But, getting back to business. Women are emotional creatures, unlike the man of steel such as ourselves. And when they get emotional, well, that’s *good* for you. Because when they feel all emotional, and you’re around, quite often you get the good of it.

I wouldn’t generally recommend the ‘Dinner and a Movie’ date (bleah!), because it’s just too common, and one of the things you want to do, especially early on, is to set yourself apart from the other guys. Therefore, you don’t want to do the same old date that the other guys do. And that rules out Dinner-And-A-Movie.

However, watching *old* movies on a rainy day, cuddled up together on a sofa or a comfy bed, beneath a blanket, with the scent of popcorn in the air …

You see, this is a wonderful situation. But of course, shall we watch John Wayne in Rio Bravo? How a Three Stooges collection? How about Bonnie and Clyde?

No! No! And No!

The Romantic Comedy is what’s called for here.

Remember: if it makes her emotional, and it makes her feel good, and it makes her feel all tender, then I reckon it’s worth your while to sit through a mushy movie, right?

I therefore respectfully submit the following Cheat Sheet, which you can print out and keep handy for some such magic moment …

Main Entry: cheat sheet
Function: noun
1 : a sheet containing information (as test answers) used secretly for cheating
2 : a written or graphic aid (as a sheet of notes) that can be referred to for help in dealing with something complex such as … women

From the “Living the Romantic Comedy” weblog, where Billy Mernit (author of the how-to book “Writing the Romantic Comedy”) explores the delights and frustrations of romance (funny or not) as portrayed in the movies and experienced in so-called real life, I have blatantly stolen two “Top Ten” lists of Romantic Comedy movies. Not one, but two.

The first Top-Ten list is for old movies from back before that pesky World War II. If your lady friend is a true old-film junkie, these black and white beauties are just the ticket. The Pre-War list contains:

• Trouble in Paradise
• It Happened One Night
• My Man Godfrey
• The Awful Truth
• Bringing Up Baby
• Ninotchka
• His Girl Friday
• The Philadelphia Story
• The Shop Around the Corner
• The Lady Eve

Though I personally would say, “Where’s Sabrina? Where’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

And now, at no extra charge, another Top-Ten list from the Modern Era up to about the year 2000 –

• The Apartment
• The Graduate
• Annie Hall (alternate: Manhattan)
• Tootsie
• Moonstruck
• Say Anything
• When Harry Met Sally
• Groundhog Day
• Four Weddings and a Funeral (alt: Notting Hill)
• A Fish Called Wanda

There you have it, an instant film-buff Cheat Sheet for Romantic Comedies, and a pretty plan for a cozy afternoon or evening. You can fill in the missing parts, I bet.

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