He also says “Enough” after she kisses him as he’s walking away. Which tells me they’ve put a lid on it and they’re done and now moving into friends territory. At the very end of the movie the three of them are all at the airport together to greet Colin Firth on his return with his new wife.

Exactly. And the way he lingered over the whole thing gave me no doubt that if Juliet had indicated that she returned the feelings and was ready to act on them Mark would not be walking away with “closure” on his mind.

But then how much of what we find romantic in Romance is selfish? More than we’d like to think, IMO.

That film was risible.

What, the twee British thing doesn’t do it for you?

Maya M. wrote:

What an interesting rant.

Excuse me, but that wasn’t a “rant”. It was persuasive argumentative discourse.

I never thought about it that way. I didn’t have a problem with it before, and now after thinking about this different interpretation – I still don’t.
Like other posters I thought that his grand, and yes, romantic gesture, was precisely to make it possible for all three of them to go forward in future. Mark and Juliet were both horribly embarrassed when she found out about his feelings – if he had left it like that, they could never have continued with a ‘normal’ relationship afterwards. He either had to cut from them completely (which would have hurt Peter) or kill the embarrassment with something even stronger, so he chose full disclosure to her, and simply walking away, head high, when he was finished told me he’d accomplished his mission and accepted that their relationship couldn’t become more. For her to run after and kiss him DIDN’T say to me “Oh I chose the wrong guy”, it said “I understand what you did, it took a lot of guts, farewell”. And they both seemed more calm and happy after as she returned to her husband.

I can see it that way. I really can. Thank you.

Keira Knightly was in Phantom Menace?

Yes, VERY VERY BRIEFLY. She impersonated Queen Amidala.

Like other posters I thought that his grand, and yes, romantic gesture, was precisely to make it possible for all three of them to go forward in future. Mark and Juliet were both horribly embarrassed when she found out about his feelings – if he had left it like that, they could never have continued with a ‘normal’ relationship afterwards. He either had to cut from them completely (which would have hurt Peter) or kill the embarrassment with something even stronger, so he chose full disclosure to her, and simply walking away, head high, when he was finished told me he’d accomplished his mission and accepted that their relationship couldn’t become more. For her to run after and kiss him DIDN’T say to me “Oh I chose the wrong guy”, it said “I understand what you did, it took a lot of guts, farewell”. And they both seemed more calm and happy after as she returned to her husband.

Keira Knightly was in Phantom Menace?

I had to chuckle at Lock Jaw, because my own nickname for her is ‘close your mouth already!’. She seems to spend a lot of time onscreen when she doesn’t have any lines with her mouth open.

I loved the Liam Neeson/son storyline best, and because it was about a non-sexual type of love I had no problem accepting that the Billy Nighy/manager storyline was about love between friends, without a physcial element. I thought those two were well done.

Hugh Grant as Prime Minister was as believable as Billy Bob Thornton as President. (*g*)

*ahem*

Yes, I am a geek.

I guess I still wonder if that was the best way to get closure. The better choice, if he had to have closure (and I still think that “closure” meets exactly ONE person’s needs: Mark’s) was to write a nice letter and drop it in the post, not the grand gesture with the CD player, the cue cards, “To me, you are perfect” and Christmas.

Sometimes the most loving thing to do is to put your own feelings aside, as Kristie’s son did.

Now… Dagny’s idea that Peter knew about it all along? I never considered it! I would have to retract my deceit objection in that case, although you have to admit, as Lissa writes, it would have been awkward if Peter opened the door instead.

Kristie writes that the scene is everything romance is not, and I see it that way too. But I can see the other side … that there’s something good about pure adoration, even if unrequited.

Robin — I didn’t like most things about this movie, despite the fact that so many actors I love are in it.

Janine — Another book recommendation? If I take a 2nd mortgage out, I am sending you the bill. Just FYI.

Thanks also to everyone who supported me in my dislike of Keira Knightley.