“Very real”: Lucy Liu’s favourite romantic comedy
It’s unfair when the romantic comedy is merely described as a “guilty pleasure.” They are a lot more than that. Firstly, they provide a lot of people with some of the most sought-after and memorable stories in cinema. Lines stick in people’s heads, smiles linger on faces, and lips talk about plot lines like they’ve just been kissed by them.
Another issue with referring to the romantic comedy as a guilty pleasure is that it implies the genre is constantly pandering. Yes, some tropes remain; for instance, the characters are usually incredibly beautiful, and there tends to be a need to have a Hollywood heartthrob appear at some point. However, these movies also need to appeal to and justify some of the most vulnerable emotions available to human beings, and in that sense, they can be tough to write.
Every now and then, a film that is unrealistic and viewed for viewing sake will slip through the net; however, audiences tend to be a lot smarter than that. It’s not enough for two people to beat the odds and be together; people watching need to believe that that would realistically happen. This means we have to appreciate their love for one another and have their desire justified so that we can appreciate whatever obstacles they overcome to be together.
Let’s not forget that while all of this is happening, the audience should be laughing too. There are so many elements that need to come together in the right way for a romantic comedy to become a film worthy of falling into the layperson’s “guilty pleasure” catalogue. So, where should you turn for a movie that does it right?
Lucy Liu has spent her acting career spanning a range of different emotions. Whether this means being a fashionista, an assassin, or a scalp-collecting cold killer, Liu has played them all. As such, emotions don’t get past her when it comes to acting. She looks for genuine emotion in what she watches. Whether that’s people hating or loving each other, Liu knows what’s best.
Her favourite romantic comedy is a good watch by that account, then. Dating back to 1934, Lucy Liu admitted in an interview that one of her favourites is Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night. “Another movie that I really love – and I’m sure you know it – is It Happened One Night, which is, I think, one of the best romantic comedies out there.”
In the film, a pampered socialite decides to try to escape her family’s grasp and, in doing so, falls in love with a roguish reporter. The film came out at the right time, as it was the last romantic comedy to come out before the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America started heavily enforcing the Motion Picture Productions Code.
“I remember seeing that movie and falling in love with Clark Gable,” said Liu, “And just thinking how fantastic the backdrop was, on the train. It seemed like a very real relationship, like they really were in love with one another.”
