• Biblical Families is not a dating website. It is a forum to discuss issues relating to marriage and the Bible, and to offer guidance and support, not to find a wife. Click here for more information.

Poly themed movies

The Revolting Man

The Revolting Man

Moderator
Staff member
Real Person
Male
I ran across two poly themed movies on Netflix this week. One was a Rodney Dangerfield movie called "My 5 Wives." It was mostly an excuse for Rodney to make a bunch of his signature self deprecating jokes. Beneath the silliness though you could tell that someone put some thought into the topic. It all goes south on him in the end of course and the feminists reassert control but for a few glorious minutes you get the feeling that someone behind that movie gets it.

The other was even more interesting. "Move Over Darling" starred Doris Day and James Garner. It would take more words then I'm willing to tap on my phone but those guys really got it. They bailed out at the last minute but only just. Check them out. Then comment. Its getting quiet in here.
 
I looked up the Day/Garner film, it sounded familiar to me. I saw it when I was in my early 20s I think. I remember thinking that that would be such a difficult situation if it happened in real life. I felt sorry for both ladies...but never at that time think it would be okay for them both to stay. Fun movie though. Love Doris Day and James Garner.
 
It is impossible not to like Doris Day and I finally understand why James Garner is a celebrity. I couldn't understand it before I saw that movie. I always that he was a weird looking talentless hack but he was entertaining.
 
I watched Move Over Darling a few months ago. I enjoyed it pretty well.

Rodney Dangerfield has never appealed to me, so I doubt I'll watch it, but I'm glad it exists.
 
Micki & Maude was reasonably entertaining. (At least that's the way I remember it from 20-25 years ago....) Dudley Moore flick.
 
A 1994 western setting movie called The Substitute Wife. I heard it mentioned in another thread but thought i'd add it here.

The wife of a prairie farm couple (Lea Thompson) learns she's dying. Goes to find a replacement for when she dies and finds one - a prostitute (Farrah Fawcett). Husband (Peter Weller) is against the whole idea from the beginning but, of course, relents. Wife almost dies, then all of a sudden starts to get better and they learn to live together. Then she gets sick again... I watched it. It was pretty good.
 
rockfox said:
That got me thinking that the loving resolution to the common romantic tragedy of the love triangle (romance for one girl, tragedy for the other), is polygamy.
Click to expand...
I have met a woman who is now married to her best friend's husband. The friend had cancer, and encouraged a relationship between her hubby and her best friend so neither would be alone after she was gone. They made her happy while she was living by going along with her plan, and are still together several years later. Too bad people cannot see the upside without the tragedy of death. I mean everyone loves the sound of music, but would they like it if Maria was a second wife? Probably not.
 
Neither of these might be considered "morally upright" but the writers understood some of the deep dynamics involved in a poly marriage:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

I love Doris Day and James Gardner so I'll have to check out "Move Over Darling" soon!
 
rockfox said:
That got me thinking that the loving resolution to the common romantic tragedy of the love triangle (romance for one girl, tragedy for the other), is polygamy.
Click to expand...
I know I'm coming in late on this one, but I'm referring to rockfox's post. All I can say is, Amen. I make that comment on a regular basis while we're watching movies as a family, which is one of our favorite pastimes. Julie made a great point about this in a not-too-distant Biblical Families newsletter: that too often certain problems are thrown up as proof that polygamy is inferior, while the fact that monogamous relationships have their own share of similar and different problems. What's rarely addressed is that a number of very predictable sufferings are unique to monogamy-only, and probably one of the best examples of this is the all-too-common situation in which a man is being forced to choose (just) one of two women with whom he's surprisingly becoming mutually serious. Movies portray this on a regular basis, and short shrift is given to not only the loss for the woman who doesn't make the cut but to the loss for the man who has to sever himself from someone he already loves. And don't get me started concerning the other common love-triangle dynamic that our culture fails to recognize as the evil that it is for all involved: women poaching men from other women, something that would be unnecessary if polygamy were a non-stigma marital option.

And, Ginny, thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely be on the look-out for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
 
ZecAustin said:
That movie is strange although I love that song though.
Click to expand...
I just loved Paint Your Wagon when it came out in the theaters in the early 1970s. I talked my Hurst TX church's youth group into going to see it for open discussion afterward.
 
No matter where we go, we don't leave our humanity or our brokenness at the door.
 
Keith Martin said:
I know I'm coming in late on this one, but I'm referring to rockfox's post. All I can say is, Amen. I make that comment on a regular basis while we're watching movies as a family, which is one of our favorite pastimes. Julie made a great point about this in a not-too-distant Biblical Families newsletter: that too often certain problems are thrown up as proof that polygamy is inferior, while the fact that monogamous relationships have their own share of similar and different problems. What's rarely addressed is that a number of very predictable sufferings are unique to monogamy-only, and probably one of the best examples of this is the all-too-common situation in which a man is being forced to choose (just) one of two women with whom he's surprisingly becoming mutually serious. Movies portray this on a regular basis, and short shrift is given to not only the loss for the woman who doesn't make the cut but to the loss for the man who has to sever himself from someone he already loves. And don't get me started concerning the other common love-triangle dynamic that our culture fails to recognize as the evil that it is for all involved: women poaching men from other women, something that would be unnecessary if polygamy were a non-stigma marital option.

And, Ginny, thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely be on the look-out for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
Click to expand...
No problem. I’m always late on here. More of a reader. My mouth has got me in trouble from my youngest days.
 
Even though Rodney Dangerfield "don't get no respect" I was happily surprised that his character showed a great deal of respect for the women he was married to in this movie. It didn't have a happy ending with the brides converting to Christianity along with Dangerfield but it was half fun.
 
Not exaclty a polygamy movie, but a levirate marriage movie:

"Loving Leah" (2009) from Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Good movie. Fun and interesting to watch. Ruth Ann and I watched it last night.

There are 4 copies on youtube.com of it as I type this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top