The Mouth of Truth, known in Italian as the Bocca della Verità, is an ancient Roman marble mask displayed in the portico of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome, Italy. The large circular stone face has openings for its eyes, nostrils and mouth and is generally believed to represent the sea god Oceanus. Its original purpose is uncertain, although it may once have served as a drain cover. According to a medieval legend, the mouth will bite off the hand of anyone who tells a lie while placing it inside.
The Mouth of Truth has appeared in Roman Holiday (1953). The monument is used directly as one of the Roman landmarks visited by the film’s central characters during their day together in the city.
In Roman Holiday (1953), Joe Bradley, Princess Ann and photographer Irving Radovich visit the Mouth of Truth during their tour of Rome. Joe explains the legend that the monument will bite the hand of a liar before placing his own hand inside. He then hides his hand inside his sleeve and pretends that the mouth has bitten it off, causing Ann to scream before realising that he is teasing her. The scene also reflects the secrets between them: Ann has not admitted that she is a princess, while Joe has concealed that he is a journalist planning a story about her.
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