Thursday Movie Picks: Romance Tropes Edition-Fake Relationships

 

February....the time we listen to a rodent, hoping the little bastard doesn't see his shadow to all things romantic, sweet and drippy. We all expect, on February 14th, to get chocolates and flowers and oodles of lovey, dovey poems and such. Over at Wandering Through The Shelves, it is Romance month starting  with fake relationships. Have you ever tried this once? Well, I have but just for a few minutes with one of my dearest friends V.J....the one who lives in Vancouver. He and I have done this more than once to put one over on some morons or just to have a little fun. He hated it when I pinched his cheek calling him my Cutesy, Ootsey. We would happily walk away, laughing and him asking me never to do that again. Where was I? Oh yeah, I know there are probably tons of films with this type relationship but these were the 3 that came into my head. I have discussed the great What's Up, Doc? just in my previous post so here are 3 I will discuss.

1. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT-1934

Clark Gable won an Oscar for this role(not Gone With The Wind) and so did Claudette Colbert, Frank Capra(director), Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert Riskin) and Best Picture...yup, the top 5. This was a huge suprise since it came from Poverty Row studio, Columbia Pictures. A team had to stop Claudette Colbert from getting on a train so she could go accept the award. Gable didn't want to go do this picture but he had no choice since he was under contract, was a bad boy, and sent to this studio as punishment. Colbert plays an American heiress, newly married but hates it, who jumps ship(yacht), literally, and takes off but not sure where. She ends up on a bus and meets up with a reporter who thinks he will have the story of a lifetime since he knows who she is. She lets him help her because she does not want to go back but, when the bus leaves without them, they must find a way to move about the states with the help of a thumb and a pretty leg. They end up in a motel and must pretend they are husband and wife in order to stay. This is where one recalls the famous scene where a rope and a blanket separates the 2 of them when they go to sleep. It is also when Gable was blamed for the undershirt business taking a nosedive because he was wearing any when he was undressing. They find out they need each other more than they want to admit. a classic film in every way.

2. THE PROPOSAL-2009

Sandra Bullock plays an uptight, dislikeable bitch editor of a publishing company who violated her work visa and will be sent back to Canada(this character is supposed to be Canadian...really? We are so nice) so, not wanting to lose her position in the company, she blackmails her assistant, played by Canadian, Ryan Reynolds, to marry her otherwise he will lose his aspirations of becoming an editor himself. They travel to Alaska where she meets his family, surprised to find out her assistant comes from a very rich family. They must fake their relationship to everyone, even his nice old gammy played by the great Betty White. If Bullock is any more uptight you know those coals shoved up her butt will come out diamonds, but the family try to warm to this gal even though his dad isn't buying into the whole thing. The immigration man is having no parka pulled over his eyes and travels to Alaska to prove he is right and they are faking it. This is an enjoyable comedy, quite sweet without any major surprises that plays on TV on a regular basis. 

3. WE'RE THE MILLERS-2013

This film is anything but sweet and not for everyone but I love it so you know it is depraved. You have Jason Sudeikis as the penultimate under-achiever who makes a living selling drugs and using some himself(just pot). His teenage neighbour loves talking to him even though he pays him no mind to the teen. His other neighbour, played by Jennifer Aniston, is a stripper who is close to being evicted..oh yes and she hates his guts. Unfortunately, when Sudeikis helps out a girl (who is just a petty thief) from these roughians , his money is taken, by these future inmates, which puts him in a no win position with his slimy boss to "accept" a run to Mexico to pick up a small amount of drugs.  How will he do this? Become a stereotype waspish family with an RV, of course. He pays  the stripper, the naive, innocent teen(well, not the teen, poor kid) and the thief to be his family. They cross into Mexico but, when they realize how much drugs they must bring back, they start hyper-ventilating. I find it hilarious and it is not for kids...well, duh! Yes, there are drugs, foul language and a spider bite that makes everyone cringe so it is not for everyone but, to me, it is funny. 

So...which 3 would you choose?