I don't think that most women find such films romantic. But I think people do because of a fairy tale ideal of 'one true love' and a lack of consequences to infidelity. There has been a romanticized push for decades of the concept of true love. There is this idea that if you are truly in love then it makes every thing OK. This is coupled with the fact that in American Cinema, we must have a happy ending. Films without a happy ending rarely make money, no matter how good they are. We don't want to be preached at when we see a film. The last couple of popular films that I remember dealing with the consequences of infidelity were 'Fatal Attraction' and 'Indecent Proposal'. Neither dealt with the consequences of infidelity coupled with 'true love'.

Many people find these films romantic because the romance is what is emphasized. What happens after, is rarely, if ever, mentioned let alone emphasized.

I think also that this is an obvious reflection of society. Great emphasis is placed publicly on the sins of others as the downfall/decline of marriage in America. While little or no light is shined on the public acceptance of infidelity as a partial cause of this decline. Which is worse? Consider that at the very least infidelity/adultery in marriage (if you are Judeo/Christian) is (1) a sin in and of itself, (2) a sin in breaking the covenant to your spouse, and (3) a sin in breaking the covenant to God.

By the way, as a woman I don't find these types of films romantic, they tend to make me disgusted and angry.

Rant over. And now I will step off my soapbox. :-)

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