Chilly Scenes of Winter is a 1979 romantic drama - romdra? - which stars John Heard and Mary Beth Hurt. The producers almost had lead actors whose names are homophones, but no cigar for close.
It was originally called Head Over Heels and had a happy ending, perfect for Valentine's Day. In a surprise move, the lost-in-love title and the happy ending were scrapped a few years down the line in favor of a more, eh, realistic tone. Ticket-buyers seemed to appreciate the changes.
In Chilly Scenes of Winter, Charles and Laura meet in their civil service jobs with the state of Utah. They figure that it's not bad for guv'mint work and start moving toward the inevitable chilly breakup. Critics of the day praised the acting, but felt that the story wasn't exactly a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
Valentine wine pairing #1: Colby Red is a California blend of five grapes that's perfect if you don't know which way your relationship is going. It's cheap and it even has a little smudgy heart on the label.
1977's Annie Hall is Woody Allen's take on his failed relationship with Diane Keaton. We wouldn't learn until years later just how failed his relationships could be. This was pre-scandal Woody, though, and nearly everyone fell in love with Annie Hall.
The movie taught us how to have a great date involving lobsters, what to do if you forget your mantra, where to look for Marshall McLuhan while standing in line for The Sorrow and the Pity, how you can bond with others over killing spiders, and how to win the Truman Capote look-alike contest. It also taught us that even though love may fade, it's an awful lot of fun while it's shining.
Valentine wine pairing #2: Champagne, since it makes a great impression and goes great with lobster. Actually, it goes great with everything. Try Champagne Laurent Perrier for about $75.
As Good as it Gets, from 1997, was exactly that for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, who both took home Oscars for their work in the romcom. Can a mean old obsessive-compulsive misanthrope find happiness with a pretty waitress? You bet your dog-walking dollar he can, but it takes the intervention of the nice gay guy next door, and his puppy.
It's a great date movie, as long as the eccentricities contained in Nicholson's character don't remind your partner too much of you. There's no need to pull that string and see the whole sweater unravel, not on Valentine's Day.
The characters in As Good as it Gets show that people can grow together over common ground, no matter how far apart they may seem to be at first. Just don't forget to take care of the dog properly. And don't step on a crack.
Valentine wine pairing #3: Armand De Brignac Champagne may or may not be as good as sparkling wine gets, but it sure is close to being as expensive as it gets. You'll make an impression if you can find a subtle way to mention the astronomical price tag during dinner conversation. If that's out of reach, a little Veuve'll do ya.
Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment