Two stories about ageless love - one old and one new

Category: Television and Streaming

 

The Idea of You is a 2024 original movie on Prime Video starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine and All that Heaven Allows is a 1955 movie streaming on Prime Video starring Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman. They are almost 70 years apart but both hold the same emotional tug for viewers as a younger man falls for an older woman, and vice versa.

Anne Hathaway is Solène, a divorced mother with a teenage girl who manages an art gallery in Silver Lake, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Due to a scheduling conflict with her ex-husband, Solène is drafted into taking her daughter Izzy to Coachella for a concert and while there she accidentally meets Hayes Campbell (Galitzine) one of the singers of the popular boy band  August Moon, a favorite of her daughter. Note: This is a true “Meet Cute” moment.

• Jane Wyman is Cary, a widow with two children in college. She’s basically an empty-nester except the kids often  return home to check up on their mother, enjoy their friends and family time. Cary and her gardener, Ron Kirby (Hudson) begin chatting and enjoying spending time together. The age difference doesn’t bother her – yet – because all they are doing is having some good times together.

Solène and Hayes begin seeing each other and have fun times together. But she keeps him at arms length because of the 16-year age difference and in consideration of her daughter who, thankfully, will be going off to summer camp. It’s then when Hayes invites Solène to join him on his European tour. Sure, why not? They enjoy each other’s company so why not let loose and enjoy her life? Her ex had been a real jerk and left her years ago for a younger woman. It is time for Solène to have some fun – and love – in her life.

• When things get serious between Cary and Ron, she wonders what she should do. Her heart is leading her towards him but her subconscious is telling her the small village in which she lives would really turn against them. Society, especially in the 1950s, frowned on May/December romances.

Solène happily joins the tour and for a long while everything is exciting and wonderful, and it’s not about just the fun of the tour. It’s about the relationship with Hayes that is making her happy. For the first time in a long time Solène is genuinely happy and thinking only about her own feelings and feeling true love.

• Ron thinks he and Cary should get married and although it takes a while, she finally agrees. And now it’s time to introduce him to her kids. But things don’t go the way she had hoped. The kids are not happy about this union. The age difference is something they cannot get over. And the fact that their mother is going to sell the family home and move into his mountain cabin (it is big and beautiful) is something they will not stand for. It’s their family home. Why does she have to move?

Hayes moves into Solène’s house and when the news gets out (this is the time of paparazzi) it starts to get the better of  Izzy.  And all the bullying she has to put up with at school doesn’t help. Both of them are faced with constant comments in person and throughout the Internet.

• Cary’s kids also face the same kind of abuse, although without the internet hounding them. They get it face to face and in side eyes and whisperings behind their backs. When Cary realizes what her love life is doing to her kids, she calls off the wedding only to be haunted by physical problems. According to her doctor she does not have anything physically wrong with her but her unhappiness manifests itself as headaches. She is told by her doctor to marry Hudson and forget about what other people say. Her personal happiness should be front and center.

Solène decides she must break off her relationship with Hayes. After all, she does have a young daughter to think about. Reluctantly he agrees but insists they will pick up their love in 5 years once Izzy is off to college.

• Cary realizes she must follow her heart after her kids come home and announce they are moving and getting married. The kids and their attachment to the family home was one reason she called off her marriage and now they are leaving to start their own lives. So once again, she has to take stock of her life. This time she will be a real empty nester, and without the man she loves. It looks like it is finally time to give into her heart and follow it all the way to Ron’s cabin.

After the proposed five years, Solène and Hayes decide to renew their love and continue where they left off.

Both films have somewhat the same underlying story. But in the end, no matter what others say and without any children to consider, both couples are drawn back together again. Age makes no difference when love is involved. 

Both movies are streaming on Prime Video. 

The Idea of You is rated R for some language and sexual content.

All that Heaven Allows is not rated as it is from 1955, however there is smoking and unseen sexual content.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

courtesy images Prime Video