It’s the weekend, baby. It’s your time, and the couch and TV beckon. You settle down with your popcorn, eager to watch a romantic classic. You’ve snuggled under a soft quilt, and next to you sits your mom, sister or best friend. The Kleenex is handy. You’ve tuned into cable’s TCM (Turner Classic Movies) or Netflix. Then the piano music and opening credits roll. Okay, okay, maybe you’ve seen An Affair to Remember a half dozen times already. Doesn’t matter. You know it by heart, the ending where Cary Grant discovers Deborah Kerr can’t walk. You cry every. single. time. Or you tear up at the iconic “You had me at hello” in 1996’s Jerry Maguire.
These classics inspire me, too. Specifically, conflict between romantic leads inspires me. Special moments like:
THE LONG HOT SUMMER 1958
BEN QUICK: Put them things down, Miss Clara, ’cause I’m gonna kiss you. I’m gonna show you how simple it is. You please me, and I’ll please you.
[Attempts to kiss Clara, but she slaps him across the face]
BEN: [chuckles] Oh, I know what’s troublin’ you. It’s all those boys hollerin’ for Eula every night. And Eula with her hair hangin’ down and Jody with his shirt off chasin’ her. And your old man at 60 and he’s callin’ on his lady love.
[Bends down to kiss Clara, and she makes no resistance]
CLARA: All right, you proved it. I’m human.
BEN: Yes, ma’am. You human, all right.
THE ENGLISH PATIENT 1998
ALMÁSY: Why did you hold his collar?
KATHARINE: What?
ALMÁSY: [mimicking her inflection] What? What? That boy, that little boy, you were holding his collar, gripping his collar, what for?
KATHARINE: Would you let me pass?
ALMÁSY: Is he next? Do you drag him into your little room? Where is it? Is this it?
KATHARINE: Don’t do this.
ALMÁSY: I’ve watched you – on verandahs, at Garden Parties, at the Races – how can you stand there? How can you ever smile? As if your life hadn’t capsized?
KATHARINE: You know why?
[He tries to hold her. She resists.]
ALMÁSY: Dance with me.
KATHARINE: No.
ALMÁSY: Dance with me. I want to touch you. I want the things which are mine. Which belong to me.
KATHARINE: Do you think you’re the only one who feels anything? Is that what you think?
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK 2012
TIFFANY, (READING): “Dear Tiffany…” [she stops, surprised it is addressed to her.]
“I know you wrote the letter.” [pause] “The only way you could meet my crazy —” 
PAT (RECITING): “—was by doing something crazy yourself. Thank you. I love you. I knew it the minute I met you. I’m sorry it took so long for me to catch up. I just got stuck. — Pat.”
I wrote that a week ago.
TIFFANY: You wrote that a week ago?
PAT: Yes, I did.
TIFFANY: You let me lie to you for a week?
PAT: I was trying to be romantic.
TIFFANY: You love me?
PAT: Yeah. I do.
TIFFANY: Okay.
[she leans forward and kisses him]
BODY HEAT 1980
SIDNEY IVENS 