Falling in Love at the Movies: Rom-Coms from the Screwball Era to Today

by Esther Zuckerman

Prepare to swoon, ugly cry, laugh, and fall in love with this Turner Classic Movies officially licensed exploration of the impact and legacy of one of film's most beloved   the  rom-com.

Romantic comedies have had an incredible influence on popular culture, shaping everything from how we think of relationships to fashion. Often swept aside in film history, these movies are thought of as pure comfort viewing. Although they certainly provide those fuzzy feelings, they have also had a significant artistic influence and cultural impact. Spanning decades of romantic comedies—from movies of the 1930s such as It Happened One Night and the rom com craze of the 80s and 90s including When Harry Met Sally... all the way to contemporary hits like Crazy Rich Asians , and everything in between— Falling in Love at the Movies will make you fall in love (all over again) with romantic comedies.

Esther Zuckerman—accomplished entertainment journalist and member of the New York Film Critic’s Circle—takes readers on a journey through the rom-com. She examines the psychological aspects that make us so drawn to these types of films, diving deep into the key auteurs—from Preston Sturges to James L. Brooks to Nora Ephron and beyond—who both created and subverted the canon .  These directors, actors, and writers shaped the genre, establishing and also busting traditional pillars and tenets of these movies such as the “Perfect Pair” or “The Man in Crisis” and “The High Maintenance Woman.”  Along the way she takes detours, exploring iconic lines of dialogue (Who could forget Julia Robert’s “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” iconic moment from Notting Hill ?) to memorable scenes (the magical moments at the Empire State Building in An Affair to Remember and   Sleepless in Seattle ) and weaves in interviews of artists and romantic comedy fanatics in the industry.
 
Looking beyond the traditional rom-com, Zuckerman digs into the nooks and crannies, the films that buck the trend of "happily ever after," the ones that think beyond heteronormative narratives, and the indies that kept the rom-com alive outside of the studio system, to offer a more comprehensive story of the rom-com than has ever been seen before—and one that you’re bound to love. How’s that for a happy ending?

Copyright © 2023 by Turner Classic Movies

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Romance, Media Tie In, History, Adult

256 pages, Hardcover

Published December 3, 2024

Reviews

[Cathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy old B&W rom-coms and thought this would be so fun. It was okay- mostly a nostalgia trip for me. I thought there were more modern classics than old B&W which was sad. Had I known there was a whole chapter for political agenda I would have passed on this impulse buy.

[Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Megan Sanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great dive into rom-coms! Made me feel good about myself for how much I did know, but Zuckerman introduced me to some new stuff and had great interview excerpts. Some commentary did feel a bit obvious, though.

My main complaint is how the genre "rom-com" becomes too generalized. This isn't just Zuckerman's fault - if anything, she had to include certain movies because they are discussed as rom-coms in pop culture even though they are NOT. Her section on happily ever afters vs. hopeful endings hints at this, but she doesn't make a clear line that a HEA is a requirement of a rom-com.

The main character needs to end up with the main love interest, and there needs to be actual COMEDY. Romantic dramas can be their own thing!! Just like there are romance novels and then relationship fiction, the same should be true of movies. I'm tired of being bamboozled by marketing ploys! Mystery books and movies don't get this shit!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times I wanted the author to dig just a tad deeper but this was a wonderful dive into the decades old rom com genre. My watchlist is so long now!!!

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. I usually like the TCM books - they are a quick read on, mostly, classic movies. Not so with Falling In Love at the Movies. I tired of hearing about When Harry Met Sally, how fabulous the movie was, the 'perfect' rom-com, on and on, chapter after chapter. Now, I've only seen the first 30+/- minutes of WHMS and the well-know New Year's scene at the end, but there was a reason I stopped watching WHMS. What I saw didn't draw me in like the older B&W rom-coms. IMO the older, classic rom-coms are far superior. I also tired of the author's opinion concerning what would not sit well with audiences of today when she referenced clips from some of the classic movies.

