins for the moment Finch (spoilers to follow) breaks the news to Robinson's family that he was killed while attempting to escape. Finch's wisdom gives the film (and book) its title. Earlier, around the breakfast table, he recalls that when his father gave him his first gun, he told him he could 'shoot all the bluejays you want … but remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird' because these creatures 'don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy'. Ergo, the metaphor about destroying the innocent and harmless. Peck won a best actor Oscar, but the protagonist is actually Finch's young daughter Scout (Mary Badham), whose adult self recounts the story. Her narration is everything to the book, though it's sparingly used in the film and does little beyond lacing some moments with Harper's lovely prose. Scout famously describes Maycomb – where the story takes place in 1932 – as a 'tired old town' where 'the rhythms of life are slow,' men's collars 'wilted by nine in the morning' and 'ladies bathed before noon'. In the book, Scout's reflections have a thoughtfulness and maturity beyond the ken of her childhood self. The film's relationship with time is different. Instead of an older person looking back, it's mostly a present tense narrative evoking a child's perspective – Scout's, but also that of her older brother Jem (Phillip Alford) and their friend Dill (John Megna). In both versions, this focus on the children makes it unusual. How many legal dramas spend so little time in the courtroom, and so much time following children who aren't directly related to the case? Before we learn about Robinson's plight, we're introduced to the mystery surrounding a reclusive local character named Boo Radley (Robert Duvall, in his first film performance). The children repeat terrible rumours about him very early in the film, which we eventually learn are entirely unfounded. It's only at the very end that we discover the clever bookend device deployed by Lee, and retained in the film. Radley saves Scout and Jem from a potentially lethal attack by a man seeking revenge on Finch, and kills the offender in the process. The sheriff decides to spare Radley from the inevitable fallout, officially reporting that the other man fell on his knife. Atticus is surprised that Scout agrees with this decision; as she puts it, 'it would be sort of like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn't it?' We assumed, all this time, that the metaphor applied to the innocent, downtrodden Robinson. But here we see it broaden out, extending to others who are mistreated and powerless. The ending is optimistic in some senses, emphasising compassion and humanity. But it's also deeply melancholic – a rich tapestry of emotions. This terrific film has lost none of its power. To Kill a Mockingbird is streaming on Binge in Australia and available to rent in the UK and US. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
CNN
18-06-2025
- CNN
Elderly man drives down Rome's Spanish Steps and gets stuck
An 80-year-old man has told police he was 'wrong' to drive down Rome's famed Spanish Steps, after firefighters had to recover his vehicle from the landmark in the early hours of Tuesday. The man was not injured in the incident but he was nonetheless taken to the hospital, where he tested negative for both drug and alcohol consumption, city police said in a statement. The driver, who has not been identified, told officers he was 'going to work' and had taken a wrong turn, according to Italian media reports. It is unclear if he was using a GPS device. The gray Mercedes-Benz A-Class car got stuck halfway down the 18th-century staircase around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, the Italian Fire Brigade said in a statement. The car had been stopped by police officers who were patrolling the area. The fire department said it had to use a crane at the foot of the steps to lift the vehicle off the stairway. Some damage to the vehicle was visible, but it is unclear whether that was the result of Tuesday's incident. The steps are currently closed to the public. The normal procedure when Rome's historic monuments are involved in an incident is for archaeologists to inspect them for damage. The man had a valid driver's license, according to Italian media. Under Italian law, drivers over the age of 80 are obliged to renew their license every two years and undergo a medical examination, which includes basic cognition questions. Back in 2022, a Saudi man tangled with the law after he drove a Maserati down the Spanish Steps. He was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments after the car caused fractures to the 16th and 29th steps of the right-hand flight rising up from the Piazza di Spagna. That same year two American tourists were fined and briefly banned from Rome's city center after damaging the steps with electric scooters. The steps owe their name to the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which is hosted in a palazzo in the square below. A two-year, 1.5 million-euro ($1.7 million) restoration of the landmark — which has appeared in numerous movies, most notably 1953's 'Roman Holiday,' starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck — was completed in 2015.
Time Business News
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Time Business News
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