o/t: onward the Romantic Movies Countdown

Posted on August 4, 2014 by realthog Standard

The Romantic Movies Countdown continues at Wonders in the Dark. Last week saw the addition of five further essays, the movies covered being these:

Yes, my eyebrows too shot up when I saw #47, since that’s one of the last movies I’d have thought of as romantic, but if you click the link you’ll see writer John Greco making a case for it.

4 thoughts on “o/t: onward the Romantic Movies Countdown”

jacquiwine says:

August 4, 2014 at 11:15 am

Thanks for these links. I’ve just clicked through to the excellent review of Far From Heaven. Julianne Moore is one of my favourite actors, and the film is such a brilliant tribute to Sirk in every sense. Thanks for the reminder as I have it on DVD somewhere, but it’s been a while since I watched it. As for Double Indemnity, that’s in my all-time top five, for sure…

Reply
- realthog says:
  
  August 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm
  
  I’m very fond of Double Indemnity myself, although I’m still not convinced of its status as a romantic movie. I know the reasoning is that obsession is part of the “romance” spectrum, but by that measure then Moby Dick could be considered a romantic novel. (And maybe, come to think of it, some people do regard it as such.)
  
  As with yourself, I was reminded by the essay on Far from Heaven that I should dig it out for another viewing.
  
  Reply
  - jacquiwine says:
    
    August 5, 2014 at 12:32 pm
    
    Yes, I know what you mean. Although Phyllis is one of cinema’s femme fatales, so I’m happy to go with it on account of her magnetism and the obsessive aspect you mention. Funnily enough, I re-read Cain’s novella not so long ago, and there’s something animal, almost leopard-like about Phyllis.
    
    Either way, it’s a great film. Thanks for posting these links.
    
    Reply
    - realthog says:
      
      August 5, 2014 at 12:43 pm
      
      I reread the novel a few years ago, and was surprised by the differences between it and the movie. I eventually found myself thinking of them as two different entities, both equally good.
      
      Reply