Valentine's Day Movies

What is your favorite all-time romance movie to watch on Valentine's Day each year? Mine is, like many incurable romantics, An Affair to Remember. I've watched earlier and later versions of this movie, but none get me teary eyed and sentimental like the 1957 version. Much as I like Charles Boyer and Irene Dunn in the original, I relate better to the Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant version. I later learned that Kerr and Grant improvised some of their lines, so they truly were a good casting fit.

Why is this a sentimental favorite? (It's still one of the most aired movies during February and was voted the #5 greatest romance film of all time*) For me, it has the elements I look for in a good romance story. (Spoiler alert: If you've yet to watch the movie, stop reading now)

1. Conflict. Each is engaged to marry someone else, but they're attracted to each other.
2. Tough choices: Their significant others aren't villains or jerks. In fact, Terry's ex-fiance is a nice guy who remains her friend. We can't help but like him.
3. Sympathetic characters. Neither Nickie nor Terry wants to hurt anyone and truly tries to do what is right. They're honest and up front.
4. Tragic event: Terry is hit by a car on her way to rendezvous with Nickie. The accident leaves her wheelchair-bound.
5. Secrets: Terry hides her injury from Nickie. Nickie hides his heartache from Terry.
6. Character growth: Nickie, the rich playboy who hasn't worked a day in his life, proves he can be a successful painter. Terry finds a productive outlet in teaching music to children.
7. Pacing: The promise to meet in six months is exchanged precisely halfway through the movie.
8. Happy ending: Reunited and filled with hope, the two commit at the story's end.

I want a happy ending, which is why I have little enthusiasm for films like Message in a Bottle or Dr. Zhivago. 

If you share my love for this movie, tell me your reasons. If you have another favorite, please share. 

Happy Valentine's Day! ♥


*The American Film Institute

Movie Talk

An author posted the question on Facebook re: books made into motion pictures. Are there any movies that you enjoyed more than the book upon which it was based? My first thought was Doctor Zhivago. I tried reading Pasternak's novel in college while studying Russian lit. Not at all readable. I made it through One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Anna Karenina, and Crime and Punishment just fine. But the movie Doctor Zhivago captured the horror of war, the ruthlessness of Lara's husband, the incredible Russian scenery, and the emotional battle within a man in love with two women. The book did not, at least not for me.

Then there are motion pictures that borrow the title of a book and little else, like Ian Fleming's The Spy Who Loved Me. I enjoyed the book, but except for the James Bond character, it bore no resemblance to the movie. Alas, the movie was more entertaining. Then there's Jean Shepherd's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, which is a delightful read (not a novel. More of a collection of vignettes from Shepherd's childhood) but not quite as entertaining as its film version, A Christmas Story. Who doesn't enjoy A Christmas Story, with Ralphie's quest for the ultimate boy's Christmas present, a Red Ryder BB gun?

I could write a post every day about movies that fail to do the book justice, but that's been done to death. Borrowing from my colleague's question, is there a film you thought was an improvement on the book?

Holiday Stories

I've posted before about my love of holiday themed stories. I re-read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens every December. I watch all the corny holiday movies on the Hallmark channel. I have my own copy of A Christmas Story. I admit it. I'm a sucker for Christmas stories, especially romances.

The first Christmas romance I wrote was for Wings ePress. My contemporary romance Last Resort, which was inspired by and loosely based on the old Alec Guinness movie Last Holiday (this was before Queen Latifah's updated version---and yes, I have that DVD, too), earned me the 2003 EPPIE (now EPIC) award for best contemporary romance.

2003 Eppie Winner

Last year, I wrote my first inspirational romance story, The Christmas Prayer,  part of The Heart of Christmas anthology from Highland Press. The feedback I received from readers overwhelmed me. I didn't expect to find many readers for my foray into the subgenre of inspirational romance. Evidently, there's a market.

The reception for that story motivated me to write another, a sequel of sorts, titled Hometown Blessings, which is included in the Christmas Blessings anthology from Highland Press. (Note: All four stories connect to the four stories in the previous anthology, and there's talk of doing a third in the series for 2015). The "hometown" is fictional Harper, Georgia, a small community in the North Georgia mountains. The subject matter may be controversial, but I was moved to write the story. It's a timely issue--sexual predators within the church--and tough subject matter. Yet it's a happy holiday romance, too. I hope you'll give it a read.

Since it's gift giving season, consider copies of these anthologies as presents to the romance readers on your list. The anthology is offered in both print and e-book, or you can download the individual stories for .99 each.   

And don't forget to enter the drawing for the iTunes gift card.

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SEEING RED

Today's post is about the 2010 movie, Red. Red is supposedly a CIA acronym for Retired-Extremely Dangerous. The movie trailer promotes Red as sort of Space Cowboys meets Taken. While it has plenty of action and intrigue, Red is a romance. It even makes references to category romance novels.

No spoilers. You'll have to see the film. I will tell you, however, that there are two romances. One is between a couple (played by Mary Louise Parker and Bruce Willis) who've never met yet nuture a connection (pun intended) via telephone calls. One is a reunion romance between two older agents (Helen Mirren and Brian Cox). Events bring them together and running for their lives. And that's all I'll tell you about the plot.

See Red. It's delightfully entertaining. It has adventure, action, comedy, and--most of all--romance. I loved it! ♥