# Movie Romances You Found Extremely Disturbing (though they weren't supposed to be) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053 "2006-03-27T06:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/21 "2006-03-27T14:24:09Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > It’s supposed to be a romance between the two worst caricatures of capitalism, the street hooker and the corporate raider. Before Garry Marshall tidied it up, the opening scene was of a dead hooker in a dumpster. It’s really supposed to be icky. Any yet, many women get senimental and teery-eyed about it, as if it is some kind off modern-day fairy tale. Ugh. > [@delphica](#): > > In **Big** , Tom Hanks hooks up with Elizabeth Perkins, and ha ha, he’s really 12 years old. Ewww. I don’t blame Perkins’s character, because I don’t think it’s normally the sort of thing once asks a prospective boyfriend (hey, are you really 12 years old?) so she doesn’t know … but I know. And it’s creepy. One minute he’s dancing on a big piano, and the next thing you know, he’s getting his freak on. Worse yet is the gender-bender version of _Big_ entitled _13 Going On 30_, which features a 30 year old woman (who thinks she’s 13) trying to hit on young boys. > [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Michael!!! how could you? About _Jaws: The Revenge_: “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.” In the tradition of British actors, he’ll do anything for a paycheck. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/22 "2006-03-27T14:50:11Z")
I never liked _Entrapment_ . The whole romance between Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones just bothered me. Yuck. Of course, she went on to marry Michael Douglas, who at least is 14 years younger than Sean. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/23 "2006-03-27T14:54:15Z")
This is borderline heresy: Bogart and Bacall, no matter the situation. For that matter, _anybody_ and Bogart. In retrospect, Rock Hudson and a female. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/24 "2006-03-27T15:04:27Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Ever see the movie _Funny Face_? I dunno if I’d say it was outright “disturbing,” but when the romantic leads have less onscreen chemistry than stock footage of aircraft refueling, then something just ain’t right. You’re setting the bar pretty high, aren’t you? The opening of _Dr. Strangelove_ is one of the greatest sex scenes of all time. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/25 "2006-03-27T15:28:31Z")
The three I thought of first have already been mentiond: The Piano: the first one that came to mind. I am still appalled every time I hear anyone, but especially a woman, say how “romantic” (omigod BARF) this movie is. It’s revolting. This woman has had one thing in her entire shitty joyless life that made her happy and a weirdo man takes it and won’t return it unless she fucks him. I was completely disgusted by the whole thing, and more so by its reception and the awards heaped upon it. Clueless: Cher was way too young for that guy, and even though they aren’t related, they have a brother/sister relationship. Doesn’t matter that he’s away at college a lot. Pretty Woman: it’s an entertaining flick but total suspension of disbelief is required. She’s a Hollywood Boulevard streetwalker and gets all offended when her trick doesn’t treat her like Princess Grace. Then he somehow falls in love with her. Never made sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/26 "2006-03-27T15:32:58Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > **Blame It On Rio** has Michael Caine falling for 18 year oldish Demi Moore. > > Michael!!! how could you? Demi Moore played his daughter. Caine’s character falls for her best friend played by Michelle Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/27 "2006-03-27T15:36:25Z")
[Michelle Johnson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001400/) . Michelle Williams was probably still in diapers. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/28 "2006-03-27T15:43:02Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Pretty much any rom-com movie penned by Nora Ephram (_When Harry Met Sally_, _Sleepless in Seattle_, _You’ve Got Mail_) is full of manipulative, decieving, self-absorbed sociopaths that make the characters in a Neil LaBute play look like exemplars of benevolence. _You’ve Got Mail_ is one I particularly hated. HE’S A SLEAZEBAG STALKER! He’s rich from inheritance, actively works to drive her out of business from a shop she loves, then uses “insider knowledge” to get into her heart/pants ala Bill Murray in _Groundhog Day_ and then comes to take her away, and her reaction upon learning she’s been played like a $10 guitar? “Oooh… my hero!” If his character had been played by Ethan Supplee or Christopher Walken instead of Tom Hanks it would be a thriller that would end up with audiences cheering when she guns him down in a bodega. Instead he ends up with the girl (and probably goes on to have lots of cyber sex with other women and hiding it from Meg Ryan). ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/29 "2006-03-27T15:46:47Z")
I wasn’t aware of the origins of _Pretty Woman._ Before it was Marshalled up, I guess it had potential. I really don’t mind when the movie acknowledges how yucky the romance is, but when they try to turn something like this into a Cinderella fantasy, I get a little disgusted. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/30 "2006-03-27T16:13:33Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > This is borderline heresy: Bogart and Bacall, no matter the situation. Does it make it less or more disturbing that they got married IRL? ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/31 "2006-03-27T16:40:57Z")
**Oldboy** A guy in his early 40’s gets out of prison after 15 years, and then hooks up with this college girl, not realizing at first that she’s his daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/32 "2006-03-27T16:45:41Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > **Oldboy** > > A guy in his early 40’s gets out of prison after 15 years, and then hooks up with this college girl, not realizing at first that she’s his daughter. That was intentionally disturbing: it was the big horrifying twist at the end. So doesn’t exactly fit in this thread (from the title “they weren’t supposed to be [disturbing].” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/33 "2006-03-27T17:09:29Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Does it make it less or more disturbing that they got married IRL? It doesn’t even factor in. Bogie makes me squirm unless he’s killing somebody. It’s like he’s slobbering whenever he speaks. I just see drool in any close encounters and regardless of Betty’s choice to hook up with him in real lfe, he’s still unnerving to me. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/34 "2006-03-27T17:13:06Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > But you were OK with the fact that they were step-siblings? I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who was creeped out by that. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/35 "2006-03-27T17:21:39Z")
Well, but Clueless was based on Emma, where the title character grows up with Mr Knightley, who is a kind of older brother figure who has always hung around her house, and finally realizes she wants to marry him. I guess the original story is less creepy in context of its society. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/36 "2006-03-27T17:24:14Z")
> [@UselessGit](#): > > Robert Redford … (didn’t he return at an even more advanced age as a “cowboy hunk”?). I mean… the guy was 60 and looked it… Yes, he returned to romance Kristen Scott Thomas in “The Horse Whisperer”. (pukey smilie) I already hated her from the sickening romance in “The English Patient” (I’m a sucker for romance but I hated her and Ralph Fiennes in that) so THW took the cake. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/37 "2006-03-27T17:33:03Z")
I saw a production of _Bye Bye Birdie_ last year and at the end I was squirming in my seat thinking “I don’t remember it being this creepy.” ---
**Author:** ![Jacob\_Silj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Jacob\_Silj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jacob_Silj)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/38 "2006-03-27T17:35:04Z")
Not really a plot point in the movie, but in **I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead** , Clive Owen is supposed to be the former boyfriend of Charlotte Rampling. Now don’t get me wrong, she was unbelievably hot back in the day, but that day was the mid-60’s, probably before Clive was born. Ditto any Woody Allen movie, where that sick f%@k cons unsuspecting hotties to make out with him each film, suckering them with the notion that it’s an “honor” to be in one of his films. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/39 "2006-03-27T19:44:03Z")
Would **Birth** count? The romance never happened, but it was an icky idea, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053/40 "2006-03-27T19:57:38Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I saw a production of _Bye Bye Birdie_ last year and at the end I was squirming in my seat thinking “I don’t remember it being this creepy.” Short-lived love triangle between a teenage girl, her boyfriend, and the not-much-older rock star she idolizes? What’s creepy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-romances-you-found-extremely-disturbing-though-they-werent-supposed-to-be/350053.md?page=3)