Stanley Cavell’s Pursuits of Happiness presents the genre of remarriage as a subgenre of romantic comedy starting around the 1930s. Even then, it has its precedents in Shakespearean structures of relationships (20). That being said, this subgenre has had multiple contemporary creations, and I firmly believe that The Simpsons Movie (2007) is a prime example.
This genre tended to focus around a married couple on the verge of breaking up that goes through a process of self-discovery and a certain philosophical or emotional awakening to reconcile (2). Homer and Marge Simpson had been canonically married for a number of years, and through the structure of a sitcom virtually experienced a potential divorce on a weekly basis. In a way, Cavell’s genre relies less on the romance than it does on these existential crises. In this regard, the Simpsons Movie strays from the norm: though the movie has a variety of subplots within their family, the romance and true capacity for love between Marge and Homer are what bring them back together.
Additionally, Cavell mentions the importance of female characters as independent and intellectually equal to men (17). Often in the series, Marge is not shown to have independent agency. Her sisters frequently urge her to leave Homer – which she does not do – which can lead viewers to believe she is helpless. Alternatively, Marge is shown in a variety of episodes to be an extremely independent and strong woman, whether that be intellectually as she masters different hobbies like painting, or becoming a weightlifter.
Marge’s emotional grasp on herself and the needs of her family are placed at the forefront of this moment in the movie. After Homer had put his family through torment getting them exiled from Springfield and losing their home, his refusal to return to Springfield is the straw that broke the camel’s back for Marge. To demonstrate to Homer the seriousness of her commitment to leaving him, she tapes over their wedding video. It is a symbolic disruption of their vows and commitment to one another, but also emphasizes Homer’s previous lack of critical thinking and analysis skills as he frequently misunderstood or refused to listen to Marge.
It is only upon fully witnessing and engaging with this audio-visual document that Homer realizes the intensity of this moment, and how badly he needs to fix his marriage. This begins Homer’s journey as the concept of redemption and subsequent recognition that Cavell discusses. Homer’s transformation, as such, aligns with Cavell’s idea of necessary self-growth to rebuild and, most importantly, redefine their relationship.
Stanley Cavell, Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage (Cambridge, MA:
Harvard, 1981), 1-8, 16-26, 30-34.