While such relationships CAN work, she was 20 and he was 37. Probably my own prejudices at work, but that seems like a bit of an age span, but perhaps not for that period in history.
Thoughts ?
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Also, this was 70 years ago and it was the UK.
In Europe, there is more of a tradition of young women and middle-aged dudes.
In USA now, usually only a very creepy or very rich 37 year old would hook up with a 20 year old. But customs were different in Europe, especially at that time.
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In USA now, usually only a very creepy or very rich 37 year old would hook up with a 20 year old. But customs were different in Europe, especially at that time.
They seemed committed to each other and to care about and understand each other, so their relationship would likely work out. Relationships where there is a bit of an age span usually does not work out because the older one does not understand how the younger one will act or be able to deal with it. And it is the same with the younger one towards the older person. Both must understand each other and be committed to them and what their age brings to the relationship.
"Do All Things For God's Glory"-1 Corinthians 10:31
I try doing this with my posts
There's a reason why May/December relationships often work out.
My widowed dad fell in love with a woman ten years younger than me.
It seemed creepy when they first met, but I've never seen him that happy, not even with my mom, with whom he shared 50 years of marriage and six kids. This other woman had a history of unhappy, abusive relationships and my dad knew how to treat a woman like a queen, something no one else had ever done for her.
She was also a nurse who took fantastic care of him, allowing him to die as he'd want to - in his own home in his own bed. Without her, we would've had to put him in a home and he would've been miserable. He died at 85; she was 56 at the time. Now granted, she's been miserable since he left, but she'll always be happy for the six years they had together - she calls them the best six years of her life.
So if they truly loved and understood each other, I think Rick and Stella could've had a very happy life together - just like Pamela and the doctor.
It's your own parochial, puritanical prejudices at work since you've been socialized, propagandized, and brainwashed by an American upbringing. Our immensely more sophisticated British cousins, as well as the rest of European society, would not think twice about it. In other words, it is perfectly normal. A young woman can be very happy with an older man and most older men, if they were to actually be honest, prefer a younger if not even much younger woman. Let's face it, young women are more physically attractive. Nobody knows that better than an aging woman desperate to appear younger than her years.
shareThis reaction is relatively new in the US. It used to be that a man was expected to work and establish himself before he wed. Which resulted in the husband often considerably older than the wife.
My paternal grandfather was 13 years older than my paternal grandmother. My maternal grandfather was 12 years older than my maternal grandmother. These age differences were median in the day.
When the movie was filmed in the spring of 1943, Russell was 18 and Milland was 36, a difference of 18 years. Such an age difference may not appeal to you, but there is nothing illegal or immoral about it. It's entirely up the the two people who are involved in the relationship, and nobody else's business.
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