What almost stopped me from continuing with FILATM was what I read on page 87 about The Philadelphia Story:

"The first image we get of Haven is one that doesn't sit as well with modern audiences as it would have in 1940. In what constitutes a brief flashback, we see Dexter punch Hepburn's Tracy Lord in the face after she throws his golf clubs after him -"

That's not what happened. Tracy Lord indeed throws the golf clubs, breaks one, and throws that broken club at Dexter Haven (Grant). The audience does see Dexter raise a fist, but he instead puts his left hand on Tracy's face and pushes her onto her fanny.

If Zuckerman, who professes "...I know that loving rom-coms is an intrinsic part of my general obsession with movies -" got that clip of The Philadelphia Story so wrong, how can a reader who, like me, has not watched all the movies mentioned in Falling In Love at the Movies trust what she shares with readers?

I don't watch the Academy Awards but I do like to read anything tied to the world of movies around the time of the awards, as I appreciate the classics. As this book was such a disappointment I'm going to read TCM's Must-See Sci-Fi, and hope for so much more.

[Richelle Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was by far my most anticipated book of 2024 (lol) because I love to talk, think, and read about romcoms :’) as usual, esther zuckerman is both knowledgeable and extremely charming. very fun read

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was light and zippy, and will give you quite a few movies to add to your watch list for a rainy day

[Christine Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally love TCM books, but this one fell a bit short.The writing is just OK and the photos are good, with one exception. The caption reads: "Claudette Colbert flashing her leg for a ride in It Happened One Night (1934)." But it's not the iconic leg-flashing picture, it's Colbert sitting on a suitcase with her thumb out. As we all know, the limb is mightier than the thumb! In another error, regarding The Philadelphia Story, the author states: "we see Dexter {Cary Grant's character} punch Hepburn's Tracy Lord in the face . . ." Not so. He pushes her down with his open hand on her face, which is quite different. My last quibble is the use of the word "eponymous" at least a dozen times, much too repetitive in a 200 page book! I like the concept, though, and this overview of rom-coms has a lot of gems to remember and many new films to see.

[Shannon Singleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun quick read, perfect for me. Can’t resist a rom com. And it gave me a good list of some classics that I need to watch.

[Donnie]

And authors have written the rom-com is dead, in Esther Zuckerman's book though the genre is alive and well, and through her lens, we see the rom-com as fresh and new. True the classics are mentioned and she really has a bent for the 1990s-2000s when the rom-com was at its height, but as a quick read into the world of cinema and screw ball comedies and romance, she gives an analysis, more light then drone and more peppy then groan. Her style is quick and snappy and like the quips in classic comfort movies, she makes you fall in love all over again with the actors and the stories. I can't say that I learned much, but it was still fascinating to go down this road with her and learn a little more about the career of Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts and Molly Ringwald, as well as the directors and writers like Billy Wilder, Nora Ephron and others. If a light frothy mixture of fluff and fun is what your after then this is definitely the book for you.

And as they say in what I think is a romance, not comedy but straight up war time romance, "we'll always have Paris."

[Sanna-Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visually pleasing book about romance in films. This is written in a confusing way: it feels like Zuckerman has put together her longer articles (which are fine on their own) but forgotten that a book is an entirely different media format. It irritates me when you have repeat information coming up three-four times about the same subject.

I however like reading about films, writing for films and generally about the history of films. A little more editing to fit a non-fiction book form and a more braver take on the sexism and inequality of romantic film would have given this book better rating.

[Susan Scribner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic stuff for an old Boomer rom-com fan, but if Esther Zuckerman's book gets at least one Millennial or Gen Z'er to watch Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda in 1941's The Lady Eve, she deserves a special place in Heaven. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan in The Shop Around the Corner or Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday would also be acceptable.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this a 3.5/5. It's a very quick read that compares rom-coms from yesteryear with more recent titles. A nice introduction to this style, does what it says on the tin.

