Aren't these movies romantic?
Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:30 AM by Paige Newman
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Movies
There’s a difference between a chick flick and a romantic movie. A really good romantic movie transcends that label. This week Richard Gere and Diane Lane star together in the Nicolas Sparks’ adaptation, “Nights of Rodanthe.” And while my hopes aren’t high that that film will be able to break through the “chick flick” barrier, it does bring to mind a few films that do.
Jack Lemmon and Shirley McClaine find love in "The Apartment." |
United Artists
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"The Apartment": The late great Billy Wilder directed this story of an office drone (Jack Lemmon) who lets the guys use his apartment for their romantic rendezvous, but gets jealous (and realizes what he’s doing isn’t quite kosher) when his boss (Fred MacMurray) wants to bring the woman (Shirley MacLaine) Lemmon has a crush on to the apartment. It’s the moment at the end of the film that always gets me. Instead of declaring that he loves her, Lemmon simply says, “I absolutely adore you.” To which a smiling MacLaine replies, “Shut up and deal.” It’s the perfect moment for these two as the audience realizes they are actually beginning a life together. (You really should watch the whole movie, but here's the ending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfDwuv2_9dQ&feature=related.)
"The Year of Living Dangerously": Mel Gibson stars as an Australian reporter in Indonesia and Sigourney Weaver is the British diplomat who he falls in love with and betrays in order to get a great story. Somewhat like “Casablanca,” this film has that “the problems of two little people aren’t worth a hill of beans” feel that makes their romance feel riskier and more passionate. There’s a moment when they go to have a drink together and it begins to pour rain and the two of them run to the car. They’re wet and holding these brightly colored green cocktails and they can’t stop laughing. And yet even in this moment of pure joy, you can already feel the end in their beginning, which makes it that much more tragic and lovely.
"Truly Madly Deeply": Talk about doomed love. This film came out around the same time as “Ghost,” and is generally the same idea, only about 100 times better. Anthony Minghella directed this story of a woman (Juliet Stevenson) who has such a hard time getting over the death of her true love (Alan Rickman, doing some of his best work) that the depth of her need for him actually makes his ghost appear for her. Except she can touch and feel him (though, he is a bit cold). My favorite moment is when the two of them begin to sing and play The Walker Brothers' “The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore,” and Stevenson’s character is tangibly giddy with love and relief. And though this film is ultimately about letting go and moving on, you never stop feeling the depth of the love these two feel. (You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ52td1GMT0&feature=related.)
Those are just three small examples. Are there movies that you think transcend the “chick flick” label to become the perfect romance? Or perhaps the “chick flick” label doesn’t bother you. Tell us about your favorite romantic movies.
