Saturday, January 16, 2010

The Meet-Cute

One of my recent obsessions is the meet-cute. In writerly terms, the meet-cute is a device dating back to the screwball comedies of vintage Hollywood and has carried through to our modern day romantic comedies. What is it? Our old friend Wikipedia defines it as:
"The contrived encounter of two potential romantic partners in unusual or comic circumstances. In most screwball comedies and many romantic comedies, the potential couple comprises polar opposites, two people of completely different temperaments, situations, social statuses, or all three, who would not have anything to do with each other under normal circumstances. The meet-cute provides the opportunity."
Finding the right combination for the meet-cute in fiction is not always the easiest circumstance to manufacture.

But what about in real life? Where do people meet each other? I am baffled. I know I live in an area of the country statistically unfriendly to single women. But it seems like new people are meeting each other all the time.

So, tell me . . . What are some of your favorite examples of the meet-cute, whether it be from your favorite movie, scene from a book, or in real life?

Inquiring minds want to know!

xoxo,
bex


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