[Jess]

The parts of this I read were fine but that I kept not wanting to pick it back up to finish sort of tells its own story.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little exploration of tropes. Feels like an excuse to talk about rom-coms from the 90s-2010s more than the rom-coms from the 1930-60s. So if that's more interesting to you then this is your book.

I do disagree with her point that rom-coms are still alive and kicking, though. And why must we spend so much time celebrating political views in films? Rom-coms, by their very nature, die a bit when they are too political.

This is the reason that more people liked My Big Fat Greek Wedding in comparison to Kate and Leopold, for example.

[Wiley Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this read! ROM-coms are so important to me so finding new ones is so exciting and learning from its history was great. Just wish they talked more about my king of rom coms Freddie Prince jr

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this more stars, but this felt really repetitive (I love Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally as the next person, but there’s so many other movies out there to use as examples), and how the book was laid out allowed for the repetitiveness. I’m all for rom-coms, but this book could have been more. I also didn’t need to read the plot for The Lady Eve at least twice.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book, but not complete, and stresses the modern films

I am not Generation Z or a Millennial; just someone who likes the Golden Age Rom-Coms. So since I have not seen most of the movies the author has seen, but I have seen those from before 1960. It is good to read about old friends: Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn on the cover; Katherine Hepburn and Carey Grant in "the Philadelphia Story" (The author did not mention Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby in the remake, called "High Society". It's not quite as good, because Bing is much too old for her, but Grace was great in the role of the very upper class Tracey Lord and Bing does a great musical synopsis of jazz music, very well assisted by Louis Armstrong and his band); Katherine and Spencer Tracey and so many other men in other films; Doris Day and Rock Hudson; Carole Lombard and William Powell in "My Man Godfrey".

There are a few films that I think belong in the book that Is Zuckerman missed, but perhaps they don't fit the definition of a Romantic Comedy: Spencer Tracey, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy and William Powell in "Libelled Lady" is one. (There was a remake with Lucille Ball in Jean Harlow's role of the New York gal who has been perpetually engaged to a newspaper editor. She wants her marriage to finally happen but he always has a big story to cover. His paper is being sued by a wealthy young socialite because it said that she stole the affections of a married man. The reporter calls on an old rival reporter who had left the paper, Van Johnson (Powell's role) and they cook up a plot to have her steal Johnson's affections from his wife and have the wife sue her. The problem is that Van is not married. So the newsman persuades his fiancee to marry Johnson for the good of the paper and his job, and sue the society woman for alienating her husband's affections. So Lucy married Van and they spend the night - she in the bed and he on the couch - in a hotel's honeymoon suite. Lucy has never been treated with such courtesy by her fiance and she begins to want this marriage to be permanent. At least she would be married to a gentleman. Van Johnson meanwhile sets up the trap by going duck hunting with the lady and her father. The father likes him and so does she. Van discovers that she is no snob and he falls in love with her. Van tries to keep this from the newsman and his new wife; but time is passing without word from him. The newsman wants the libel suit dropped and Lucy divorced and available to marry him. Lucy wants her husband back so she can have a real marriage. She tells the father that his prospective son in law is married to her and she intends to sue. He tells his daughter. She confronts Van, who then proposes to her. They marry. Lucy breaks in on their wedding breakfast. Van tells Lucy that her divorce to her former husband Joe Simpson was not valid, so her marriage to him was bigamous. She retorts that she knew that and later got her divorce from Simpson elsewhere, so she is not a bigamist - he is. Her original fiance, the newspaperman, charges through the doorway, with his cameraman, and demands the society lady withdraw her lawsuit. She said she already did. Hadn't he been to his office? Lucy said again that she was the one suing. The newsman threatens Van Johnson for stealing his fiancee 's affections. Van and the newsman start to fight. Van gives the newsman a sick on the jaw. Lucy is all over the newsman with comfort. The father comes in, demanding an explanation. His daughter tries to give him one. The End.

Now, I think that is a Romantic comedy.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Falling in Love at the Movies: Rom-Coms from the Screwball era to Today by Ester Zuckerman is a 2024 Running Press Adult publication.

