How long does it take to fall in love? Some would say there's no such thing. Others would say long enough to know each other's faults and not care. And still others would suggest that it can happen in an instant.
One thing I noticed about the movies Eric and I talked about this week...movies from 1967. 50 year olds. All the couples seemed to jump into relationships very quickly. Whether it was the rebellious fling of Bonnie and Clyde, the mad lust filled affair of Ben and Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, or even the sweet but complicated adoration between John and Joey in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, it happened FAST! Too fast?
In this day and age of television series that arc across time continuously, we are used to stories and relationships created like old school soap operas...some relationships take YEARS to materialize. And that's ok. We have the time. We have 6 to 23 episodes to get there.
Sure, a la GOT, there are "relationships" that happen in an instant, but even there...any emotional bond is a gradual evolution. Again, we've got time.
But in the movies, before there were sequel upon sequels that were planned from the first line of the first film, you have 90 - 120 minutes to get your story told.
If you were a good film maker, you did so through showing not telling.
For John and Joey, I was convinced, as most of the relationship had happened before the movie started and off screen. The skill of the actors showing what the emotions were and proving their affection.
For Ben and Mrs. Robinson? Well, we're bending the definition of "relationship" to call what they had that. But his "true affection" for Elaine? Did I believe that?
Bonnie and Clyde had barely any real lines between them before she was hopping into his car and they were off. In my 21st century vision, it was jarring.
In the end, I suppose, when we look back at movies "of a certain age" we have to view them in the time they were created. It's not fair to expect films made in the past to take into account the skepticism and snarkiness of future audiences.
How long does it take to fall in love? You can ask Bonnie and Clyde, you can ask Edward and Vivian from Pretty Woman, you can ask Vianne and Roux from Chocolat, and you can ask Bridget Jones and Mark, and they will all give different answers. How long does it take to fall in love? Probably the best answer to the question is...as long as it takes.
Bonus:
No comments:
Post a Comment