Unconventionally Romantic Scenes in the Movies
Strange Love - Sharon Stone in Casino, Kate Hudson in Almost Famous
Feb 14, 2009
Music swelling, leads going in for the kiss? Please. Real love is weird, funny, sad, tragic, painful, rocky, and unrequited. These scenes from not necessarily romantic movies surprise and delight viewers, mostly because they get it right.
Casino (1995)
Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is a Las Vegas casino boss; Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) is a beautiful hustler. She's scamming a gambler for a few extra chips at the craps table, and he goes out on the floor to bust her. She throws the gambler's chips in the air, creates a frenzy, and walks away, a smile on her face. Their eyes meet, and in that moment, we know from the look in his eyes that Ace is a doomed man.
She's All That (1999)
In this cheesy teen romantic comedy, popular boy Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) bets his buddies he can turn nerdy Laney Boggs (Rachael Lee Cook) into a prom queen. After the requisite makeover montage, the scene shifts to Zack waiting in Laney's living room to see the results. It's announced that she's coming down. Soft music playing ("Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer), one high-heeled shoe is seen on the top step, Zack has an intake of breath, and Laney emerges, transformed and goddess-like. Just as she reaches the bottom step and he goes to take her hand, she trips. Perfectly romantic, comic, and unexpected, all at the same time.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The chemistry between Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his lady love Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) is as explosive as the action in this this classic blockbuster. Fighting the Nazis for the possession of the Ark, they never get the chance to stop sparring with each other other. But just when it seems like they'll finally get their chance, and Marion goes in for the kiss, poor exhausted Indy falls fast asleep. "We never seem to get a break, do we?" she says.
Swingers (1996)
This indie film follows four guys as they navigate LA's underground nightlife scene. One of them is broken-hearted Mike (Jon Favreau), who's not quite over his ex, but encouraged to go pick up girls "like the guy in the R-rated movie" by his bad-boy buddy Trent (Vince Vaughn). One of the movie's funniest and most painful scenes comes when Mike, having gotten a number of a girl at the bar, goes home, and leaves a series of increasingly awkward messages on her answering machine. In less than two minutes, he's gone from "it was great to meet you" to "I think we should just take some time apart" - a entire relationship life cycle. Mid-message, she picks up the phone: "Mike? Don't ever call me again."
Say Anything (1989)
Two words: boom box. The defining, shining moment of this tale of opposites attracting is when dumped man Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) stands outside Diane Court's (Ione Skye) window, holding up his tape deck. The song playing, "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, is the same one that was playing the first time the two made love - and Lloyd lost his virginity - just a few scenes before. This scene is the very definition of heartache and as-yet unrequited love.
Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is awkward, while Mark (or Mr.) Darcy (Colin Firth) is smooth - and just a bit crusty. After a series of disastrous meetings, though, things start turning around. He shows up just she's preparing a birthday dinner, with disastrous results. He (sort of) salvages the meal, and after her friends arrive, even joins in at taking good-hearted jabs at her cooking skills. Her friends propose a toast to Bridget "who cannot cook, but we love her, just as she is," purposely echoing what Darcy had said to her earlier. She's embarrassed. But one look at Darcy, his eyes soft and a shy smile on his face as he takes a sip of wine, she knows that he knows she's told her friends about him, and he likes the idea, very much.
Almost Famous (2000)
From the moment they meet, young music journalist William Miller (Patrick Fugit) has a massive crush on groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). But she's all about the rebel guitarist of Stillwater, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). After both join the band's tour, each for their own purposes, she takes 15-year-old William under her wing. But when the tour ends, Russell shoves Penny aside and goes back to his girlfriend, and Penny tries to drown her sorrows in true rock star fashion - with champagne and Quaaludes. As he watches the hotel medics pumping Penny's stomach in the expensive hotel suite, William's eyes mist over. Though he knows it can never be, he's clearly never been more in love.
Heathers (1988)
Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) wants out of the popular-girls clique, known as the Heathers. Jason Dean (Christian Slater) is the new guy. After they kill the most popular girl in school, Heather Chandler, and make it look like a suicide thanks to an artfully forged note, Veronica does another Heather a favour by going on a double-date with a pair of jocks. The boys' idea of a good time is cow-tipping followed by drunken sex in a field. Just as Veronica resigns herself to yet another worthless evening with these idiots, J.D. appears. He offers her a hand and utters the classic line, "Our love is God, let's go get a Slushie." He may or may not be psychotic, but he might be just the man to save her from her life.
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