The Hollywood Romantic Comedy: Conventions, History and Controversies

by Leger Grindon

The 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.

232 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2011

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This analytical look at the romantic comedy shows the depth of a genre often disregarded as film fluff. Leger Grindon, a Professor of Film and Media Culture at Middlebury College, first gives an overview of the genre's history and the cycles writers tend to follow, leading to somewhat formulaic plots, characters, and themes. Grindon then addresses specific titles such as His Girl Friday (1940), Some Like It Hot (1959), Annie Hall (1977), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and There's Something About Mary (1998), among others. This is a good resource for those interested in film history and thematic patterns.