This is one of those Turner Classic Movies tie-in books. Based on previous experiences, these books are typically hastily tossed -together affairs- a quick cash grab aimed at audiences preparing for the Oscars or in this case Valentine’s Day.

That cover, though, was irresistible, and I thought why not? A quick ‘Valentine’s Day’ fluffy piece of entertainment just might be fun.

Instead of a chronological release format, the author opted for categories- such as, ‘The Cute Meet’ and ‘The High Maintenance Woman’ and ‘Men in Crisis’. This worked in some ways, but in others the point was weak, and it also got a little repetitive, occasionally returning to those Meg Ryan blockbusters a bit too often.

I was right about the reminiscence aspects. Some of these movies I had never seen, of course, but I was surprised by how many of them I had watched at least once. It has been ages since I’ve seen most of these movies- though in our house ‘Notting Hill’ gets re-watched a bit more than most since my DH likes that one. For me, I make a concerted effort to watch ‘While You Were Sleeping’ every holiday season.

For my adult children though, “Harry Met Sally” in the quintessential rom-com. There’s a bit of nostalgia for the John Hughes films, too, despite some material being a little cringy now.

The old Black and Whites are also prominently featured- and I must admit I watch those old TCM standards now, more than ever.

The movies made in the mid-aughts and beyond typically don’t work for me. They are too silly or too raunchy, and having them described for me in this book, with one or two exceptions, only solidified my opinion of them, and the book ended with an obligatory- as it was tacked on at the very end- segment that I am so far removed from that the book didn’t end with a sigh-worthy HEA for me.

That said, for the most part, the nostalgia was fun. I was reminded of many great films, some good memories, and I even came away with a nice little list of movies I’d like to re-watch sometime soon, and some I have never gotten around to watching… just in time for Valentine’s Day! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Overall, another sloppy, hastily tossed together cash grab-which I was prepared for, but, I did have some fun remembering some of the classics.

*Note: I would like to say that there was one notable film mentioned that has probably been long forgotten about- but if you can find it- you might want to check it out. It’s called ‘Claudine’, and was made back in 1974, starring James Earl Jones and Diahanne Carroll.

[Paul Sutter]

There is truly a genre of movie to please everyone out there. Whether your tastes are for the scary, thrilling, mysterious, or just plain bizarre, these are but a few of the types of movies for the cinema-loving audience. But there is another type of movie that has captured our attention and hearts in one form or another for decades. And that is the rom-com, short for romantic comedy. They have been with us in one form of another since the 1930’s, allowing us to laugh and fall in love with the main characters, as they seek love in sometimes all the wrong places.
Esther Zuckerman offers a most extensive look at the countless movies that fall into this category, along with the notable actors and actresses who have brought rom-coms to life on the silver screen. She even goes so far as to include some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays in the rom-com realm, and have been served as inspiration for some of yesterday and today’s films. There really is not one defining movie that could be said the catalyst for the rom-com, rather one movie following another using the classic theme of sometimes opposites attracting or those destined to fall in love finding their true love, through often unusual means.
The book’s chapters help define what sorts of rom-coms were created, and through what means. They include: Men In Crisis, The Meet Cute, The Art of Deception, Not So Happily Ever After, and The High-Maintenance Woman, among others. The movies noted in the book act as a sort of who’s who of great cinema, especially when they border on the romantic comedy and couples living happily ever after. America’ Sweethearts is a chapter where the author discusses past and present female stars such as Jean Arthur, Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lopez and others. A true classic mentioned is, It Happened One Night from 1934, starring Claudette Colbert. Many remember the classic scene from this movie when she hiked up her skirt and showed her leg to hitch a ride with style.
There are bad girls and bad boys in rom-coms that we cheer for, that the girl will get the guy or the guy will get the girl, often resulting in complex methods and means to win them over. The dozens of photos from the classic films, make this a true trip down rom-com memory lane, with so many stars and so many movies that have withstood the test of rom-com time. Fans of rom-com and cinema in general will find this book a must-have to add to your library. The reminiscences of scenes we remember and actors we cannot forget, make this a true classic. Like the movies it is a book to fall in love with.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first three chapters are mildly interesting due to their focus on history and typology, the rest are a befuddlement of a writer who really just wants to say "i like these 7 movies go watch them".

