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I’m not a big fan of movies that don’t have a happy ending which could be because I have a tendency to cry at the drop of a hat—even during animated movies and sometimes during commercials. That sais, when I ran across Moviefone’s top 25 romances, I had a bone to pick with several of them. (You can check them out yourself at http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2008/02/05/best-romance-movies/ ) Why did so many of the movies on their list have an unhappy ending? Do people consider movies with an unhappy ending to be more romantic? I would argue that it’s easier to craft a tragic romance than a successful one—just think of all of the romantic comedies that fall flat.
Call me old-fashioned, but I like to see a successful ending to my romances. Not all of these movies are part of Moviefone’s list, but these are some supposedly romantic movies that didn’t work for me.
3. Harold and Maude. This is an interesting movie, but I wouldn’t call it a romance. I would call it weird or creepy. On a good day I might call it quirky, but it’s not my idea of a romance.
2. Annie Hall. I know, I know. Someone is going to get really upset with me, but I could not stand this movie. Maybe I’m not from New York; maybe I have too many neuroses of my own to appreciate the movie, but this one did not work for me.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Having Will become the new “Davy Jones” and only get to see Elizabeth every ten years is not a happy ending. He would have been better off dead, and she deserved a husband who could help her raise her children.
Now here are three movies that have an unhappy ending—or an unhappy portion—that I would still consider a romance.
3. Up. The first ten minutes of this movie made me a real waterworks. And I didn’t even have a Kleenex because I told myself, “Huh, I’m going to see a Pixar movie.” The love story between those two characters is as true a romance as anyone will ever find–and was presented in the first 10 to 15 minutes of the movie.
2. Shakespeare in Love. Explain to me how Moviefone can include Sleepless in Seattle and pass over this one. I didn’t like the ending, but I understood it.
1. Gone with the Wind. I’m not even sure I consider this ending to be unhappy. I never doubted Scarlett’s ability to convince Rhett to come back. After you’ve endured two husbands, war, the gruesome scenes of nursing, delivering two babies—one yours and one Melanie’s, the burning of Atlanta, hunger, and who knows what else, I don’t really think a little thing like Rhett’s walking out the door and laying a perfectly placed epithet is going to stop her.
Now that I’ve laid myself out there, tell me what you think about romantic movies. Do you prefer tear-jerkers or are you a happy ending connoisseur? What are some acclaimed romantic movies you didn’t like? Have you found romantic elements in unexpected places?
by Sally Kilpatrick
30 comments
Very interesting post. I agree wholeheartedly with UP and Annie Hall (I’m not a Woody Allen fan, anyway…I’m in psychology. I see enough neuroses at work). POTC (any) are some of my favorite movies, so I see your point, but not sure I agree there. But, like you, I prefer the happy ending. As far as a movie I didn’t like that everyone lauded: Titanic. *ducks and runs*
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Oh, I don’t mind a tear-jerker movie now and then, but I’m a happy-ending connoisseur all the way where romance is concerned. Read one Nicolas Sparks book. Never again. Someone dying isn’t romantic in the least.
Oh! That reminds me, the movie “Love Story”? NOT
I agree 1000%. And it isn’t several of these movies that have an unhappy ending. It’s most of them(I think men made up this list) What about Last of the Mohicans? Charade? Random Harvest? African Queen? The Quiet Man? Sense and Sensibility? You don’t have to forfeit a happy ending to make a great romance.
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You guys are right on the money. What about all the movies that are great stories, but end happily?
I hated Notebook and even P.S. I Love You. Yes, I watched them…once…but I won’t again. Only a guy would think I’d want to travel without him…and with all my grief still fresh…to all the places or to do all the things we would have normally done as a couple. (Men sometimes just don’t get that it’s the company we keep, not the place we’re visiting)
I don’t mind tears (Bambi, for instance), but it has to end happily.
Sandy
Excellent post, Sally. I agree about Hollywood and HEA. They ought to get a clue. I love romantic movies, but a lot of times, they spoil it at the end. If the ones you mentioned and others had an HEA, they’d be even bigger box office hits, imo. I didn’t like the ending to Shakespeare in Love or Gone with the Wind. They all need to come with alternate endings for us true romantics, LOL.
A lot of the ones that Eileen mentioned I also have a problem with the endings. But what about Titanic? He dies, she lives. I was with them up till that point.
Sally,
I’m like you. I love a love story with a happy ending. In fact, I can’t think of one that I liked that didn’t have a happy ending…maybe I’ll think of one later, but I doubt it.
Oh, and I’m also like you with the crying thing. I go all weepy at the drop of a hat…and UP? The first fifteen minutes I was crying so hard my daughter got embarrassed. And a good Hallmark or even Publix commercial gets the water works flowing.
