An American fugitive flees to Rome and tries to elude capture by masquerading as a priest.An American fugitive flees to Rome and tries to elude capture by masquerading as a priest.An American fugitive flees to Rome and tries to elude capture by masquerading as a priest.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaPaul Douglas comments that St. Peter's is bigger than Yankee Stadium. In fact, the Yankee Stadium of 1952 could fit into just the central aisle of St. Peter's.
- GoofsA priest tells Brewster St. Peter's Basilica holds 100,000 people. It actually can only hold 60,000.
- Quotes
Father John X. Halligan: Holiness often disappears with the daylight.
- Crazy creditsOpening card: "1950 was a holy year. Three million pilgrims from every part of the world thronged to Rome, the Eternal City. Our story is about two men who journeyed to Rome that year. One was Father John X. Halligan, a young priest from Coaltown, Pennsylvania, whose mission was a holy one; the other was Joe Brewster, late of Sing Sing, San Quentin, Joliet, and Atlanta, whose mission was not so holy...
If our story has a moral, it's a simple one: God may move in mysterious ways, but He gets there just the same. "
- SoundtracksHymn 'Panis Angelicus'
by César Franck
Featured review
Such a sweet movie
Filmed on location in Rome, Paul Douglas and Van Johnson starred in this heartwarming comedy about two different men who form an unlikely friendship. Chances are you've never heard of When in Rome, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this forgotten gem. If you're a fan of either lead, or if you like buddy comedies or bittersweet stories, you'll absolutely love this movie.
Van Johnson plays a priest, traveling to Rome for a holy pilgrimage. Paul Douglas plays a criminal, on the run from the American police. When Paul switches their clothes and pretends to be a priest himself, a delightful and meaningful adventure ensues. Tons of great scenery is present throughout the movie, and it feels sometimes like you've taken a vacation (albeit in black-and-white) with them.
Paul is his usual adorable softie in this movie, and it's not hard to believe he could have had a different outcome if he's had different breaks when his character was younger. He's really not a bad guy; he's just made bad choices. I love Paul Douglas, and because of his tragically short career, it's important to treasure the movies he did make. I'm not usually a fan of Van Johnson, though, which is why I surprised myself by how much I liked him in this movie. He was very believable in his character, and he really warmed up to Paul. This is a short movie, but it feels like you really get to know these men and spend some time with them. If you haven't seen this movie yet, it's time you joined those of us who have. After all, when in Rome...
Van Johnson plays a priest, traveling to Rome for a holy pilgrimage. Paul Douglas plays a criminal, on the run from the American police. When Paul switches their clothes and pretends to be a priest himself, a delightful and meaningful adventure ensues. Tons of great scenery is present throughout the movie, and it feels sometimes like you've taken a vacation (albeit in black-and-white) with them.
Paul is his usual adorable softie in this movie, and it's not hard to believe he could have had a different outcome if he's had different breaks when his character was younger. He's really not a bad guy; he's just made bad choices. I love Paul Douglas, and because of his tragically short career, it's important to treasure the movies he did make. I'm not usually a fan of Van Johnson, though, which is why I surprised myself by how much I liked him in this movie. He was very believable in his character, and he really warmed up to Paul. This is a short movie, but it feels like you really get to know these men and spend some time with them. If you haven't seen this movie yet, it's time you joined those of us who have. After all, when in Rome...
helpful•50
- HotToastyRag
- Oct 24, 2021
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,313,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 18 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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