OK film fans, Valentine's Day has come and almost gone and, as an unencumbered bachelor, it has passed quietly and quickly. My singular status notwithstanding, I am in fact a soft-hearted romantic. I have been known to dabble in poetry, lavish gifts and romance filled getaways in celebration of this particular holiday. While I've never been to see a film on Valentine's Day, I have been known to use film as an icebreaker, as enchantment and as seduction. And of course films, as a mirror to societal beliefs and actions, have always been filled with love, lust and sex. So tonight, on this oddly imposed romantic day, I give you my Top 5 Scenes of Love, Lust and Everything in-between.
Honorable Mention I couldn't resist adding this one since it falls squarely in the "everything in-between" category. In an unflinching look at love outside the norm, Secretary has a remarkably simple and traditional theme; there's a soul mate out there for all of us, no matter who we are and what we need. Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal in her breakout performance) is a bright young girl with serious self-esteem issues culled from a neurotic family. She takes a job with a demanding and obsessive lawyer Mr. Grey (the perfectly cast James Spader) when something unspoken happens between them. She is submissive and he is dominant, they each sense this and the dance begins. This film does not seek to indoctrinate us with the merits of S&M, it simply shows that for some this comes as natural as the missionary position and between consenting adults there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, defining people by their sexual practices is as stupid as defining them by the color of their skin.
5. Frankie and Johnny This 1991 remake is the story of two broken and battered souls who try to find redemption in each other. It's a wonderful romantic film, once you get past two marquee stars playing downtrodden regular folk. When new short order cook Johnny (Al Pacino) starts working in a tiny diner in NYC, waitress Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) is wary of his advances. I'm going to cheat here a little and go with two scenes that are part of a larger sequence. First up, Johnny slowly builds the trust between them until she throws caution to the wind. The second clip takes place after they have come down from the heights of romance. They fight and Frankie's insecurities get the better of her. She asks Johnny to leave, hiding in the bathroom, unwilling to confront him. Johnny enlists the help of a late night DJ, whose songs filled the air as they spooned in momentary bliss, to reverse the tide. Take a good look here fellas; never underestimate the power of flowers and Clair de Lune.
4. Shopgirl This filmed adaptation of the same titled Steve Martin novella tells the somewhat melancholy story of Mirabella Buttersfield (Claire Danes), a young struggling artist who works behind a sales counter in Saks Fifth Ave, and the two men in her life. The first, Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), is a fellow young struggling artist she beds in a moment of despair and loneliness. But he is a young man unaware of both himself and how to treat a woman. The second, Ray Porter (Steve Martin), is a wealthy older man she begins a relationship with, never quite realizing he's not serious about her until the very end. Shortly after this realization Jeremy re-enters her life a more mature, self assured and competent man. He is now ready to become what Mirabella mistakenly searched for in Ray.
As with any well directed film, good scenes explain emotions without words, without having to explicitly tell us what is happening and convey a meaning or subtext which is important to the film. The first time Mirabella sleeps with Ray cleverly foreshadows the nature of their relationship without a word; she is falling in love, he is not. I think we've all been on both sides of the equation and this scene (starting at the 2:50 mark, beware, there is a naked butt!) depicts it beautifully.
3. 9 1/2 Weeks This film explores a lot of fantasies, but there is one in particular that's fairly universal. Ladies, I'm going to be frank here. Your man is obsessed with you. There is not a spot on our lovers, from your toes to your ears, which are not always on our minds. Yes, we all have our favorite extremities, but what we really want is for you to share all of it with us, without reservation. This fascination with women's bodies is one of the reasons strip clubs are filled with men from 18 to near dead, not to mention the 6 billion plus people on the planet.
I saw this film as a freshman in college with my then girlfriend and let's just say we found it very educational. When the initially uptight art gallery assistant Elizabeth (Kim Basinger) puts on a show for her somewhat kinky/sadistic Wall Street boyfriend John (Mickey Rourke), it fulfills the overt fantasy of a large number of men. The important thing, at least for me, is what a strip tease can be in the boundaries of a relationship. There is no pole here, gone is the tacky symbol from depressing strip clubs. What we get is a playful exploration of sex (puritan alert, nudity ahead) and the fun that comes from trusting your partner while being comfortable in your own skin. I just wish they had chosen a better song.
2. Talk to Her The films of Spanish writer/director Pedro Almodovar are some of the most beautiful, wonderful and challenging films being made today. Buried in this story (a Best Original Screenplay Oscar winner) of a strange friendship forged between two men, whose lovers are each lying comatose in the same hospital, is a scene of uncommon soulfulness. Marco flashes back to a time before his bullfighter girlfriend, Lydia, was in a coma, recalling a night at a small outdoor concert when a beautiful song moved him to tears. Combined with his explanation to her of what brought on the sudden flood of emotion, a story involving an ex-lover, she is overcome with a desire to do whatever it takes to make him forget her. I have no complete clip here, just a heartfelt recommendation to expand your film base and see this film, preferably with the one you love.
1. Out of Sight Leave it to stylish director Steven Soderbergh (see The Limey, go, right now!) to combine a crime thriller with romance. Bank thief Jack Foley (George Clooney, at the start of the biggest comeback in Hollywood and in full Cary Grant mode) breaks out of jail and is almost caught by U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco (J-Lo in one of the few times I could actually stand her). Instead, she is taken hostage by him and his fellow escapees and finds herself in a trunk having a surprisingly engaging conversation with the bad guy. Their flirtations continue throughout the film until they meet in an upscale hotel bar where they succumb to desire. The pacing is deliberately slow, shot with warm glowing tones juxtaposed against the cold blue hues of snow falling on the city outside the high rise windows. The seduction is heightened with spectacular editing that shifts us in time between the anticipation and the consummation. Rarely does a scene capture a moment as well as this one has. Fellas once again, look closely here and notice the buildup to the moment is as fun and stimulating as the moment itself.
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