At the risk of giving Zuckerman more ideas to talk about what she knows honestly little about, I'd say she needs to expand her worldview by watching more romcoms.

I'm serious.

Between her gaps in classics (William Powell and Myrna Loy are given Zero mentions, even in the 'on-screen couples' section) and her ignorance of/refusal to mention any modern-ish romcoms that don't star the extremely tepid (and often unlikable) Tom Hanks or the unbelivable-in-any-role-that-requires-him-to-be-a-good-person Hugh Grant, one gets rather the sense that she's interested more in the idea of a romcom and how it can be politicized or have its questionable elements skimmed over, depending on if she personally likes the film or not. The fact that Hughes (gag me) gets so much time without saying anything noteworthy while the absolutely wild emergence of the literary romcom in the 90s and early 2000s is brushed over in a scant almost-two pages that detail examples, rather than analyzing why they came to be and what it meant for the romcom scene is just one of the many things that show the oddly myopic viewpoint that this book was approached with.

She also has the tendency to bemoan romcoms where the women are forced to give something up to be with the man they love, but calls it a perfectly balanced story when the man is the one giving something up. Isn't a romcom, at its core, concerned with the lives of both halves of its couple?

I ask rhetorically, of course.

The really sad thing is that, when given the opportunity to say something about a movie, she goes with "I liked it so it's good", rather than anything of particular value. I think it probably should say something to a reader that she cheers for Julia Roberts's horrifically selfish villain in My Best Friend's Wedding.

That's probably all you need to know.

[Jean J · Rating 1 out of 5]

not a great field guide to romantic comedies. not just because there's very little to learn about the history/theory/practice of comedy filmmaking in here, not just because there's very little information or insight provided about any of the subjects covered here, but because every chapter is poorly structured in the same way. there's a list of a bunch of movies that fit the theme of the chapter, each one gets 1-3 paragraphs, and they aren't in chronological order, alphabetical, or anything useful, it's just one poorly described plot summary lurching tangentially into the next. this has a full bibliography, multiple stills from these many fine films that you might be able to watch on TCM, an index, and costs 24 dollars hardback, yet nobody in editorial notices when the plot to The Lady Eve is recounted twice in the space of two or three breezy chapters. the average reader could notice that redundancy during a 30 minute lunch break. the romantic comedy as an artform does not deserve to be condescended to this blatantly.

[La Crescent Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinephiles of the rom-com, rejoice! This delightful, photo-packed book dishes out all the tropes we've come to know and love - or love to hate - about the romantic comedy. It's a light, easy, and entertaining read with nods to most your favorite rom-com films.

Looking back at what was popular in the 30s and 40s, the author cites how many of those storylines were modernized and what role they play today.

Most of the films named are the popular culture flicks of their day, and so tend to err on the side of white protagonists and audiences, but the author does make an effort to include Black rom-coms and stars, as well as the increasing number of LGBTQ+ rom-coms being made, and recognizes the impact that the successful film, Crazy Rich Asians, had in the industry. Let's all hope this means more to come!

For movie buffs, it was a fun and entertaining read with shoutouts to some of the best moments and movie speeches between lovebirds.

~ Jess

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Falling in Love at the Movies by Esther Zuckerman c2024 as reviewed by Gail M. Murray

If you enjoy romantic comedies this book’s for you – a light entertaining read that touches on rom coms from 1930’s onwards. Each chapter focuses on a trope or element of the film genre: meet cute, America’s sweethearts, the man, perfect pairs (think Tracey and Hepburn, Hanks and Ryan, Gere and Roberts), the high maintenance woman (Hepburn, Meg Ryan as Sally), the man in crisis, deception, fantasy , teen romance (Cameron Crowe)and suspension of disbelief ( grand gestures, story book endings). It is packed with photos. Entertainment journalist, Zuckerman, relates plots and spends time on “It Happened One Night”, “When Harry Met Sally” (Ephron’s tale packed with intelligent banter) and Crowe’s teen offerings of the eighties. It’s a quick read and may introduce new generations to some relevant TCM classics! Available at Toronto Public Library.

