I was very excited to see a post about The Classic Movie History Project Blogathon last week, so have managed to jump at the chance to look at some older films that I have throughly enjoyed and put my thoughts all together in one post about quite a few films.
The blogathon is being hosted by Fritz at Movies Silently, Ruth at Silver Screenings, Aurora at Once Upon A Screen and sponsored by Flicker Alley. My post is in the modern era . . .
Has romance at the movies really changed?
While I have not watched as many older films I would like (I am currently working on this I promise) there’s something still so magical about so many of the films. I feel that romance and love has not massively changed over the years and that these parts of films still stand the test of time. Just showing that we still have the same problems in the past.
I have picked seven films to pull apart and use as examples to help show that both men and woman are still very much the same and worry about the same things. Also that maybe the past is not anywhere near as innocent as we may often think, human nature for love and let’s face it sex were the same back then as they are now.
Hopefully these films will help to show different ways love changes everything and if two people are meant to be together they will somehow find a way to make that happen. It has also been possible to include one of my all time favorite films in this post as well, which is always a plus – I’ll let you wait and see which of the films I am talking about with that comment.
Gentleman Prefer Blondes
So when you think about this film you think about a dumb blonde. But if you look closely it is a little bit more than that. They want to be loved, and I don’t think that has changed very much at all. Isn’t that all anyone really wants? To be loved by someone else, having them mean everything.
Love and money? Well yes I wouldn’t say no to either of those right now. Surely that helps or makes you happy, you would think so but at times the money part does not seem to be the case as Monroe and Russell seem to struggle at times.
A Star is Born
There’s something about this film that consumed and broke me the first time I watched it. A love and bond so strong that it is really pushed to a humans very limits. It’s such a horrible demise to watch as we see Norman Maine sacrifice himself so Vicki/Esther can have a much better life, even meaning he won’t be in it.
That final moment is heartbreaking as you know how much she loved him and was proud to be his wife, even with the horrible moments which occurred. It just shows that some relationships are messy and you can very much destroy one another in the process.
Lady and the Tramp
This one may seem like a strange choice considering that it is not only an animated film but dogs as well. But I am looking past both of those things, hang on there’s nothing wrong with animated films and the messages they send. This one has the classic type of from different worlds love story, even if it is with dogs we can still understand it.
At some point you will probably end up in this type of situation when your family and/or friends may think you are way too good for the person you have decided to be with. It can easily work out either way male or female not being good enough. It then all depends how strong the bond is between you both as it can go either way. We all know how this film turned out though!
The Seven Year Itch
A married man left alone by his family for the summer has always been faithful but he must resist the temptation of his beautiful neighbor. Of course this can still be released to life and something that men have always had to deal with and try not to get caught out really. Marilyn was the perfect pick for her role and you cannot help but wonder how far she can push him. It is often a test if a marriage makes it past that seven-year mark, some kinda curse?
It gives an insight into how men think and want to behave at times, even if a lot of this is in his imagination, he pretty much drives himself crazy in the process.
The King and I
Cross cultures and mixing together of two people who you would never guess to get along. They constantly clash but what will come from that? Oh yes a strange love, but isn’t there a fine line between love and hate? I like this one in showing that two different cultures can mix and create good changes in both worlds as long as they are ready to do just that. Something which must still happen to this day.
Come on doesn’t the King really die of a broken heart in the end? It has been a while since I have watched this one, but that is how strong he felt. Yes really even though he had a lot of wives already. Of course there is dancing – something which I think we have lost in this day and age. Such a shame really as dancing can be very romantic and not forgetting sexy.
High Society
Never wanting to say goodbye, a divorced couple who still just seem so right for one another. Makes a change the man being the one most disappointed about the other getting re-married though. Not bad for a film from the 50s! Will she really be happy with the bland, safe, boring new husband?
I think this one helps to show that we don’t want to be just safe and boring really. Yes everyone just wants to be loved, but it still has to be exciting and have that spark.
An Affair to Remember
This is one of my all time favorite films, I could watch it over and over again and not get bored. The chemistry between Grant and Kerr really is fantastic. I cannot get enough of so many of the quotes and it really does make you think, they were both with other people when they got on the ship and tried very hard to resist one another. Ok maybe Kerr was better at that than Grant. But they were both very believable showing that love at first sight can still happen at any time, when least expected as well.
I am sure we can all relate to the above, if you are with that person you are in a different place and pretty much just consumed by them. I mean who could resist the incredible charm Grant had? He really was something else and no-one will ever come close to him again.
I love how much she tries to resist especially knowing about his past and all of the women. She doesn’t just want to be another one for him, she wants to be the one. That certainly is still the same now! If not even worse with so many women adamant that they can change the bad boy.
Oh and that ending. Let’s face it you cannot really imagine that happening in real life. Men take hurt and heartbreak a lot worse than women – yes that maybe a bold statement but they bottle it up instead of just crying it out. So if this was actually really can we imagine the man returning like Grant’s character did? Probably not. That doesn’t take away how incredible yet teary the ending is.
Well?
Basically this post has just confirmed that love, men and women, relationships will always and forever have the same issues and problems. All’s fair in true love and war, I guess these films help to show that about love. They are not always a simple romance, and for nearly all of these films I picked as examples it involved more than just two people. Interesting I bet that was all pretty taboo in the 1950s.
I thought we would close with this incredibly moving and heartbreaking song . . .
