Feb 14, 2009
It was the nearest thing to heaven . . .
In honor of the day, I was prepared to create and share a list of my top 5 romantic movies. I thought about all my favorite love stories and couples and moments and gestures and came up with an impressive list. I have my favorite romances based on favorite works of literature (any of the Pride and Prejudices, Jane Eyre, Persuasion, Romeo and Juliet), clever romances (Annie Hall), screwball romances (His Girl Friday, What's Up, Doc?), epic romances (Gone With The Wind, Atonement), musical romances (The Sound of Music, West Side Story), teen romances (Clueless), spy romances (Notorious, Casablanca), romantic comedies (You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally), neurotic romances (Benny and Joon), and the list goes on. But their was something wrong with all of them. They were all compound word movies. I was looking for a singular word movie, namely, a romance.
I could only think of one.
"Why can't we go on doing this forever?" Terry McKae's question is echoed by the audience. Terry and Nicky met on the cruise ship and fell into flirtation. The shallow flirtation vanishes during the "This-is-my-life-story" discussions, when they realize they instinctively know much about each other. For the sake of their significant others, they attempt to avoid each other, but after a day visiting his grandmother, they have a problem. By the time the ship reaches the port, they are desperate. All bets are off, the games are done. He knows he has to become a better person, and she knows that she has to settle her own affairs and wait, without him. They arrange to meet in six months, when they have proved that they are worthy to be together.
Of course, they are worthy. And then the unthinkable happens, and he waits, for hours, for her to come, which she doesn't.
And then the world is sad, until the most touching last scene ever.
The plot might be considered cliched, but An Affair to Remember has so many scenes that that are its own. The moment when the telegrams come - "From him? From her?", Deborah Kerr awkwardly toying with the couch, Cary Grant "taking his ego for a walk," the memorable title song, the grandmother's shawl, Deborah Kerr's beautiful voice, Cary Grant's perfect comedy, the last night on the ship. Then the rain and the sirens while he waits next to the elevator.
But, it is a romance, and all these qualities fall short when considering:
It makes me cry.
Enough said? Enough said.
The best on-screen kiss. EVER.
It all became real the night after they've come back from his grandmother's. He's helping her down the stairs, she pauses, he steps back up.
They step back down.
The most tear-provoking last scene. EVER.
He doesn't know. Will he find out? He keeps babbling. (No one can babble like Cary Grant). She won't tell him. He gives her the shawl. He's leaving, and then . . .
Watch it.
"Don't cry, darling."
I could only think of one.
"Why can't we go on doing this forever?" Terry McKae's question is echoed by the audience. Terry and Nicky met on the cruise ship and fell into flirtation. The shallow flirtation vanishes during the "This-is-my-life-story" discussions, when they realize they instinctively know much about each other. For the sake of their significant others, they attempt to avoid each other, but after a day visiting his grandmother, they have a problem. By the time the ship reaches the port, they are desperate. All bets are off, the games are done. He knows he has to become a better person, and she knows that she has to settle her own affairs and wait, without him. They arrange to meet in six months, when they have proved that they are worthy to be together.
Of course, they are worthy. And then the unthinkable happens, and he waits, for hours, for her to come, which she doesn't.
And then the world is sad, until the most touching last scene ever.
The plot might be considered cliched, but An Affair to Remember has so many scenes that that are its own. The moment when the telegrams come - "From him? From her?", Deborah Kerr awkwardly toying with the couch, Cary Grant "taking his ego for a walk," the memorable title song, the grandmother's shawl, Deborah Kerr's beautiful voice, Cary Grant's perfect comedy, the last night on the ship. Then the rain and the sirens while he waits next to the elevator.
But, it is a romance, and all these qualities fall short when considering:
It makes me cry.
Enough said? Enough said.
The best on-screen kiss. EVER.
It all became real the night after they've come back from his grandmother's. He's helping her down the stairs, she pauses, he steps back up.
They step back down.
The most tear-provoking last scene. EVER.
He doesn't know. Will he find out? He keeps babbling. (No one can babble like Cary Grant). She won't tell him. He gives her the shawl. He's leaving, and then . . .
Watch it.
"Don't cry, darling."
