In Front of Ira

Torsten and Sabrina encounter Gregory Peck carrying a watermelon and Audrey Hepburn hitting a violin over a man's head while Eddie Albert takes photos. It’s not as weird as it sounds. It’s weirder. Welcome to Rome, the eternal city, where even princesses have gelato. They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – The life of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who was forbidden to work duri...

Torsten and Sabrina watch Meg Ryan and David Duchovny get stuck in an airport during a bomb cyclone. Wait—is that a thing? They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Meg Ryan’s dedication of the film to Nora Ephron: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meg-ryan-acting-hiatus-what-happens-later-rom-com-nora-ephron-160655136.html? – Steven Dietz’s play “Shooting Star,” on which the mov...

Sabrina and Torsten reassess the classic 1990 romcom “Pretty Woman.” Yes, the little arthouse drama that jumpstarted Jason Alexander’s career and isn’t remembered for much else… They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – “Pretty Woman”’s original dark ending: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/03/pretty-woman-original-ending – Scott Meslow’s book “From Hollywood With Love” an...

Torsten and Sabrina dive into a world in which British royals fall into cakes, Uma Thurman is president, and “The West Wing” is a queer utopia as they watch the second Nicholas Galitzine movie in as many weeks. They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Changes between the book and the movie: https://screenrant.com/red-white-royal-blue-biggest-book-changes – The director of the movi...

We’re back for our summer season 3! Sabrina and Torsten pour themselves some refreshing salad dressing and check in on Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s romance in “The Idea of You.” They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Changes between the book and the movie: https://screenrant.com/the-idea-of-you-book-changes-differences – Katy Waldman’s article on “The Idea of You”: htt...

In the season two finale, Sabrina and Torsten take their seats for some Kumail Nanjiani standup and promise not to heckle. Not even a woohoo. They’re watching “The Big Sick,” a true story romcom starring Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan that has 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Be aware: there is no tuna in the lake. They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – The Rotten Tomatoes page for “The Big Sick...

Sabrina and Torsten meet up with Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan, and Rob Reiner again all the way across the country in this movie podcast referencing a movie that references a movie, “Sleepless in Seattle.” They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – The floating home of Sam, Tom Hanks’s character: https://www.dwell.com/article/how-the-sleepless-in-seattle-houseboat-gave-the-hit-rom-com-a-do...

Torsten and Sabrina encounter a one-handed Nicolas Cage in the basement of a Brooklyn bakery and it’s not what you think. Well, okay, it is, it’s “Moonstruck,” Norman Jewison’s 1987 romantic comedy that won Oscars for Cher’s and Olympia Dukakis’s performances. They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – The recent death of “Moonstruck” director Norman Jewison: https://www.bfi.org.uk/...

Torsten and Sabrina join the assortment of odd people stumbling into Lena Headey’s London flower shop in Ol Parker’s “Imagine Me and You,” a romcom about which the BBC says: “If you see only one movie this year about a bride falling for her florist during her wedding day, make sure it’s this one.” They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Adrian Hennigan’s original BBC review of th...

Sabrina and Torsten aren’t ready despite having set a dozen alarms and now have to run to attend “Four Weddings and a Funeral” with Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell. F**k! They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Richard Curtis’s screenplay for the movie: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/465999.Four_Weddings_and_a_Funeral – Elizabeth Hurley’s safety pin dress at the movie’s premie...

Torsten and Sabrina try to follow all of the 14 storylines in Gary Marshall’s take on “Love Actually,” the 2010 ensemble romcom “Valentine’s Day.” Five, Six, Seven, Eight… They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Sady Doyle’s snarky review of “Valentine’s Day,” “Worst. Movie. Ever”: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/feb/14/valentines-day-movie-worst – Taylo...

Torsten and Sabrina hope they get into the prestigious Heidelberg Christmas market (fingers crossed!) with Hallmark heroine Heidi Heidelberg and discuss the phenomenon of Hallmark movies. And yes, that’s a quote from Ted Lasso at the beginning. They talk about a few things you may want to check out: – Andrea Braithwaite’s “From Brand to Genre: The Hallmark Movie”: https://doi.org/10.1177/152747642...

Torsten and Sabrina controversially don’t hate “Love Actually” but have some thoughts about several of its storylines on the occasion of the beloved and bemoaned Christmas classic’s 20th anniversary. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has evolved, what it can te...

Sabrina and Torsten watch Natalia Tena and Brett Goldstein fall in love in this British superhero take on the rom-com also starring Catherine Tate and Laura Haddock. Sabrina has dreamed about discussing a sequel to this film with its star, and also written a review: https://www.thespoilist.com/a-super-late-review-of-superbob-2015/ Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, frie...

Torsten and Sabrina follow Reese Witherspoon from the 2000s-era New York fashion scene to rural Alabama, where they meet a hunky seaplane pilot, odd but charming townsfolk, and a complete lack of historical consciousness. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has e...

Sabrina and Torsten vow to be better than the Gap and try to figure out how many degrees of separation are needed in order for everything to come together in this tale of Steve Carell getting pygmalioned by Ryan Gosling. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has ev...

Sabrina and Torsten take a trip to the Hamptons with Nancy Meyers to write a play by the seaside and hope their hearts survive this romantic comedy starring Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Amanda Peet, and Keanu Reeves. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has evolv...

“Horse and Hound” gives this episode five stars! Torsten and Sabrina discuss the late 90s star-studded British comedy about a star, “Notting Hill“ and wonder who but Julia Roberts could play Julia Roberts. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has evolved, what it...

In this first regular episode, Sabrina and Torsten discuss 1989's classic romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally,” a movie in which ecstatic convulsions in restaurants play a strikingly small role, and people talking a rather large one. Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic come...

Welcome to “In Front of Ira,” the podcast in which historians, friends, and lovers… of rom-coms Sabrina Mittermeier and Torsten Kathke discuss how the romantic comedy genre has evolved, what it can tell us about society, and whether this movie is worth watching. Find us @infrontofira on social media and drop us a line at infrontofirapod@gmail.com