The History of Rom-Com

Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, funny plotlines, centered on romantic standards such as that true love is able to overcome most problems. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily".

The basic plot of a romantic comedy is that two characters, usually male and female, meet but then part ways due to an argument, then reunite. Sometimes they are uncertain to become romantically involved because they believe that they do not like each other, because one of them already has a partner, or because of personal differences. However, the writers normally leave clues that suggest that the characters are attracted to each other and that they would be a good couple. The characters often separate to sort out their feelings and while they are separated one or both of them usually realizes that they are perfect for each other, or that they are in love with each other. Then after one of the two makes some effort to find the other person and declare their love, or through a coincidental encounter, the two meet again.

The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms defines romantic comedy as "a general term for comedies that deal mainly with the follies and misunderstandings of young lovers, in a light-hearted and happily concluded manner which usually avoids serious satire". This reference states that the "best-known examples are Shakespeare's comedies of the late 1590s, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It being the most purely romantic, while Much Ado About Nothing approaches the comedy of manners and The Merchant of Venice is closer to tragicomedy.

The prime era of romantic comedy was the screwballs; which primarily took place between 1934- 1944. Screwball presented itself with witty humour, sophiscation and a new, unique lease of life for its time. It offered an un-sentimental vision of love and a distinctly modern twist of romance for its time. Screwball often uses the concept of inversion. Defying the conventions of genre, they twist the characters ‘world upside down’ such as men being portrayed as weak and conversely women as strong, dominating, authoritative and uninhibited. They were the most modern of its time because they centered around the idea of ‘equality of the sexes’.

 The genre today is more realistic, they have to have characters, that a modern audiences believes and serves some credibility in their lives that they can relate to when dealing with contemporary issues. They include themes of the importance of sex, a closer emphasis on parody rather than the re-use of conventions and structure; and now today it’s reintroducing the male dominance as the recent success of many male-centered comedies have chosen to have a new generic renewal into the genre.