So, yep, a happy ending is why I write. I like to see love fulfilled!
great topic!!
have a fabulous day…and, by the way, I’m almost done with BL. I’m REALLY enjoying it!!!
T
For me, a book or movie doesn’t have to have a happy ending to qualify as romantic. But I don’t like unhappy surprises. If I am expecting a happy ending and I don’t get one, it makes me MAD!! For example, I was okay with “Titanic” because I knew Leonardo was going to die; I didn’t prefer, but it made SENSE to me. OTOH, I read a romance novel recently (don’t want to reveal the title, spoiler alert) and the HEROINE dies at the end. That actually made sense, too, but I had no idea that was going to happen; it absolutely floored me, and I am STILL angry about it! So now whenever I am considering a book or a movie, I ask someone who has read it or seen it whether or not it has a happy ending. I don’t want to know exactly WHAT happens; I just want to be able emotionally prepare myself. Am I a control freak, or what???
Love, Love, Love this post, Sally! I am definitely a HEA girl. I agree with Carol on the Nicolas Sparks books. Not my cup of tea. People I work with and even some of my relatives look at me funny and ask how I can read about vampires and werewolves but not like something that is so close to what really happens in life. My answer to them is that I’ve lived that crap. Reading was always my escape from that “real life” they like to read about. For me, life is too short to get bogged down on what I call an “Oprah book club moment”. (Sorry Oprah!)
Now, I have to disagree on Titanic. I say this ONLY because in the end, Rose does get her HEA in the fact that she became a stronger woman (I LOVE the pictures that show what she does after surviving the Titanic) and has another love story with someone else that created the granddaughter that went on the trip with her. Maybe I like it so much because I’ve created my own ending for the granddaughter (and the cynical ship’s captain) and the life Rose led up to the ending that we saw in the movie. I don’t really know why this movie touched me so much when the characters don’t end up living happily ever after in life, but it is still one of my favorites…grin…
Tami
I loved your post and I love happy endings and am disappointed when I don’t get one.I don’t mind a good cry if it ends well.
I loved Casablanca although the two main characters didn’t end up together.But they were selfless.
I also liked The Titanic but wa upset when Leonardo died at the end. I wasn’t expecting it. He was so close too.
Marilyn
Sally,
Really, really great post. I am a HEA girl, too. Nicholas Sparks does NOT do it for me. Titantic – didn’t go to movie – couldn’t be happy if they went at all by the actual ending – it sinks; few lived. Y’all have come up with some great HEA movies that weren’t on the list!
Keep the comments coming–I’ll respond later tonight when I get home from our epic trip through Alabama.
I do love a happy ending. I also enjoy Jeffrey Barson’s art (the pic of Scarlett you used), but the one he did of Juliet is my all time favorite (which I bought) and definitely not a happy ever after story ending.
There’s a difference between love stories and romances. I’ve often heard Casablanca called one of the greatest romances – no, it wasn’t. It was a love story, just as Romeo and Juliet was a love story, not a romance. And of course the movie Love Story that was so not a romance either. I think the media sometimes gets confused when there’s a relationship and tags a love story as a romance.
A happy ending is a must for me. I’m disappointed when I don’t get one. Too much in life is hard not to get a happy ending in my books, movies and TV shows.
Noelle, as a former teacher, I didn’t want to see any extra neuroses either. And I agree wholeheartedly with you on Titanic. I saw it once in the theater and hated the ending. Then I got a copy on VHS and never watched the second tape–how could I have forgotten Titanic?
Right on, Carol–read a Nicholas Sparks book in the book store while leaned against the shelf. I’m still glad I didn’t actually pay for the book. As for Love Story, I’ve never actually seen it, and I don’t really want to based on what I know about the story.
Eileen, I’m pretty sure it was a group of men that came up with that list. In general, comedy is dismissed–oh, and I think it plays into your Benjamin Button theory about how men write romance tragically. Hmmm. What does that say about their opinion of women?
Sandy, you have hit upon the reason I refused to watch P.S., I Love You–I thought that was insensitive, too.
As for Bambi, that is one of many that made me cry–I don’t really like to watch that one still. I will, however, watch Up and some of the others that caused the waterworks to start.
Linsey, I’m with you except for the fact that Titanic and Gone with the Wind had huge box office takes. Even Shakespeare in Love did well thanks to the Oscar buzz. I suppose Annie Hall and Harold and Maude are more cult classics.
I still believe that romantic comedies are far more difficult to do well, but I haven’t heard anyone else weigh in on that subject yet. Anyone?
Tamara, I’m so glad you’re enjoying BL! I HOPE to see you on Saturday, and I’m so sorry I missed your good news. [Loud stage whisper: Tamara is going to be published]
I’m so glad to know I wasn’t the only one embarrassing my children in Up!
