In this week’s Movie Memory Machine: Five For mini-episode, Landen and Truman unpack five films that more meaningfully—and sometimes more messily—explore marriage, communication, and relationship evolution than Hope Springs ever dared. From cozy golden pond chats to sci-fi couples therapy gone wrong, this list offers everything from prestige Swedish drama to 1930s slapstick divorce. Hope might spring eternal, but these movies bring the nuance.
Films Discussed:
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On Golden Pond (1981)
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The One I Love (2014)
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Scenes from a Marriage (1973 or 2021)
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The Awful Truth (1937)
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Before Midnight (2013)
Topics Covered:
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Sunset vibes and legacy pairings in On Golden Pond
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The One I Love and the lo-fi sci-fi spin on relationship repair
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Bergman’s emotionally devastating take on marriage in Scenes from a Marriage
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Slapstick meets sincerity in the classic The Awful Truth
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Before Midnight as the most honest depiction of midlife marriage ever captured on screen
Key Takeaways:
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Hope Springs may have opened the door, but these films walk through it (and sometimes slam it)
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Scenes from a Marriage is therapy before therapy
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Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke prove love isn’t always quiet sunsets—it’s arguments in Greece too
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The Awful Truth showed us that Hollywood’s been flirting with divorce for nearly a century
Listener Prompt: Which movie got marriage right—or hilariously wrong? Tag us with your picks using #MovieMemoryMachine.
Support the Show! Help keep Movie Memory Machine ad-free and artist-owned! Here’s how you can support us:
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Become a Patreon supporter – For as little as $1/month, you get access to bonus content for all shows on the Grunt Work Podcast Network. Join at https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
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Leave a rating and review – On Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
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Like, follow, and share on social media – We’re @MovieMemoryMachine on YouTube and @MovieMemoryPod on Letterboxd.
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Tell a friend – Word of mouth is how we grow.
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Join our Discord – Vote on whether films stay in modern memory or are left forgotten. Visit https://www.moviememorymachine.com for access.
Follow Us: 🌐 Website: https://www.moviememorymachine.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieMemoryMachine 🎞️ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviememorypod/
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