7 Things: Subtext Couples – #3

Clare & Sophia (School for Seduction)

The only movie couple to make my top seven subtext list made it this high on the list for a reason. The fact that a movie made the list at all is pretty amazing, because TV shows have hours upon hours to create subtext relationships. The majority of movies have less than two. So, if an hour and forty-five minute flicker ranks above a TV show with four-ish seasons of subtext opportunity, you know it has to be pretty damn subtexty.

And it is. School for Seduction earns its number three position. In fact, the entire movie is so slashy, it’s like fan fic in popular media-form. So slashy, in fact, that the scene where Clare tells Sophia that it’s been a long time since she felt like she connected with someone like she does with Sophia had to be left off the list.

How It Started

It all begins when Sophia rents event space at the hotel where Clare works. Though, prior to that, they actually pass on the train platform – a missed connection that perfectly foreshadows their impending femslash romance.

And now, here are my top seven Clare & Sophia subtext moments – counting down in chronological order from the first to the last, because each one really does build on the one before, so they kind of require a proper timeline. And as always —> (MAJOR SPOILERS – in fact, in this one, I kinda spoil the entire movie):

7 – The Fire

Clare shows Sophia the room. They have a conversation. The conversation takes a turn toward the intimate.

6 – Not Married

Clare and Sophia are left alone in a room. They have a conversation. The conversation takes a turn toward the intimate. Sophia tells Clare she’s not married.

5 – Coffee Date

Clare and Sophia run into each other. They go for a coffee date. They have a conversation. The conversation… you get the point.

4 – Noticing Clare

An in-class lesson gets Sophia’s attention.

3 – The Downfall

Sophia is outed as a fraud-Italian! And a married fraud-Italian at that! And she gets verbally-pummeled by a student in her class. But she obviously only cares what Clare is thinking. Plus, Clare actually utters the words, “You told me you weren’t married.”

2 – Italiano

It’s revealed that Clare has been learning Italian, which she believed to be Sophia’s native language. In one of my favorite scenes ever in a movie, she uses her new skill to tell her husband off to his face.

The question is, WHY was Clare learning Italian?

1 – The Rescue

Sophia is about to return to Italy with her cruddy husband, because she feels like no one wants her around. Several members of her class come to her rescue, but, despite everything the others are saying, she looks to Clare and is clearly disheartened when Clare doesn’t come rushing to her rescue. Then, Clare does.

The Order

If I were going to put these scenes into order of subtexty goodness, they would probably go like this –

7 – The Rescue
6 – Noticing Clare
5 – Not Married
4 – Coffee Date
3 – Italiano
2 – The Fire
1 – The Downfall

And here’s visual proof that I couldn’t make this amount of subtext up (once again, superior quality resides at YouTube) –