The film Fools Rush In (1997) and the film Love Story (1970) are very different in terms of genre, with the newer film being a romantic comedy while the earlier one is a drama. The two films do share a thematic background that includes a society in which social differences can be overcome by love. Underlying this belief is a view of the power of the American Dream which allows people to cross social barriers, something seen as much more difficult in other societies. The idea of the American Dream is presented in different terms, and the 1970 film shows the dream to be one attained again and again by new waves of immigrants from different regions as they climb the ladder and succeed on their own terms. The image of the American Dream in Love Story, however, is also rather simplistic, as is its view of the social structure. In part, this is because the world depicted is virtually completely white, so race is never an issue. Race is very much an issue in Fools Rush In, which shows a more balanced image of society. This also raises questions about the degree to which the American Dream can be attained by some.
Love Story tells about a meeting between two young people, one attending Harvard, the other Barnard, their courtship, their marriage, and her death from a mysterious disease. Underlying this story is a secondary one about the relationship each has with their father, with Oliver hating his father and all that the father represents, and with Jenny having a close, "best-friend" relationship with her father. The reason for the difference is apparently social class, as Oliver's family is extremely wealthy and has a pedigree back to the Mayflower, while Jenny's family consists of Italian immigrants among the working class. Oliver's family has had the American Dream since before it existed, while Jenny's family has been working to achieve it. By most standards, they already have achieved it, for the dau
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