I admit it, I’m a huge fan of the love triangle. I looked back on my manuscripts–most have a triangle of some sort, which is odd since I’m all about balance. I like things even.
But triangles have snagged me since Jessica Wakefield and Lila Fowler fought over Bruce Patman. What?! No really. It’s true. In fact, that entire series had one triangle after another. It’s why I adored the Vampire Diaries books (though odd at times) and the show–which is actually better. Thank you, Kevin Williamson. Like seriously. Thank you.
Fairly Legal really picked up when they brought on the oh so wonderful, Ryan Johnson, as Ben Grogan–but then it didn’t get picked up. I’m still ticked over that.
I’m drawn to books, shows, and movies that have a triangle.
I thought I’d share some of my favorite movie love triangles today.
An Affair to Remember
Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, and Richard Denning. There have been several remakes of this movie, which I’ve seen, but I always come back to this one. She falls in love with the playboy (and who doesn’t love Carey Grant), he knows he isn’t good enough for her, and in the wings, a good man loves her and takes care of her after her accident, but her heart has always stayed with the playboy. My favorite story line, I think.
Sweet Home Alabama
Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, and Josh Lucas. Torn between a really nice, rich guy and her ex who’s still in love with her. You root for the husband but you also root for the character, Andrew Hennings. It’s only at the end that he realizes, he’s not in love with her. Up until then, it could go either way.
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, and Cameron Diaz. I rooted for Julia Robert’s character, Julianne, to be with her best bud (played by Dermot Mulroney), Michael but in the end it didn’t happen and I kinda wished Rupert Everett’s character, George, hadn’t been gay because I also liked him and Julianne together.
I have several other favorites: The Princess Bride, It Happened One Night, Casablanca, Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, The Notebook…but I can’t list every single one.
Oh yes, the triangle! Those are always so good! I loved Made of Honor,Sweet Home Alabama, and The Wedding Planner. Those are always so fun!
I liked those movies too!
Cary Grant **sigh** still one of my all time favorites, and I love all his movies, but AATR is one of THE best. I also loved MBFW and totally rooted for Julia Roberts throughout, I still have that movie on DVD. The tension triangles bring out is great, keeps me watching and reading, just don't string me on indefinitely or get to the end with the WRONG pairing 😉
Agreed. I think readers definitely need to root for one man in particular–or woman. 😉
I do I LOVE triangles. But oddly enough, I've never written one. Time to change that! LOL
I agree with you about My Best Friend's Wedding. The ending felt a little unfinished to me and would have been better if she had gotten together with George.
You sort of had a love triangle in A Little Bit Cupid, but you need to write a full length triangle for sure! 🙂
I love An Affair to Remember! Such a great movie!
Wasn't it? I just love that movie!
You know, it's funny. I guess I've never really thought about it. Sweet Home Alabama is in my top ten favorite movies list, but I think what draws me most to stories is the sweet romance over the love triangle. I'll have to ponder that some more. 🙂
Ponder and let's chat! hee hee We're due for a long chat anyway!
Yes, we are! 🙂
Sweet Home Alabama…hands down! I'm not into triangles in my own life, but it makes for great books and movies. 🙂
Ha! Me neither, girlfriend! But it does create great angst in books/movies!
Good question … love triangles create a lot of tension.
While You Were Sleeping had an intriguing love triangle because one of the guys was, well, asleep most of the time.
😉
And The Phantom of the Opera has an odd Love Triangle too — the Phantom and the hero both in love with the innocent young girl (who's name I can't recall at the moment.)
Okay, back to the rewrites!
Christine!! 😉
Another two movies I loved! But yeah, Peter was asleep through most of it so it made it easy to root for Jack!
I love me a good love triangle. Pearl Harbor was a good one…how to choose between Josh Harnett and Ben Affleck?! I like it when the ending isn't predictable and you can actually see the heroine with two different guys (or the hero with two different girls).
Oh yeah! I forgot about that one. Loved it. Tough to decide!
Even though I enjoy Sweet Home, Alabama and love While You Were Sleeping, I often have a hard time with love triangles. I do OK when one of the guys is so obviously wrong for the gal, but when they're both great guys and one is bound to get hurt, I have a hard time with it. I feel his pain, and that detracts from the joy of seeing her pleasure. Guess that's why I never dated more than one guy at a time. 🙂
I think it's good to make sure the reader knows who the wrong guy is so they can root for the good one, but sometimes I like books that make me wonder a little! 🙂
Sweet Home Alabama was just on the other day, and I watched it – again. I just love that movie, even though I'm a Yankee. I think I really like it because I came from a town very much like that – only up north. Some friends married young. Some had large families. Some did well in the city. Some are still sitting on the front stoop, and some got as far away as they could – like the west coast. Every year there is a church festival in town. It's like a high school reunion.
Anyway, I always root for Jake to win Melanie's heart again.
I do like triangles. Actually in my WIP, I'm introducing a new male character. I'm hoping he will stir the pot.
Ooooh, don't you just love stirring the pot! I think that's why I like to write them. It stirs them up! Enjoy the havoc to come! 😉
I love how you name-checked one of the Wakefield twins! Ha!
Sometimes I think I can figure out who ends up together, but I love it when I'm thrown a curve. (I don't like it, however, when I want someone to end up together and they pick the other person…how dare they?)
Love triangles are interesting to see or read about – they're a great way to create dynamic tension, and a viewer or reader can easily identify with one of the 'corners'.
But not so much to live.
My favorite comes not from a book or movie, but from a poem, Richard Lovelace's "To Lucasta, Going to the Wars":
"For I could not love thee, deare, so much, loved I not honour more."
Love triangles? Did someone say love triangles? Um…yea. I do enjoy those. Even some of my fave classics have them (Far from the Madding Crowd). I joke that my historical novel has a love "rectangle," since we have three dudes interested in the lovely heroine. AND she's married, so one of those is her hubby. VERY crazy stuff. Yes, I'm definitely with you on this, Jessica!