A minor miracle happened recently at the movies this summer with the release of "The Proposal," starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. It was not that the only-moderately well-reviewed film was a huge box-office winner. Nor was it Reynolds’ physique, which qualifies as a minor miracle all by itself. But for the first time in a movie where the woman was significantly older than the man, their age difference was not A Huge Deal. In fact, the 12-year gap between Bullock, 44, and Reynolds, 32, was not even mentioned – save for one line by Betty White, Reynolds’ granny in the film, who meets Bullock and mutters that where she had been looking forward to meeting her grandson’s "girl," that word hardly applies to Bullock.
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(Though it must be interjected that Bullock looks fabulous – and fabulously unaltered. Her face is showing signs of age, with some laugh lines and crow’s-feet. And by God, she can still make faces with the alacrity – and elasticity – of Lucille Ball!)
Perhaps audiences were too swept up in the lovers’ crackling chemistry to care about the age difference. Or perhaps such unions are becoming commonplace enough that writers didn’t feel the need to flog the fact. In any case, "The Proposal" was a marked departure from Hollywood’s standard treatment of sexy older women, who are more often portrayed as vamps, women on the verge of a nervous breakdown … or buffoons. (See: "Cougartown," premiering on ABC September 23, with Courteney Cox as a hapless, sex-obsessed divorcee who seems to be a mash-up of Mrs. Robinson and Bridget Jones.)
I’m sure it’s not giving away too much (it IS a romantic comedy after all) to note that "The Proposal" has a happy ending – which is different than the one usually offered in this kind of romantic liaison. Mostly, such unions have ended badly – because the women in question are such damaged goods. Consider the Older Single Women’s Hall of fame. [Spoiler alerts on some of these in case they’re on your Netflix list.]
Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate" – a sad, vengeful alcoholic.
Mrs. Dean Wormer in "Animal House" – ditto.
Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Blvd." – a mad murderess.
Maude of "Harold and Maude" – an adorable suicide victim.
Jennifer O’Neill in "Summer of ‘42" – a distraught widow.
Cloris Leachman in "The Last Picture Show" – a neglected coach’s wife.
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Needless to say, none of these cougars-before-it-was-fashionable went off into the sunset with her young buck between her jaws.
The lack of empathy from Hollywood is mystifying. For a long time now, Hollywood couples have been pioneering the cause of May-December unions. Beginning with the famed writing-and-acting team of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin (she was 46 and he was 30 when they married), the May-December matchup is now downright fashionable among LA elite. Susan Sarandon is 12 years older than Tim Robbins, Demi Moore is 15 years older than Ashton Kutcher and Madonna is 28 years older than 22-year-old Jesus Luz. The list goes on and on.
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[Photo Credit: Courteney Cox as "Jules" ABC/ Michael Desmond]
