# "Man-boy" films

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-boy-films/338994>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 8, 2006, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-boy-films/338994 "2006-01-08T07:12:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-boy-films/338994/81 "2006-01-26T21:06:51Z")

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> [@Rilchiam](#):
>
> Similarly, the romcoms of the '50s and early '60s (basically the genre that was being parodied in **Down With Love** ) presented as totally plausible the idea that a 25-year-old guy could be editor-in-chief of a glossy magazine

Except that in none of the romantic comedies was the leading man anywhere that young. Cary Grant was in his 50s, Rock Hudson was 33-38, and Frank Sinatra was 39-43. The typical 25-year-old would be cast as the office boy or the delivery guy.

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**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-boy-films/338994/82 "2006-01-26T21:20:36Z")

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> [@Walloon](#):
>
> Except that in none of the romantic comedies was the leading man anywhere that young. Cary Grant was in his 50s, Rock Hudson was 33-38, and Frank Sinatra was 39-43. The typical 25-year-old would be cast as the office boy or the delivery guy.

I stand corrected, then.

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-boy-films/338994/83 "2006-01-26T21:49:14Z")

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Just thought of one: Brendan Fraser in [Blast from the Past](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124298/combined).

> [@](#):
>
> [Calvin is reassuring his wife on their son’s first night away from home]  
> Calvin: I just want to say, I think he’s going to be fine.  
> Helen: Thank you, Calvin, thank you very much.  
> Calvin: He’s smart!  
> Helen: Yes, dear, I know, but he’s still such a baby.  
> Calvin: He’s a man.  
> Helen: He’s a baby man.

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