Debbie and Tami–Titanic is getting a lot of play today. I’m going to have to take Debbie and Noelle’s side on this one. I think I would have been okay with it if Jack had had a more heroic rather than melodramatic exit. Nah, I’ve invested over two hours of my life in their love story only to find out it’s the prelude to Rose’s real love story? It feels like cheating, like James Cameron’s version of what true love is: get it, get laid, get out. (Boy, that sounds cynical, doesn’t it?)
Anyhoo, I would rather read Tami’s story that picks up after Rose has been rescued from the Titanic because, to me, it’s more realistic that Jack jumpstarted her change but didn’t help her immediately realize it.
Pam, you have just made me feel a lot better. I often ask around to make sure that a story is going to have a happy ending before I invest myself. I can cry like a baby in the middle as long as it all works out in the end, but I get downright irate over unexpected sad endings, too.
One of my big GRRR books is Cold Mountain. I followed that crazy man through all of this rough stuff. Then he finds his true love. And gets shot. I steamed over that one for days, and I would like to point out it was written by a man and made lots of money. Just sayin’
Marilyn,
I’m so glad you brought up Casablanca. Try as I may, I can’t have a beef with that movie because it’s ending is so perfectly logical and the story is so tightly woven. That’s a love story with an unhappy ending that I can’t argue with.
Well, I could. But I would be wrong.
Maxine, while we’re still talking about Titanic, did you know that someone actually made a Titanic: The Musical. No, I’m not talking about a Saturday Night Live Parody, I’m talking an actual Broadway production.
Hubby and I left at Intermission because the songs were both surreal and, well, not good. Besides, the tickets were free, and we had a pretty good idea how it all turned out.
Dianna, thanks for weighing in–and thanks for identifying the picture because I want one.
I know you’re right about the difference between a love story and a romance, but should it be that way. Do you think that love stories are given more praise than romances?
Also, I’m curious to hear your opinion of Romeo and Juliet. Hubby took me to see the Shakespeare Tavern production for Valentine’s Day, and I was shocked by a) what a great job they did, but also b) how juvenile Romeo and Juliet seemed to be. I wanted to smack some sense into them. And to lobby for Much Ado About Nothing for Valentine’s Day next year even if R&J is an Atlanta tradition!
Ack! And I forgot to mention what Tami had to say about how some folks prefer stories that are more “true to life.” I’m with you, Tami. Life has more than enough sad stories–just watch the news. I like to escape whenever I can.
Great comment and one that might make it’s own post one day.
Sally –
Regarding Romeo and Juliet I have mixed feelings because the original R&J was the very first movie I saw in a theater as a teen (yes, dating myself ) and I was mesmerized by the production and story at that time. I’m a romantic at heart so any movie where one or both of the love interests dies does not work for me. I was heartbroken at the end of R&J, but fascinated by Shakespeare’s imagination to have come up with that awful twist at the end. If I’d seen the movie for the first time as an adult I think I would have had a different reaction and possibly been annoyed by the ending.
I find a benchmark on entertainment for me to be if I want to see a movie again or read a book a second time. I had no interest in seeing Titanic more than once because, as mentioned before, it was Rose’s story of closure and frankly I did not get the part of throwing that priceless stone back into the ocean.
I honestly believe love stories are often given more praise simply because romance has not outgrown the stigma that prevents many readers from a) admitting they read it or watched the movie and b) praising a great romance. That will not change until the romance community figures out how to bring this genre into the new millennium “in the eyes of the reading/movie-going world.” This genre owns the lion’s share of mass market publication but continues to defend itself instead of marketing and promoting the genre.
I don’t mean marketing the books or movies, but the genre itself. I’ve seen a couple of attempts in past years, but if the entire romance community from writers to publishers to organizations created a massive marketing plan to enlighten the public on “today’s” romance genre with “who” is reading it and “who” is writing it plus touting things like the accumulated awards, the number of times romance owns the top of lists like the NYT and how many movies fall into this genre – you might see a change in opinion begin to develop.
But creating a change in public opinion on romance will be like anything else that takes time. I remember when recycling was joked about and now it’s a huge part of our life, but it took people working very hard to change public opinion. We have yet to mount a plan for changing public opinion on romance so it we will not see that change until we do.
And, that’s not to say some love stories – like Casablanca – aren’t fabulous classics. They are. But so are great romantic stories.
I enjoyed reading the posts on this…now I have to head back to Comicon.
Isn’t it interesting that there were very few mentions of romantic comedies?
I happen to like Sleepless in Seattle, Bull Durham, For the Love of the Game, Jerry Maguire, Pride and Prejudice, Casablanca (not a romance, but a great love story).
I’m sure there are more, but these were off the top of my head.