The document discusses the history of romance films. It defines romance films as plots that revolve around the love between two main characters and the highs and lows of that love. Common themes in early romance films included kissing, love at first sight, tragic love, and obsessive love. The first romance film was created by Thomas Edison in 1896 and was only 18 seconds, featuring a kiss. The document then discusses some famous historical romance films and common conventions in the genre, such as affection between characters, conflicts preventing their love, and happy endings.

1. History Genre - Romance
Steph Webb

2. What is romance film defined as?
Romance is a genre where the plot revolves around
the love between two main characters as they endure
the highs and lows of love.

3. What are essential themes that are found
within the history of romance films?
Common themes linked in with these movies are
kissing, love at first sight, tragic love, destructive
love, sexual and passionate love, obsessive love and
sentimental love.
These common themes appear in many historic films
such as ‘The May Irwin Kiss’ and Shakespeare’s
‘Romeo and Juliet’.

4. The first romance film?
In the time period of the 1896, films were not seen to be very long like
they are today. The first romantic movie was said to be created by
Thomas Edison which was approximately only 18 seconds.
He created the first movie which featured a romantic scene. This scene
featured a kiss. He named it ‘The May Irwin Kiss’. It was filmed in April of
1896 in Edison's Black Maria studio in West Orange, New Jersey.
It was a scene from the ‘New York stage comedy’. The actors apparently
staged their kiss for the camera at the request of the New York World
newspaper.
This resulted in being the most popular ‘Edison Vitascope’ film during
that time period.

5. History of the types of romances –
first movies made
Romantic drama – Casablanca (1942)
Chick flick – Terms Of Endearment (1983)
Romantic comedy – Trouble in Paradise (1932)
Romantic thriller – Sleeping With The Enemy (1991)

6. ‘Different from the Others’
Different from the Others was a romance film
released in 1919. This film was different from that of
the previous romance films that had been released.
It was indeed the first film to address the issue of
homosexuality.
Richard Oswald directed ‘Different from the Others’
during WW1 in partnership with "sexologist" Dr.
Magnus Hirschfeld.

7. Famous Historical Romance FIlms
"Titanic" (1997) – features true love
and a tragic loss of love.
"Gone With the Wind" (1939) – features
love and drama from an affair.
"Jane Eyre" (1996) – Features love and drama due to the
chaos linked to the person that Jane falls in love with.
Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (1996) – features love,
lust and tragedy of the death of the characters.

8. Conventions associated with
romance films
Affection.
Two main characters that fall for each other.
Typical hero of the film tends to be male to attract the female
viewers.
‘Happy Ever After’ at the end of the film.
Conflicts between the characters.
Heartbreak.
Climax – the part where they realise they’re in love with each other.
Emotions
Voiceover to introduce characters or talk about love past.
Argument
Insight into the main character’s life (shows routine).