Fascination with Unconventional Relationships?

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Is anyone else completely fascinated by unconventional relationships in books & other media? Sometimes I get so caught up in thinking about the relationship, that I have to stop reading/watching for a while, just to think about it. Other times, I'll go over & over the sections of the book/movie/TV show that feature the relationship - just to lose myself in the beauty of it.

For instance:
Nick & Nora Charles (The Thin Man movies)
Henry & Claire (The Time Traveler's Wife)
Aaron & Jane (Broadcast News)
Enid & Seymour (Ghost World)
Lee & E. Edward (Secretary)

...I hope you get the idea

I am interested in that topic, too, although rather than fictional characters I like to read about the nontraditional relationships of historical figures. Earlier this year I enjoyed the books "Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Portraits of Married Life in London Literary Circles 1910-1939 " by Katie Roiphe and "Passionate Minds" by David Bodanis (which is about Voltaire and his mistress, the scientists Emilie du Chatelet.)

Thanks -I'll have to look into those books. History is one of my passions (once I figured out that, contrary to what they tend to teach in schools, it isn't about events & dates - it's all about people!)

I don't know any of the people mentioned except for Voltaire and I know nothing about his personal life. What characterizes these unconventional relationships?

For me, it's relationships that are outside the "norm" of society. Two people who accept each other, unconditionally - even though one or both have major "quirks." It could be an asexual relationship, as in Love Me If You Dare - or two outsiders with a big age difference, as in Ghost World. There are lots of examples, if you look for them.

I guess another example of that would be CBS' Beauty & the Beast. That had a relationship that was very unusual.

Oh God yeah! I've always been extremely fascinated by unconventional relationships. I too was fixated by the relationship between Lee & E.Edward in the film Secretary. I haven't seen the other films you list though.

Another one I really liked was the relationship between Morgan Le Fey and Frick in the film Merlin (the one starring Helena Bonham Carter, Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PewFxHJJ ... re=related

I love those types of movies too. I only saw the Secretary that was on your list so I'll probably like your other favorites.
Have you read Wuthering Heights? That had some pretty fascinating characters and relationships.

I also think about Gone with the Wind and those characters. Scarlett is an enigmatic character.

I love them. I guess it's because I've always been in unconventional relationships themselves. I find human bonding most beautiful when it is incredibly weird I will have to look these things up!

I enjoyed watching the connection between Jim (the cop) and Claudia (the addict) in the film Magnolia. Their pact to be absolutely open to each other is something I'd love to have with another human being.

Yes, I've seen that - I do remember thinking that Morgan Le Fey & Frick had a very interesting dynamic between them.



I've seen the movies, but not yet read the books - something I really should do, as I suspect both stories are marvelously deep & full of nuance (very much the kind of thing I like to read.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Time_Traveler%27s_Wife - The Time Traveler's Wife is a book, if anyone is looking for it. Henry first meets Claire when she is 20 & he is 28 (she has already known him for most of her life.) Claire first meets Henry when she is 6 & he is in his 30s. Some of the story is told from Claire's point of view & some is told from Henry's point of view. It's one of my all-time favorite novels - but it can be hard to follow, until you get into the rhythm (I had to go back and re-read the first few chapters, once I had figured out what was going on.)

I'm really glad to hear from so many fans of the off-beat relationship!

Hmmm - I'll really have to watch that film again. It was a pretty emotional experience for me the first time, but I think time has created enough distance for me to try again (great film, but it took a lot out of me!)

Magnolia is a fantastic film. I'm going to have to check out The Time Traveler's Wife at some point. Sounds fascinating. I love stories with a twist like that, provided they are well-done.

Wow, did you just take this from my mind? I completely love unconventional relationships, though my main interests is reading about painful and rocky ones. Reading this thread made me so excigted I flapped.

i am in an unconventional relationship...it can be quite rough....

Do you enjoy the music of Fiona Apple? I've always felt as though all her songs are about dysfunctional relationships - much more interesting than the standard "love song" - which is why I love listening to her so much!