Romantic Rebels with a Cause

While the meet-lose-get stories far outnumber the downers, there are gems in the genre that dare defy the traditional "happy ending".

The question is: Do romantic comedies retain their redemptive power when boy-does-not-get-girl?

In the 1953 classic Roman Holiday, Joe (Gregory Peck) and Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) occupy two different worlds. They share 24 unforgettable hours, but when their time is up, they can do nothing but say goodbye.

In the standard-setting Annie Hall (1977), Annie (Diane Keaton) and Alvy (Woody Allen) meet, get together, split up, get back together, and split up for good.

Frank (Michael Caine) has the time of his life Educating Rita (1983), but does not get the girl. As well as in literature, Rita (Julie Walters) gets an education in independence and self-worth. When Frank gets transferred to Australia, Rita puts her education to practice by deciding that it is best for her to stay behind to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

Whatever the outcome (traditional or unconventional), love always has an impact on the lives of romantic comedy heroes. Princess Ann will never break out of her prefab life, but her feelings for Joe have given her the determination to stand out as an individual, even in the asphyxiating world of schedule and protocol. It was a child that ran away from the palace, but it is a woman who made the decision to go back, no matter how high the cost. For Joe Bradley, this unexpected romance infused his work ethics with sensitivity and compassion. His life will never be the same again.

In much the same way, Alvy and Annie will always be part of each other's life lessons even though they cannot be together. Alvy has become more philosophical about the vagaries of love, and maybe he will do better next time. Annie has gone a long way from her low self-esteem self of the pre-Alvy era and now takes charge of her life. She turns down Alvy's marriage proposal and decides to stay in L.A. Right or wrong is not the issue here. What counts is that her relationship with Alvy has made her stronger.

Will Frank stay sober without Rita's invigorating presence? Will Rita eventually choose to join Frank? Will they be happy apart or miserable together? Anything goes. Their involvement has turned them into more insightful individuals who can take responsibility for their actions.

Woody Allen gives us a poignant take on the unredeemed lonely heart in the Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), in which Tom (Jeff Daniels), a movie character, falls in love with Cecilia (Mia Farrow), a pretty young woman in the audience who watches his movie day after day. The thing to do, of course, is to step right off the screen and join her in the real world, and this is exactly what he does. Tom is a lovely person, a gallant man full of idealized notions about love. Cecilia is a sweet, sensitive girl, trapped in an unhappy marriage. Tom's tenderness is a haven to her. The only snag is that Tom is not real. Enter Gil Shepherd, the real-life actor who portrays Tom Baxter. Cecilia is a huge fan and tells him so in the most effusive terms. Gil is gratified by her appreciation and courts her. What Cecilia fails to see is that Gil is so nice to her because he likes the flattering reflection of his ego in the mirror of fan worship she holds up to his face. Otherwise, the only thing that matters to Gil is his career.

At the moment of truth, Cecilia chooses Gil over Tom because Gil is real, only to be let down. In the final scene, she enters the movie theater with bloodshot eyes and, lost in her grief, mechanically finds her way to a seat. On the screen, Fred Astaire sings "I'm in Heaven" as he dances with Ginger Rogers. At first Cecilia is oblivious to the world around her, but as she lifts her face and catches sight of the two elegant figures gliding across the glittering landscape of their fairy-tale world, the movie magic takes hold of her and slowly reels her in.

The scene evokes the words of critic Pauline Kael describing her love for the movies: "We're lovers who are let down all the time, and go on loving." So long as Cecilia stays in the world of the unreal, she feels loved and safe and at peace.

Let him who has never drunk of the cup of vicarious catharsis in a dark movie theater, cast the first stone.