When the Oscar-winning romance “Roman Holiday” is screened at downtown Peoria’s nonprofit Apollo Theater on Saturday, Feb. 12, some may recall it as Audrey Hepburn’s first starring role or another great film by director William Wyler. But it’s also worth seeing again as the product of blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, who was posthumously awarded his Academy Award 40 years afterward.

Also starring Gregory Peck, the 1953 movie won three Oscars and was nominated for six others, but – during the McCarthy Era of red-baiting and blacklisting – its script was credited to Ian McLellan Hunter because Hollywood moguls buckled to government pressure and wouldn’t hire Trumbo, who’d been convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions by the House Committee on Un-American Activities about his being a Communist.

The screenplay itself is charming, as a bored princess (Hepburn) tries to escape her handlers and experience Rome as a regular person. She meets a reporter (Peck), who realizes who she is, but before he can write his scoop, they fall in love.

Wyler (“Wuthering Heights,” “Mrs. Miniver,” “The Best Years of Our Lives,” “Ben-Hur”) was nominated for the Best Director Oscar for “Roman Holiday,” which co-stars Eddie Albert, who was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Show times at the Apollo are at 7:00 p.m. Donations are $5 and $4 for kids, students and seniors. For details call (309) 673-4343.