Description
Book SynopsisThe most up-to-date study of the Hollywood romantic comedy film, from the development of sound to the twenty-first century, this book examines the history and conventions of the genre and surveys the controversies arising from the critical responses to these films.
Trade Review“Grindon’s contribution to the romantic comedy film bibliography is a valuable addition to the limited number of similar scholarly endeavors, and it seems well-designed for classroom use—not just for teaching the particular films he discusses, but also for teaching methodology. The romantic comedy genre has rarely received the sort of academic recognition it deserves, but students, film scholars, romance scholars, and rom-com enthusiasts all over the world will find The Hollywood Romantic Comedya fine introduction to this culturally and politically significant film genre.” (Journal of Popular Romance Studies, 1 October 2012)
"The romantic comedy genre has rarely received the sort of academic recognition it deserves, but students, film scholars, romance scholars, and rom-com enthusiasts all over the world will find The Hollywood Romantic Comedy a fine introduction to this culturally and politically significant film genre." (Journal of Popular Romance Studies, 15 October 2012)
"Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers." (
Choice, 1 September 2011)
Table of ContentsList of Plates ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 Introduction 1
2 History, Cycles, and Society 25
3 Thinking Seriously About Laughter and Romance 67
4 Trouble in Paradise (1932): What is the Trouble in Paradise? 84
5 His Girl Friday (1940): Jailbreak! 96
6 The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944): The Home Front Romantic Comedy 106
7 Adam’s Rib (1949): Anatomy Lesson 117
8 Some Like It Hot (1959): Riding Sidesaddle 129
9 The Graduate (1967): Counter-Conventions and Cultural Change 139
10 Annie Hall (1977): The Trials of Partnership 150
11 When Harry Met Sally (1989): Friendship, Sex, and Courtship 160
12 There’s Something About Mary (1998): Parody and the Grotesque 171
13 Waitress (2007): Women’s Ambivalence 181
A Chronology of Prominent Hollywood Romantic Comedies 191
References 195
Index 201
