10 Most Unexpectedly Tragic Endings To Otherwise Fun Movies

2. Roman Holiday (1953)

The insanely giddy 1954 yarn Roman Holiday - "shot on location!" - stands today as one of the best romantic comedies of its era. The story is deceivingly simple: whilst visiting Rome on business, the famed Princess of a fictional country (Audrey Hepburn) escapes into the night and ends up spending the day with a newspaper reporter (Gregory Peck), who pretends not to know who she is and sees the opportunity for a massive scoop. Of course, the pair fall in love over the course of this seemingly light and fluffy movie. By the time the ending rolls around, it would be safe to assume that - despite their statuses - our lovebirds will find a way to be together. And yet director William Wyler pulls an incredibly brave turn out of nowhere: as the Princess bids the newspaperman farewell with an aching glance, we naturally expect her to run out to kiss him as the music swells. But it never happens. For a brief moment, we settle on a shot of Gregory's Peck's less hardened reporter, Joe, as he stares at the space where the Princess stood but moments ago. And then, as the soundtrack begins to play a sombre melody, Joe walks away with his hands in his pockets in a beautiful tracking shot, as "The End" appears on screen. It defied the conventions of its day, and remains one of the cinema's best (and most unexpected) endings in romantic comedy history.