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A Guide To Hollywood's History Of Love

From King Kong to 500 Days of Summer, a guide to the many eras of movie love affairs.

Romance Hollywood-style has almost always been a projection of the desires, yearnings, and aspirations of the men (and yes, they are usually men) who run the film industry.

That said, there are distinct romantic epochs in film history. Here's a look at how love has evolved in Hollywood.

The Heroic-Love Era: Circa 1914

The Monstrous-Love Era: Circa 1925

Free-Spirited Woman Teaches Uptight Man How to Live Era: Circa 1937

The Prisoners of Circumstance Era: Circa 1940

The Waltz Into Darkness Era: Circa 1947

The Love as Terrible Duty Era: Circa 1951

The Escape Era: Circa 1955

The Forbidden-Love Era: Circa 1961

The Outlaw-Love Era: Circa 1968

The Doomed-Love Era: Circa 1975

The Uniformed Era: Circa 1983

The Fairy-Tale Era: Circa 1990

Love Amongst the Pottery Barn: Circa 1993

The Costume Era: Circa 1998

The Uptight Woman Teaches Free-Spirited Man How to Behave Era: Circa 2007

The Ineffectual Era: Present