The new romantic comedy Something from Tiffany’s has a bit of everything one could want from a movie of this type. There’s obvious on-screen chemistry between its two leads, as well as a romantic mix-up that leads to an inevitable romance.
It’s the sort of sweet romance that audiences expect for this particular time of year. And, while it certainly has its unique parts, it also partakes in a number of well-established genre traditions. Thus, it’s worth taking a look at some of the other movies, both based on the holidays and not, with which it shares a great deal in common.
Happiest Season (2020)
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Dan Levy proved that he was a bit of a comedy genius with Schitt’s Creek and he brings his energy as a supporting character in Happiest Season, a holiday romantic comedy that is sure to please fans of Something from Tiffany’s. In typical rom-com fashion, there are a number of misunderstandings, but it manages to come out all right in the end.
The movie is remarkable for featuring Kristen Stewart in one of her best roles. And, while it is undeniably a funny movie, it also explores the fraught territory of the closet, and how staying in it can destroy the emotional lives of LGBTQ+ people.
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
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Sleepless in Seattle is arguably one of the best romantic comedies ever made. There’s no denying, for example, the chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, as well as the writing and directing prowess of Nora Ephron.
Just as with Something from Tiffany’s, there are a few narrative twists and turns. What really makes this romantic comedy stand out, however, is the fact that the romantic leads actually don’t meet until fairly late in the movie. The movie manages to take the various established elements of the romantic comedy genre and make them into something new and utterly charming for the decade of the 1990s.
Single All The Way (2021)
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One of the things that makes Something from Tiffany’s so charming is the way that it combines the romantic comedy and the holiday film. This is also something that happens in Single All the Way, one of the best LGBTQ+ holiday movies.
In this case, it focuses on a gay man, Peter, who takes his best friend back to his hometown. In predictable fashion, the two soon start falling for each other, though it takes time for them each to admit it. Though the plot is somewhat predictable, the undeniable chemistry between the two leads makes this a Christmas movie worth watching.
The Lost Valentine (2011)
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The late Betty White was in many beloved roles, and while she was best known for being on television, she also appeared in the touching romance movie The Lost Valentine. As with Something from Tiffany’s, it’s a movie which has a lot of heart, even if some of its elements can be a bit predictable.
In particular, Betty White shows why she was such a beloved icon, as she plays a woman whose husband disappeared during the Second World War. While she is reason enough to watch this movie, it also features its fair share of romance in the present as well.
The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
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In a movie like Something from Tiffany’s, part of the pleasure comes from the way that it uses the conceit of the mix-up to drive the plot. This is very much the case with The Shop Around the Corner, which focuses on two people who strongly dislike one another in real life, even though they have begun to fall in love via the letters they don’t know they’re writing to each other.
There’s undeniable chemistry between stars James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. It is one of those 1940s movies which stands up remarkably well to the test of time, with a bittersweet poignance that is truly refreshing.
Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
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The 1940s was a particularly rich decade for Christmas movies, and one of the best is Christmas in Connecticut. In the film, Barbara Stanwyck stars as a magazine writer who pretends to be a happy homemaker, even though she knows nothing about such things. Things go awry when she is tasked by her publisher with creating one of her signature meals for a returning war hero.
Of course, this sets the stage for all sorts of mix-ups, and Stanwyck’s heroine starts to fall in love with the war hero. It’s the perfect sort of Christmas confection, the type of movie that is designed to make the viewer feel good about the season.
The Proposal (2009)
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The idea of two people being seemingly unsuited for one another is a common one in romantic comedy, and it’s one that Something from Tiffany’s also plays with, to strong romantic and comedic effect. Few romantic comedies have done it better than The Proposal, which stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, along with Betty White.
From the beginning of the movie, it’s clear that they are meant to be a couple, though it takes them both quite some time to figure that out. And, as if the on-screen chemistry between these two leads wasn’t enough, the movie also features one of the best performances from Betty White.
Love Actually (2003)
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In the years since its release, Love Actually has become a part of the Christmas canon. With its sprawling stories–some of which are connected to the others–it manages to provide a surprisingly deep dive into what love means at the beginning of the 21st century.
It is one of those movies which has an almost supernatural ability to keep its romantic and comedic elements in a perfect sort of balance. What’s more, it also features some of the most talented actors to have come out of the UK, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, and many others. With its indefatigable Christmas cheer, it’s sure to please fans of Something from Tiffany’s.
A Christmas Prince (2017)
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There’s something refreshingly optimistic about a movie like Something from Tiffany’s, in that it reminds viewers that there is love in the world and that romance isn’t dead. Fans of the new movie should also find much to enjoy in A Christmas Prince, which manages to take its well-trodden narrative – of an American who falls in love with a foreign prince – and somehow make it into something new and refreshing.
In fact, what allows a movie like this one to succeed is the fact that it doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. It’s a very pleasant romance and, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel or to do something subversive of the generic expectations.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
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Part of what makes Something from Tiffany’s such a fun movie to watch is the simple chemistry between its two leads. This is also true of Bridget Jones’s Diary, which is a startlingly good adaptation of the original novel.
Of particular note is Renee Zellweger’s performance as the title character, as well as her undeniable chemistry with both of her leading men, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Though it is a very funny movie, it also never loses sight of the romance at its center, and it stands up to the test of time remarkably well.