I am a big fan of the old Howard Hawks films from the 30s and

“I am a big fan of the old Howard Hawks films from the 30s and 40s, I was a big Hepburn and Tracy fan for a while and Woody Allen films that are a very different kind of romantic comedy.” So declared Edward Burns, and though his words appear to be a simple confession of taste, they are in truth an acknowledgment of how art, across ages, shapes the soul and instructs us in the mysteries of love and laughter. For when a man proclaims admiration for stories born before his time, he bows in reverence to the lineage of human creativity, recognizing that the heart’s truths are eternal, though each age cloaks them in different garments.

The films of Howard Hawks, in their quick wit, sparkling dialogue, and fiery heroines, revealed to audiences that love could be a battle as well as a dance, a contest of spirits as well as a joining of hands. In those black-and-white days, the screen became a mirror of human courage, showing men and women daring to match wits, to spar with words, to fall in love not through silence but through storm. Such films carried the strength of myth: they did not simply entertain, they modeled the very rhythm of romance, where chaos and order entwine until harmony is born.

Then came the union of Hepburn and Tracy, not only on screen but in legend. Their films were not mere performances; they were the alchemy of two souls whose chemistry lit fire in the hearts of millions. They showed us that romance need not be sugar-coated, that it could thrive in arguments, in laughter, in the daily clash of equals. They were not the gods of Olympus, aloof and distant; they were flesh and spirit, flawed and radiant, showing us that the greatest romantic comedies are those where truth and tenderness walk hand in hand.

In time, the vision shifted, and Woody Allen carved his own path, weaving stories that were far from the polished banter of Hawks or the thunderous spark of Hepburn and Tracy. His works revealed a different face of love: hesitant, anxious, neurotic, filled with doubt yet still yearning for connection. This too is a kind of romance, one that speaks to the quiet struggles of the modern heart. For not every soul is bold or heroic; some love in whispers, some stumble into tenderness, some wrestle with fear even as they long to be embraced.

Burns’s words remind us that the art of the romantic comedy is not one single tradition, but a tapestry woven across decades, each thread showing another way that love manifests itself. From the sharp wit of Hawks to the magnetic battles of Hepburn and Tracy, to the trembling honesty of Allen, the story remains the same: humanity seeks joy in connection, laughter in intimacy, and meaning in companionship. Each era speaks in its own dialect, yet all echo the same eternal truth.

We must learn from this: just as cinema carries many forms of romance, so too does life. Some loves will come with fire and argument, others with silence and hesitation. Some will dazzle like Hepburn’s sharp wit; others will ache with Allen’s searching doubt. Yet all are real, all are worthy, all teach us how the human heart, in its infinite variety, finds a way to bond with another.

The lesson is clear: do not bind yourself to one vision of love. Be open to its many languages, whether fiery, witty, awkward, or quiet. Do not dismiss what feels unfamiliar, for even in the strangest forms lies the beauty of connection. Like Edward Burns, honor the past, learn from the present, and see that romance is not a single path but a hundred winding roads, all leading toward the same horizon of intimacy and joy.

So, let your practical action be this: seek out the stories of love, whether in film, in books, or in the lives of those around you. Watch how others love, how they stumble, how they rise, and let their tales guide you. For when you embrace the full spectrum of the romantic comedy that is life, you will walk not in fear of missing the “right” kind of love, but in celebration of the truth—that every story, when lived with courage and honesty, can become a masterpiece.