Movies from the Heart—The Heartbreak Kid

From last week’s pull-at-the-heartstrings Bridges of Madison County to this week’s send up of love stories—a comedy that has fun with how quickly love can change. It’s called The Heartbreak Kid, and while there are two versions of the film, I’m focusing on the first one from 1972 by Bruce Jay Friedman.

Take a look at the trailer.

So you get the gist—a guy is on his honeymoon and falls in love with another woman on the beach… and she’s way more attractive than his new wife.

This premise—or a variation of it—has been around for a long time. Probably the most famous is Noel Coward’s play Private Lives written in 1930. It tells a similar story of two couples vacationing at a resort who have adjoining balconies. And it’s some time before each couple realizes that the other holds some interest. Why? Because two of them divorced each other and now find themselves on their honeymoons with their NEW spouses! And it’s pretty clear things aren’t over between the divorced pair.

It's amazing that that story—that play—has such resonance. It was produced again in the West End in London just about a year ago. I happened to catch it and it still totally holds up. But it’s almost 100 years old! How can that be?!

Well, it’s because there are certain themes that are universal, that are going to happen again and again as people interact.

In fact, The Heartbreak Kid was remade as a film about 35 years later the premise was so re-doable. But it’s the original version that shines for me.

It ends up being a story about class and stature, too, as the young bridegroom hopes to hook the girl who will put him in another class socially. And the high society girl—well, is she doing this on a lark, does she really love him, or is she just trying to get back at her parents?

This idea of two couples or one couple and a third party trying to break them up has certainly been done before. But what makes the play, Private Lives, and the film The Heartbreak Kid so much fun is the serendipity of it. You’re on your honeymoon—you don’t expect to meet someone else and fall for them!

As you’re thinking about what you might like to write, ask yourself if there are serendipitous situations like this that you might have fun exploring. And could you maybe turn what could be a light comedy—as Private Lives and The Heartbreak Kid were—into a thriller when the spouse who’s fallen for a new love tries to kill the partner they’re honeymooning with?

Think of the possibilities!!

Next week, an unlikely pair find romance… or will they? We’ll look at the charming Notting Hill.

Copyright © Diane Lake

02Feb25

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com