We agree that The Reader is one of the more interesting, complex film portrayals of an older woman-younger man love affair. When we began ours (also interesting and complex), we looked everywhere for examples of older women with younger men, including films. Of course, we were horrified. Mrs. Robinson? Pathetic Cloris Leachman clinging to a young football player? Cate Blanchett with a high school boy? But there are others not so awful.
Here’s a list of films (sort of in chronological order) we’ve seen featuring elderberries and their boy toys. Which movies did we miss? Post a comment and add to the list! We’ll put recommendations on our Netflix queue …
• An American in Paris (what older woman wouldn’t want to seduce Gene Kelly in his prime?)
• The Graduate
• The Last Picture Show
• Summer of ‘42
• Little Big Man (Dustin Hoffman as a young man getting a bath from the minister's wife Faye Dunaway; how come all those older women found Dustin so hot?)
• The Thornbirds (sure it was TV, but Barbara Stanwyck had a thing for Richard Chamberlain’s Father Ralph)
• How Stella Got Her Groove Back
• Something’s Gotta Give (Diane Keaton ultimately chooses Jack Nicholson over Keanu Reeves; what is she thinking?)
• Notes on a Scandal
• The Reader
Harold and Maude! Not only is it a +17 romance, it's a learn-to-play-banjo-by-feel romance.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the Harold and Maude ratio? Him + 71?
ReplyDeleteAnother reader (who sent an e-mail rather than post a comment) recommended that curious coupling, saying: "It's almost an absurdist age difference, but it is also a most touching example of love transforming people."
Cheri - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179258/
ReplyDeleteNot a bad movie, the Art Deco decor is worth seeing.
Best,
Her-22 for 6 years :)
Oh and Personal Effects http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1138489/
ReplyDeleteI actually really liked this movie.
White Palace is good. My man is 5 years younger than me. We have been together for 20years. It's been great. He has always been like the older one.
ReplyDeleteI think its quickly becoming perfectly acceptable for women to have much younger men. Thank God, its about time!! If both are of legal age then age gap should not matter. My cousins husband is 22 years younger and they have been married for close to 16 years and both are still very much in love. She acts 10 years younger and he acts 10 years older, so they seem to match perfectly. She is older than either of his parents but they have always approved of their marriage. People should know that these types of relationships can and do work well.
ReplyDelete