# One sentence summaries that miss the point. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774 "2003-03-16T09:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/221 "2009-03-08T01:00:27Z")
My family and I were playing last night, and we came up with some good ones. High school literature: **Ethan Frome** - A man crashes his sled. **The Scarlet Letter** - After a disasterous relationship, a woman finds meaning in embroidery. **The Crucible** - A young girl acts out in a desperate ploy for attention. Fairy tales: **Sleeping Beauty** - Girl falls into a coma after unfortuante accident. **Goldilocks** - Juvenile delinquent trashes neighbors’ house. **Three Little Pigs** - A cautionary tale of lazy construction workers. There were others, but that’s all I can remember for now. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/222 "2009-03-08T05:26:46Z")
Zombie thread! Ayiieeeeeeeeeeee! I’ll keep it political… _Dave_ - Man makes unexpected visit to White House _Advise and Consent_ - Cabinet nominee gets mixed reaction on Capitol Hill _Seven Days in May_ - Top general considers career change _All the President’s Men_ - Reporters dig a little deeper than anyone expected _The American President_ - Lonely exec finds true love ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/223 "2009-03-09T17:40:38Z")
> [@mozart](#): > > Love story. women dies and realizes she not sorry. Here’s my take: _ **Love Story** _: College-based romance doesn’t always last very long, sometimes not even when you quickly marry the gal and get busy trying to produce a child. [_Sniff! Choke!_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Story_(1970_film)) Or, how about: Funny thing, you can endlessly worry about getting your gal pregnant during a premarital relationship, and then, after wedding her, find out that one or both of you cannot produce your much wanted child. Or even: Guys, sometimes a college co-ed will frequently take verbal jabs at you, but soon turn out to be as crazy in love with you as you are with her. - “Jack” ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/224 "2009-03-09T17:41:31Z")
Cool Hand Luke- Prisoner gets in a fight and eats lots of eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/225 "2009-03-09T19:35:17Z")
Ira Levin: A Kiss Before Dying–Man dates three rich sisters at different times. Rosemary’s Baby–Even planned pregnancies can turn out bad. Boys from Brazil–The evils of cloning. Sliver–Apartment building owner uses modern technology The Stepford Wives–NYC metrosexual finds happiness in small Connecticut suburb. Son of Rosemary–It’s all a dream, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Winsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Winsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winsling)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/226 "2009-03-09T19:54:46Z")
Watchmen - Superheroes save the Earth from nuclear war ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/227 "2009-03-09T23:56:50Z")
> [@Winsling](#): > > Watchmen - Superheroes save the Earth from nuclear war Well, kinda… but isn’t that too accurate for this thread? I’d say: \*Watchmen: \*Boy meets girl; she goes to Mars, he takes trip to Antarctica. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/228 "2009-03-10T06:12:42Z")
Rashomon: Decent murder mystery movie hurt by glaring continuity errors. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/229 "2009-03-10T07:18:16Z")
Black Hawk Down - American soldiers capture Somali warlords in daring raid. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/230 "2009-03-10T16:45:22Z")
Tron - Man searches for missing files. Monster’s Ball - Man decides to start dating again. Mad Max - Man’s family trouble prompts changes to his work routine. As a bonus, guess which film this is from the departed actor’s clues; Toys do horrible things to each other, this guest star plays a planet, he menaces somebody called Something-or-other, then he’s destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/231 "2009-03-10T17:26:40Z")
**One Hundred and One Dalmatians** — Societal consequences of lack of spay/neuter policy explored. **Rear Window** — Shut-in occupies time between girlfriend’s visits. **The Da Vinci Code** — Man offers surprising interpretation of Biblical events. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/232 "2009-03-10T17:44:04Z")
I love this thread. **An American Werewolf in London** — Injured during a trip abroad, a college student finds romance with nurse. **Back to the Future** — Son seeks origin of parents’ romance. **Boogie Nights** — Aspiring actor makes logical career choice. **Catch Me If You Can** — Ambitious student explores several career options. **Coal Miner’s Daughter** — Mountain lass marries young, moves far from home. **Escape from New York** — Experimental penal colony established despite risk. **Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events** — Orphans persevere despite custody issues. **Saturday Night Fever** — Free-time pursuits of paint-store employee documented. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/233 "2009-03-11T15:28:19Z")
How about opera? Medea: A working mother struggles with ambivalent feelings about her children. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/234 "2009-03-11T18:30:16Z")
**Splash** — Woman from overseas adjusts to American life. **A Few Good Men** — Naval official surprised by consequences of his actions. **Alien** — Space voyage diverted by unexpected event. **Apollo 13** — Astronauts struggle with home, work issues. **Beetlejuice** — Young couple surprised by accident’s outcome. **Total Recall** — Man struggles with realization of marital betrayal. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/235 "2009-03-12T14:48:05Z")
I have to include my friend’s take on Greek mythology: “ **Narcissus** was the guy whom looked into the water and became gay, right?” Has this thread been Threadspotted yet? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/236 "2009-03-12T14:58:33Z")
**Gone With the Wind** –Mother and daughter both make mistake of falling for the wrong guy and marrying for reasons other than true love. **Dr. Zhivago** –Man passes himself off as respected doctor and poet, while deserting pregnant wife and later pregnant lover. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tofu\_Kitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Tofu\_Kitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tofu_Kitty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/237 "2009-03-14T19:48:31Z")
**Rosemary’s Baby** : A young woman has nosy neighbors. **40-Year Old Virgin** : An introvert makes friends. **Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon** : A man and woman catch a thief. **Amelie** : A bored woman interferes in others’ lives. **Frida** : An artist gets in a bus accident. **The Godfather movies** : A son takes over the family business. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/238 "2009-03-21T15:36:04Z")
**Moby Dick** : A young man goes on a sea voyage. **The Grapes of Wrath** : A family heads west. **Der Ring des Nibelungen** : People obsess over a piece of jewelry. **Amadeus** : A man drinks too much and dies young. ---
**Author:** ![Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liddle_Lamsy_Divey)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/239 "2009-03-23T03:33:17Z")
**Pirates of the Caribbean:** Blacksmith and pirate rescue damsel. **Flowers in the Attic:** Children have adventures at their grandmother’s house. **Heavenly Creatures:** Two girls have active imaginations. I remember this one from my local TV Guide: **The Piano:** Woman and daughter move to New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/240 "2009-03-23T17:46:01Z")
**Space Cowboys** : Retired astronauts are called back as consultants. **Johnny Mnemonic** : Computer hacker has memory problems. **12 Angry Men** : Jurors have trouble deciding a case. **The Treasure of the Sierra Madre** : Bogart goes to the country with friends. **Some Like It Hot** : Musicians take a quick trip to Florida. **Metropolis** : Life in the big city! **High Noon** : Retiree meets an old acquaintance on his wedding day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774.md?page=13)