Romance Is Dead: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Romantic Comedy

Romance is Dead: The Rise and Fall of the Romantic Comedy

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BBC Radio 4 - Romance Is Dead: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Romantic Comedy

Celebrating one hundred years of the romantic comedy.

As romcoms mark their 100th birthday, we explore and question this most entertaining of culture genres.

Boy meets girl, boy meets boy, obstacles arise, hilarity ensues and finally after some suspense…romance endures.

That formula for one of the staples of cinema, the rom com, has made films such as When Harry Met Sally, Four Weddings and A Funeral and You've Got Mail; Hollywood classics.

There have been many arguments about what the first Rom Com was, but the consensus appears to be that it all started back in 1924 with one silent movie in particular Girl Shy starring Harold Lloyd. 

This movie, along with another classic called Sherlock Jnr starring Buster Keaton were the precursors to the ones we know, love and can’t help but continue to quote today. Back then they were silent movies and dialogue was captured by sign cards, it was a lot harder to say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

William Shakespeare and Jane Austen have given writers plenty of inspiration for romantic comedy  but is it still happily ever after?  We celebrate meet cute, screen chemistry, representation, and cinema versus TV.   Romance is Dead explores the highs, lows and joys of Rom Coms with a reminder of some of the greats and why we so often watch on repeat. 

Corin Throsby talks to some Rom Com experts who wear their hearts on their sleeve – writer Scott Meslow, Hollywood screenwriter Tiffany Paulsen, Tim Bevan, joint CEO of Working Title Films which has produced some of our most loved Rom Coms and Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia, the writers of BAFTA nominated hit Rye Lane.

Curl up, tune in and enjoy.

Presenter: Corin Throsby
Producer: Belinda Naylor

Romance is Dead – Film Credits 

When Harry Met Sally directed by Rob Reiner
Castle Rock Entertainment

It Happened One Night directed by Frank Capra
Columbia Pictures 

You’ve Got Mail directed by Nora Ephron
Warner Brothers 

Two Weeks Notice directed by Marc Lawrence 
Castle Rock Entertainment

Notting Hill directed by Roger Michell 
Polygram Filmed Entertainment/Working Title Films

Bros directed by Nicholas Stoller 
Universal Pictures 

Holidate directed by John Whitesell
Wonderland Sound and Vision

Four Weddings and a Funeral directed by Mike Newell
Polygram Filmed Entertainment/Channel Four Films/Working Title Films

Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright 
Universal Pictures/Studio Canal/Working Title Films, 

Some Like it Hot directed by Billy Wilder
Ashton Productions/The Mirisch Corporation 

Rye Lane directed by Raine Allen Miller
BBC Films/DJ Films/BFI

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Romance Is Dead: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Romantic Comedy

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