Hollywood Heartbreak: Modern Love-Based Relationships Versus the Institution of Marriage

This thesis explores the relationship between evolving American norms around love and the institution of marriage as reflected in the romantic comedy genre from 1950 to 1999. Utilizing Stephanie Coontz’s framework on the historical shift of marriage, it argues that the transition from socio-economic partnerships to love-based unions weakened the institution of marriage by introducing heightened emotional expectations. By analyzing the fifteen most commercially successful romantic comedies (three from each decade), this thesis highlights how these films mirrored and influenced societal anxieties surrounding love, individualism, and marital stability across five decades.