The Romantic Grand Gesture is one major romance trope that film and TV just can't get enough of. From filling a room with candles or bouquets of flowers to orchestrating a flash mob proposal, there are some wild romantic gestures in media that are so unrealistic they’re almost laughable, but... we love them nonetheless! Let’s take a minute to zoom out and take a look at all sides of this trope, unpack some of the most ridiculous dates and grand gestures in film and TV, who gets to experience them, and why this trope often conveys the wrong message about love.

Join our Patreon to unlock the members-only series “Total Take," vote on what we cover next, and more:   / thetake  
Read articles on film, TV and culture: https://www.the-take.com
Follow our socials: https://linktr.ee/thisisthetake

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:10 $$$ Grand Gestures
03:39 Movie-perfect (and often Hollywood-budgeted) dates
05:18 The epic proposal (and giant ring)
07:44 The darker side of grand gestures...
10:27 Who got to experience grand gestures on screen (& how it's changing)
13:49 Why we love grand gestures (but shouldn't focus on them too much...)


The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was produced by Jessica Babineaux, written by Stevie Lazarus, narrated by Charly Bovina, and edited by Travis Martin