Katie Grubbs, Sara Klooster, and Marie Hause discuss Nora Ephron’s romantic comedy classic, You’ve Got Mail.

-Introductions

-Why we chose this topic

KNOWING

-Background on the story of You’ve Got Mail (adaptation of a play that became like three different movies, plus a Broadway musical, etc.)

-Brief sketch of Nora Ephron’s work (most famous movies, other movies Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have starred in together)

-Brief plot summary of the movie

READING

1) The technological landscape of this film is now very dated. Are there any aspects of that part of the story that still work today?

2) What tropes of the romantic comedy genre does this movie fit? Does it break or subvert any of the tropes?

3) What aspects of this movie’s story would we consider problematic? Why do you think people love the movie in spite of those aspects?

4) Who is your favorite character (or favorite relationship) in the film? Why?

and others….

PASSING ON

Katie: Peyton Reed’s 2003 film Down With Love

Sara: Georgette Heyer’s novel Cotillion

Marie: Ernst Lubitsch’s 1940 film The Shop Around the Corner