Next Sunday is Valentine’s Day. While not paying much attention to that Hallmark holiday I have pondered about couples’ relationships in movies. Everyone has their favorites; ranging from Bogart and Bacall in “Key Largo” to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in “Sleepless in Seattle” to Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain” or any other loved up pairs.
Some of my favorite onscreen romances are a little offbeat, some may be right in your wheelhouse. No matter, here’s Round One of my picks.
BILL MURRAY & OLIVIA WILLIAMS IN “RUSHMORE.” Murray plays a soon to be divorced restless millionaire who isn’t the most surefooted Romeo. Olivia Williams plays a widowed prep school teacher who’s also a little slow on the love uptake. It’s a shy and awkward pairing as seen in this clip.
KEVIN COSTNER & SUSAN SARANDON IN “BULL DURHAM.” Well traveled minor league ballplayer goes to bat with baseball fanatic/groupie. The classic scene is when Costner’s ‘Crash Davis’ states his beliefs to Sarandon’s Annie Wilkes, including appreciation for “Long slow, deep, soft wet kisses that last 3 days.” However, I prefer the cat and mouse play these two characters have a couple of days after that scene.
JON FAVREAU & HEATHER GRAHAM IN “SWINGERS.” Another awkward relationship picks up a bit after Mike, an aspiring comedian, swing dances in a club with Lorraine then makes a play with self-deprecating style.
DEMETRI MARTIN & GILLIAN JACOBS IN “DEAN.” Dean is a cartoonist on a trip to L.A. He’s coping with the passing of his mother, a broken engagement and a strained relationship with his father and Nicky is cute enough to peak Dean’s interest. The only clip I could land was the movie’s trailer. Nicky is the blonde who calls Dean out on his awkward fall at a party. There’s also a slow growing love thing happening between Dean’s widower father played by Kevin Kline and his realtor. (Mary Steenburgen)
If you haven’t seen this low-key film, check it out on demand, it’s worth your 4 dollars.
SALLY FIELD & JAMES GARNER IN “MURPHY’S ROMANCE.” James Garner earned an Oscar nomination as the quietly wise widower Murphy who guides Field’s ‘Emma’ through the changes she’s made in her life but doesn’t press harder than he needs to. Here’s the trailer to the 80’s romantic comedy.
NEXT BLOG– One more round of on screen romances.