an excessively-sentimental or emotional film, usually with suffering female protagonists, tragic circumstances, manipulative scenes, and dramatic musical scoring; aka melodramas or weepies; derogatively known as a 'woman's film' or 'chick flick'; contrast to feel-good film Examples: Dark Victory (1939), Now, Voyager (1942), Mildred Pierce (1945), Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948), Love Story (1970) (pictured), Beaches (1988), and Steel Magnolias (1989)