| The Bocca della Verita might've been a Roman drain
before it was moved to S. Maria in Cosmedin's wall. It is said that
the hands of liars will be cut off if placed within the mouth (hence
the name). To keep the superstition alive, the caretaker-priest
used to stick a scorpion in the back of the mouth to sting the fingers
of suspected fibbers. The Bocca made a cameo in “Roman Holiday”;
during the filming, Gregory Peck stuck his hand in the mouth and
jokingly hid his hand in his sleeve when he yanked it out, causing
in Audrey Hepburn a shock. The scene wasn't scripted, but it worked
so well that it was kept in the movie. |
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