A New Kind of Love (1963)

A New Kind of Love Poster

A down-and-out reporter and a fashion designer fall in love in Paris.

Intro to "A New Kind of Love"
"A New Type Of Love" is a romantic comedy film from 1963, directed by Melville Shavelson and starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The movie mixes aspects of satire, romance, and screwball comedy to explore the evolving gender functions and relationships of its era. Its narrative focuses on the unconventional romance between a fashion-conscious female and a cynical sports reporter.

Plot Overview
The story presents Samantha Blake (Joanne Woodward), a man-cynical style buyer for a large department store who is assigned to Paris to find brand-new designs. She gowns conservatively, focusing exclusively on her career, with little interest in a romantic involvement. In contrast, Steve Sherman (Paul Newman) is a womanizing sports writer from New York who discovers himself in Paris after being benched by his paper for his unimportant exploits.

Their courses cross when Steve mistakes Samantha for a pricey call lady after she goes through a remarkable remodeling in an attempt to woo a French designer for her company. Captivated by her relatively mystical personality, Steve chooses to compose a story about her, thinking it will be an ideal feature to reanimate his profession.

Characters and Performance
With the 2 leads being real-life couple Newman and Woodward, the chemistry on screen is palpable. Woodward's character is multi-layered; Samantha begins as a reserved profession female but progresses into a more confident and glamorous personality. Newman's character Steve is charismatic yet flawed, embodying the stereotyped machismo reporter of that time. Their vibrant together attends to a compelling contrast as they browse the misconceptions and tourist attractions in between them.

Styles and Satire
"A New Kind of Love" skillfully deals with the theme of identity and the function of women in the early 1960s. It spoofs the fashion industry and its superficiality, juxtaposed versus the backdrop of the emerging ladies's movement. Samantha's change signifies the duration's social pressures on females to abide by certain beauty standards.

Furthermore, the film checks out the disparities in sexual norms for men and women, highlighting the double standards and the beginning of a societal shift in recognizing ladies's independence and sexual company. It likewise pushes at the artificial barrier between love and sex that was prevalent in the '60s social story.

Cinematography and Production
The film showcases the fashionable streets of Paris, acting as a luxurious background to the easy going story. The delicious outfit design adds to the attractive old Hollywood feel of the movie, normal of romantic comedies of its time. The production style and art instructions play a substantial role in juxtaposing Samantha's conservative life in America against the extravagant and stylish life in Paris.

Reception and Legacy
Upon its release, "A New Kind of Love" got a mixed reception. Some admired it for its humor and the performances of Newman and Woodward, while others saw it as a common rom-com without much depth. It amassed Oscar nominations for its outfit design by Edith Head and cinematography by Daniel L. Fapp.

Throughout the years, the film has been re-evaluated by some critics and is thought about an item of its time. It provides modern audiences a glimpse into the developing understandings of love, sex, and gender roles in the early '60s while offering an entertaining and humorous story reinforced by its star-studded cast.

In conclusion, "A New Kind of Love" is a film of its era, with timeless stars, that amuses while subtly discussing the changing social landscape of gender and relationships, set versus the background of the world's most romantic city, Paris.

Top Cast