I bet you love romantic comedies, or romcoms for short. I know I do! Alright, sure, you don’t actually have to admit it, it’ll be our little secret. You know what else has hidden secrets? That’s right, your favorite romcoms! Some of the following facts are quite fascinating insights into how things were done back then.
Without further ado, here are 9 little-known facts about some of the most iconic romcoms.
1. “Pretty Woman” Was Originally Much Darker
The script was originally titled “3000” and didn’t have a happy ending. In fact, it had almost nothing in common with “Pretty Woman” we know and love. It was a story about two screwed up individuals, spending a week together. That’s all.
2. “Titanic’s” Most Quotable Line Was Improvised
Turns out Leo wasn’t supposed to scream “I’m the king of the world!” but he did, and Cameron loved it, turning into one of the most quotable lines in the movie history.
3. “Ghost” Made Demi Moore Super Famous
Okay, okay, to be fair, Demi Moore was quite a star by the time “Ghost” was released, but after that she started getting amazing, and very bankable roles. Demi’s film grosses come up to around $1 billion!
4. The Blue Door In “Notting Hill” Was Writer Richard Curtis’s Blue Door
Remember that tacky blue door in Hugh Grant’s home in “Notting Hill”? Get this, it was previously owned by screenwriter Richard Curtis. Ain’t that serendipitous?
5. “Sleepless In Seattle” Referenced The Soup Nazi Before Seinfeld Did
Some writer in the movie was pitching a story about the man who sells the greatest soup you have ever eaten, but who’s also the meanest man in America. Then Seinfeld picked it up. At least they didn’t make him of German descent.
6. “Amelie” Became an Incredibly Popular Name After The Movie
Right before the movie came out, only 12 babies in England and Wales were named Amélie. And then after the movie was out, suddenly there were 250 babies with that name! By 2007 the number was 1100.
7. Was “Friends” A Rip-Off Of “Singles”?
“A group of six 20-something roommates searching for love”… is that a description of Singles or Friends? That was a pitch for Crowe’s Singles. And when Friends debuted in ’94, Crowe asked his lawyers to look into it, but they couldn’t build a solid case against Warner Bros.
8. “Love Actually’s” Opening And Closing Scenes Were Shot With Hidden Cameras
Remember those people at Heathrow Airport hugging and holding the welcoming signs? Those were not extras. A bunch of hidden cameras were shooting for a week, and when something really cool was happening, the crew members rushed to those passengers and had them sign a waiver. Hey at least it was all real!
9. “Meet The Parents” Inspired A Toilet-Training Product for Kitties
After seeing “Meet The Parents”, especially the scene with the cat going #1 over the actual human toilet, Jo and Terry Lapidge invented Litter Kwitter. Fun fact, the cats on the set weren’t actually “going” to the bathroom.
