In Private Lives, Amanda says the quote above. I'm slightly disappointed to discover that. I thought it was something Noel Coward actually had the guts to admit himself, rather than hide it in a character. Because I think it's a truth that even an exceptional caustic wit who would go on to conjure up the distinctly uncheap emotions of Brief Encounter had to admit.
I've just watched Music and Lyrics. It's a highly silly film. It can be sloppy at times (Drew Barrymore is set up in her first scene as a hypochondriac but then that never comes up again or indeed fits with her character). It does not work hard for any emotion it gets. But it gets them anyway. I really enjoyed myself. I laughed out loud regularly despite being on my own, I bopped a little when the pop songs came on and when the denouement came I didn't quite well up but there was undeniably something (I feel like the appropriate continuation that metaphor would be a slight swelling but that would give the wrong impression.)
It is an extraordinarily potent piece of cheap film. With a multi million pound budget, two of the best stars in the business at these kind of roles, and a script I don't doubt Marc Lawrence worked very hard at it for a long time. Because just as good pop songs are done by great craftsman so are great rom-coms. And what this one did to me was reaffirm that it's what I want to do. They may not always be quite as fluffy as this one but basically that's where I'm headed. I enjoy them. I value them. I respect them. And I want to make them.
And I accept that means a lot more work on my part. This is a craft I'm choosing. It will take careful readings of what works, what doesn't and what makes it stand out. It also reminds me that a little romance and saccharine does a wonderful job of bringing through a 3rd act which is threatening to veer off into drama. Now back to the 2nd draft.