[Cammy]

This was cute! I knew basically all of this, though there were movies in the political section that she didn't mention! I like that she framed rom-coms as political in a certain chapter, but I also feel like she could've dove into that more in terms of who stars in the movies. The queer and POC movies
I like that she made an effort to include more diverse movies, but it was weird that they were in chapters at the end that were relatively short.

She's telling the story of rom-coms, and I guess it's not fair to expect her to tell the story of it worldwide movies, that's not fair. But it focuses on white straight movies for like 85% of those movies and it feels like she focuses on Tom Hanks and Meg for so long. I was like okay girl.

I think this would be a fun gift for a rom com lover or like they should sell this in movie theaters.

[Jess Witkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinephiles of the rom-com, rejoice! This delightful, photo-packed book dishes out all the tropes we've come to know and love - or love to hate - about the romantic comedy. It's a light, easy, and entertaining read with nods to most your favorite rom-com films.

Looking back at what was popular in the 30s and 40s, the author cites how many of those storylines were modernized and what role they play today.

Most of the films named are the popular culture flicks of their day, and so tend to err on the side of white protagonists and audiences, but the author does make an effort to include Black rom-coms and stars, as well as the increasing number of LGBTQ+ rom-coms being made, and recognizes the impact that the successful film, Crazy Rich Asians, had in the industry. Let's all hope this means more to come!

For movie buffs, it was a fun and entertaining read with shoutouts to some of the best moments and movie speeches between lovebirds.

[Joanna- LifeWithPrinceMan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ JOJO'S REVIEW ✨

I grabbed this book hoping to expand my knowledge about romance movies from the 1930s-on. And, this book definitely did that, but I didn't really add any other movies to my "To Be Watched" list. To me, this book read like a college dissertation on the genre. I appreciated how the author grouped the subtypes together, although I also felt that added a lot of overlap throughout the book. I also would have appreciated a list of movies at the beginning or end of each chapter to summarize her thoughts. This was a great palate cleanser between some more intense reads, and I would recommend reading it on Kindle Unlimited or renting a copy at your library over buying a copy. Anyone who loves romance movies and classics, this is for you.

[Alex Velasquez · Rating 2 out of 5]

sadly i really wished i liked this more than i ended up liking it. when she says this is not a history of rom coms, she's not joking. each chapter is a different aspect of rom coms and we're just examining them but after awhile, it just feels like she's recapping the plot of a rom com and saying 'and this, of course, is an example of a leading lady' but there's no real examination of the rom com as a whole here.

if i wanted to read movie recaps, I'd go to letterboxd. the photos are cute but are not enough to really save it. i honestly wish this was a history of rom coms because that's what i thought it was gonna be but it isn't.

also why are the pages glossy ???? it feels like im flipping through a yearbook

[Joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this 3 stars because the overall presentation of the book is beautiful. However the content is severely lacking. Author focuses way too much on Nancy Myers and Nora Ephron. They are referenced on nearly every page. This is supposed to be a history of the romcoms from the screwball era to today, but author focuses too much on today with little summaries and historical context on earlier films from the golden Age. She kept referencing the same films which also go tedious and boring. Overall expansion would’ve been nice!

This also reads like an article from Vanity Fair or someplace, which is fine but put it in book form and it’s so unnecessarily long. Author needs to go back and do some homework on the history of film.

[Lisa Guerard-Cugini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love rom-coms

This book provides an engaging and entertaining history of romantic11 comedies from the early days of motion pictures to the present with all the changes that the genre endured. Even if you aren't a fan of these types of movies, the book is a fun and informative read.