Here’s the question we’re mulling at The Firm today:
Name a movie that doesn’t include a love story even as a secondary plotline. Children’s movies not allowed.
I gotta tell you – there are a scant few. And we debated over what constitutes a “love story” – is it just romance, or is it filial piety or love of country too? For our definition, we categorize a love story as a plotline OR even significant scenes that obviously depict true ROMANCE of any kind (affection is different and doesn’t count).
Here is the list I came up with:
- Alien
- Apocalypse Now
- Caine Mutiny
- Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
- A Christmas Story (I don’t count the parents showing affection to each other as being a love story)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- Crimson Tide (see “A Christmas Story”)
- Das Boot
- Little Miss Sunshine
- One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (although there are a few scenes of the mental patients with girls, there’s no love there that I remember)
- The Passion of Joan of Arc (despite the title, it’s a silent movie about her trial, conviction and death)
- Silence of the Lambs
- Taking of Pelham 123
- Terminator 2 (#1 did have a love story and I have scraped #3 from my mind because it was so bad, so I don’t recall, but I’m pretty sure #2 was romance free…)
- Waiting for Guffman
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Please comment to correct me if I’m wrong, feel free to post this question on your own blog, and add any movies in comments as well!
Can you tell I have laundry to fold?
The Professional (Jean Reno)
(This is) Spinal Tap
Ronin? (I can’t remember)
The Miracle Worker
The Wizard of Oz
The Shawshank Redemption (A stretch here since
Andy’s wife has no love for him)
The Phantom Menace (been a few years)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lawrence of Arabia
in “Silence of the Lambs”, isn’t Hannibal in love/obsessed with Clarise? or is that only in the book?
How about just aboout every horror movie ever made? Well, at least half of them.
Hunt for Red October – My favorite movie of all time.
NJSue:
The Professional (Jean Reno) – the cleaner DOES love Mathilda, even professing his love as she sneaks down the air conditioning vents in his apartment escape the cops. And it’s obvious that Mathilda had a huge crush on him. That’s romance, despite the age difference. It was a different kind of romance, but romance nonetheless.
(This is) Spinal Tap – I thought briefly about this one too, but didn’t add it due to not having seen it in a long time.
Ronin? (I can’t remember) – no idea. Have only seen 10 minutes of this one.
The Miracle Worker – YES! GOOD ONE!
The Wizard of Oz – you are right. This one had a lot of debate though as to whether FAMILIAL love should be included since Dorothy was obviously “in love” with her aunt and uncle.
The Shawshank Redemption (A stretch here since Andy’s wife has no love for him) – another good one that missed my list for some reason.
The Phantom Menace (been a few years) – I think you are right that this one doesn’t have al ove story, since Amidala and Darth Vader are so young.
To Kill a Mockingbird – ooh good one!!
Lawrence of Arabia – ugh. What a boring movie. But good choice.
YAY! I’ll be sure to tell my co-workers about those!
Annie: we debated Silence of the Lambs, but my comment was that Hannibal didn’t want to take Clarice out to dinner so much as Hannibal wanted to have Clarice for dinner.
true, good call.
12 Angry Men
Panic Room
Those were the first to come to mind this morning. I’m sure I’ll think of more.