On this day thirty-two years ago, Tony Scott’s True Romance was released into the world. The film saw comic book clerk Clarence (Christian Slater) and call-girl Alabama (Patricia Arquette) fall in love, marry, and quickly become embroiled in a world of drugs and crime. For some, the title was heavily misleading, conjuring up the idea of some twee rom-com, but the stark reality is that the film is one of the greatest love stories committed to cinema. Yes, it might not follow the traditional formula, but then neither do real-life relationships.
The whole concept of True Romance is this whirlwind romance between Clarence and Alabama Worley, and Scott wastes no time at all in setting up the couple. This foundation is imperative for the rest of the narrative to work and whereas other films would spend a great deal of time building the relationship dynamic, Scott is able to do it in mere moments.
The love story of Clarence and Alabama begins in a movie theatre, amongst the shadowy silhouette of a trio of Sonny Chiba films. Their meet cute involves Alabama accidentally spilling her popcorn over Clarence, before moving to sit next to him for the mini movie marathon. The chemistry between them is immediately clear, with Alabama’s flirtatious nature initially unnerving the shyer Clarence. Post cinema outing, the pair move on to Rae’s diner for pie whilst the sexual tension between them intensifies. By this point the audience are already willing for the pair to connect, but it isn’t until a visit to a third location – Clarence’s place of work, Heroes for Sale – that the two succumb to the blazing hot sparks between them. They inevitably sleep together and the audience awaits what will happen next, but it isn’t what they expect…
What follows next, the billboard scene, is one of the most perfect scenes in cinema history. Taking place after what, for what some people is the perfect date night, it is this scene that makes the audience fall head over heels for this couple. This scene perfectly encompasses those early throes of love, lust, and infatuation, feelings that everyone has experienced at some point or another. The difference is that whereas most of us get nervous to be honest about our feelings, Clarence and Alabama throw caution to the wind.
Clarence awakens alone in bed, his window open, blasting in the cold Detroit night air. He steps out onto the rooftop and finds Alabama swaddled in blankets, chain-smoking, and upset. When pressed, Alabama comes clean and announces to Clarence that their meeting wasn’t by chance, and was orchestrated by his boss who had hired her to keep Clarence company on his birthday. She admits that she is a call-girl – not a whore – and implores that she is new to the game and has not yet become damaged. Her confession doesn’t phase Clarence in the slightest, which startles Alabama, but only serves to convince her that he is the man for her.
As the scene progresses, the two continue to open up and share that they both see the other as their perfect partner. It’s a bold move given that they have spent only a handful of hours together, but it exemplifies the fiery passion burning between them. It melts the hearts of the audience watching, who wait on tenterhooks to see how the scene will end. Thankfully it’s a happy ending as Alabama lets Clarence know that in a relationship she is “100% monogamous” and follows it up by confessing her love to him. Once more as nervous as their initial encounter within the theatre screen, Clarence replies with his own declaration of love, and before you know it, they are getting married in the next scene.
Sitting behind the couple throughout is a billboard advert for a car, emblazoned with the slogan “Don’t wait for the dust to settle”. This is exactly the tact that Clarence and Alabama take, not only in this sequence, but also in all of their decisions that follow. They are impulsive and in love, and nothing other than that matters to them. After some great establishing moments, it is this scene that solidifies not only Alabama and Clarence’s feelings for one another, but proves to the audience that these are characters that they want to spend more time in the orbit of. If they can get married after one date, what is next for their adventure? The reality is a film that is a timeless classic and one of Tony Scott’s greatest directing achievements. Without their declaration of love in the chilly Chicago air however, it wouldn’t be anywhere near as magical.
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