Fifty Shades Of Grey: 5 other strange love movies

Be honest, when you first heard that an erotic book for women was doing the rounds, you barely looked up. Then, the world went “fifty shades of mad” for EL James’s explicitly erotic novel about virginal Anastasia Steele and her indoctrination into the world of BDSM (bondage/discipline, dominance/submission and sadism/masochism) by billionaire Christian Grey. Suddenly, it seemed every woman was reading the book in one sitting and spending Friday nights discussing its contents in minutiae.

The novel topped bestseller lists around the world, was translated into 52 languages and the trilogy — the first book was followed by Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed — sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. It is officially the fastest-selling paperback of all time in the United Kingdom. It was inevitable that a big-screen adaptation would soon follow.

Could the movie, with reputed female director Sam Taylor-Johnson at the helm, debunk its trashy reputation and usher in a new era of movies for lusty, grown-up women by acknowledging female desire on film? That will be decided tomorrow, when it opens at cinemas here — with everyone sneaking into cineplexes islandwide trying to pretend they are going to see everything else but. (And why not? For some, watching the very sexy Jamie Dornan as Grey whip Dakota Johnson’s Steele may well be the perfect Valentine’s Day outing.)

Still, the path of love never did run smooth in cinema — it’s far simpler for Hollywood to bring perfect couples together — so in the spirit of Fifty Shades Of Grey, here are more instances of unconventional, idiosyncratic and romantic silver-screen pairings that seem to actually work.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)

Disney whipped up its version of this tale as old as time, about an independent, book-loving heroine named Belle who ventures into the untrodden world of bestiality. (Okay, so the beast in question is a cursed man who has to live his life in the form of a hideous beast, but still ...) It’s little wonder that the Beast, kept prisoner in his menacing castle with only talking and singing teapots, candelabras and clocks as friends, gets bad-tempered. Of course, he is able to break his curse with Belle’s help and, once again, true love conquers all. One of the best Disney animated features of all time with wonderfully classic songs and rich and voluptuous imagery, it famously became the first animated film ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It didn’t win, but took home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. And rightly so. A classic love story of unusual pairings, we say, be our guest and watch it — not only on Valentine’s Day, but any day.

SECRETARY (2002)

It must be noted that before Christian Grey, there was E Edward Grey, the overbearing lawyer played by James Spader who engages in a sexually charged affair with his secretary, Lee (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Through this, she gains a newfound self-confidence, but Grey begins to question their dominant-submissive relationship. It’s a playfully subversive take on the romantic comedy — and Pygmalion — which turns male fantasy on its head. Their power play cuts both ways and we love it. Director Steven Shainberg’s quirky and provocative exploration of a romantic relationship built on erotic domination (and submission) is not only a fascinating character scrutiny, but also a brave post-feminist effort and study of unconventionality fuelled by fetish and driven by terrific performances from Gyllenhaal and Spader.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007)

Who wouldn’t say no to a tall glass of Gosling? Surely not a rubber life-size doll. Unconventional pairings don’t come stranger than this: Ryan Gosling is Lars, a quirky man who falls in love with a life-size doll named Bianca. A guy opting for a partner that lacks the ability to speak may ring misogynist bells but, hey, it’s Ryan Gosling — he can do no wrong! (We know a lot of actual human ladies who would queue up to be considered.) While Lars’ family, co-workers and neighbours all play along as if Bianca were his real girlfriend, we all know that, at some point, he has to let go of the inanimate and start a more conventional romantic relationship where open conversation is an anatomical possibility. Offbeat, intelligent and quietly heartbreaking, Gosling’s wonderfully nuanced performance, coupled with great direction, never once condescends to his character or the audience, making this one heck of a strange love story.

HER (2013)

Spike Jonze wrote, directed and produced this film about a man, played by Joaquin Phoenix, falling in love with his operating system (yes, his operating system), which is voiced by the still-oh-so-sexy Scarlett Johansson. What’s there not to love? This sweet-and-sour thought-provoking sci-fi/rom-com drama of sorts has always had the top spot on our “films we’re most uncomfortably desperate to see” list, but we were unprepared for just how romantic, surreal, lovely and heartbreaking the whole thing is — all thanks to Phoenix’s affecting performance and chemistry with Johansson’s voice.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990)

He wears Goth makeup and his hands might be made up of blades, but Edward Scissorhands’ heart is filled with undying love, especially for his sweetheart Kim (Winona Ryder). Audiences all fell in love - over and over again - with Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands in this first collaboration between Depp and director Tim Burton - which marked the start of many more joint ventures later, This sweet but tragic fantasy mixes a fairy tale sensibility with a satiric view of life in the American suburbs and crystallises what it means to be an outsider. Edward, with his sweet nature and innocent soul, stands apart as the quintessential anti-hero. Coupled with the bittersweet fact that he and the love of his life will forever be separated after their brief time together, this is a guaranteed multi-tissue experience even for the most jaded viewer.

Fifty Shades Of Grey opens at cinemas tomorrow.