This is the first of a series of blogs wherein I work to create a “literary toolkit” on writing the Romantic Comedy screenplay. This is adapted from an assignment I worked on for my graduate degree at SNHU.
I selected two romantic comedy screenplays, analyzed and compared them, and from this, I have created this "writer's toolkit." I selected a 1959 film by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, "Some Like It Hot," and 2008’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” By picking a classic, Hay's Code Hollywood film and a contemporary romantic comedy, I have identified the differences between the two scripts, as well as the storytelling elements, literary conventions, and themes of this particular genre which have persisted through the evolving film landscape.
My reasons for picking these two films are multifaceted. First, these two scripts were available. Through the process of searching for screenplays, one will make this realization quickly. Transcripts for almost all films are readily available, but if you want the originals, these are much more difficult to find. Especially because scripts are never “finished.” Once a screenplay is optioned for a film, it is alive again and edited into different versions. If you are able to find the original script, it is almost always going to show some differences from the film version. The two scripts I’ve found appear to be originals, not shooting versions, which is why I’ve settled on them.
Of course, I also enjoy both of these films. Amongst a list of screenplays I searched for, I’m very happy that these two were available. The differences in the two films are indicative of how time has changed the genre. This is something by which I am fascinated, as I adore romantic comedies. When life is crapping on you, when you need a boost, when you need your faith returned in humanity, “rom-coms” are there. In terms of bringing people joy, there are few genres where you’re guaranteed to be able to do this than in rom-com. Sometimes I want to write and consume things that are deep and important and study difficult situations. Other times I want to write and consume comfort. Rom-com is the mac and cheese of film.
The literary conventions of this genre are easy to identify. Misconceptions and miscommunications are frequently central to the conflicts of these films. Opposites always attract and make for great comedy and chemistry. And people never know what they want. The woman might have a list of things they’re looking for; the man may write of a “certain type” of woman. But through the magical process of falling in love, the characters always discover what they really want. These conventions haven’t changed in too many major ways since the conception of the genre; however, there are certainly culturally-related conventions that have changed since the 1950’s. Working women are much less frequently represented as quirky shrews who need love to soften them, as can be seen in quite a few of Doris Day’s films, most notably 1961’s Lover Come Back (one notable exception to this would be the films of Sandra Bullock -- Miss Congeniality, The Proposal, etc). Now, women in rom-coms almost always have jobs, and some are even career-driven. Plus, it’s no longer implied that marriage leads to the ending of a career and the beginning of a domestic life.
The cultural differences between the 1950’s and today might be pretty drastic, but the process of falling in love hasn’t changed all that much. It’s a major part of the human condition, and always fun to watch, whether the pair is meeting as members of competing advertising firms, or through an online dating app. Through my research and analysis of my two chosen texts, I plan to read some journal articles about the topic, thoroughly read the scripts for these films, watch the films themselves, and perhaps even check out some other entries into the genre that are generally regarded as trope-breaking.
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I adore romantic comedies. When life is crapping on you, when you need a boost, when you need your faith returned in humanity, “rom-coms” are there. In terms of bringing people joy, there are few genres where you’re guaranteed to be able to do this than in rom-com. Sometimes I want to write and consume things that are deep and important and study difficult situations. Other times I want to write and consume comfort. Rom-com is the mac and cheese of film.
Works Cited
“Some Like it Hot.” By Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond, directed by Billy Wilder, Mirisch Company, 29 March 1959.
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” By Jason Segel, directed by Nicholas Stoller, Apatow Productions, 18 April 2008.
“Lover Come Back.” By Staley Shapiro and Paul Henning, directed by Delbert Mann, Universal Pictures, 20 December 1961.
“Miss Congeniality.” By Marc Lawrence, Katie Ford, and Caryn Lucas, directed by Donald Petrie, Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, and Fortis Films, 22 December 2000.
“The Proposal.” By Peter Chiarelli, Touchstone Pictures, K/O Paper Products, and Mandeville Films, 19 June 2009.