History LoveTriangle / Film

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' features this setup, with George pursuing Lorraine, and Lorraine pursuing Marty. But unbeknownst to George and Lorraine, Marty is actually their son from the future. It can also be considered a LoveDodecahedron if you count Biff's VillainousCrush on Lorraine, and the fact that Marty has Jennifer back in his own time.

* ''Film/BullDurham'': {{Reconstructed}}. Annie's practice is to pick one member of the Durham Bulls to be her lover every baseball season, and she decides that this year it's between [[InSeriesNickname Nuke and Crash]]. Crash, however, balks, declaring that at his age[[note]]He's at the realistic end of his career as a baseball player and is suggested to be in his forties or so, though Creator/KevinCostner was only 33 when the film came out.[[/note]] he doesn't "try out" for things anymore, leaving Nuke with Annie by default for the majority of the film. However, Crash is still attracted to Annie, and Annie eventually realizes that her attitude drove away the man actually worth keeping. [[spoiler:The film ends with Nuke leaving for the major leagues, and Crash starting a relationship with Annie and planning to move to coaching.]]

* ''Film/FarewellMyQueen'': The Queen loves Gabrielle de Polignac, but she doesn't appear to [[ObliviousToLove even notice]]. Sidonie Laborde, meanwhile, is attracted to both but seems to love the Queen, who's also seems unaware of this.

* ''Film/TheIncredibleMrLimpet'' has two mild examples: a [[TriangRelations Type 8]] between Henry, Bessie, and George; and a [[TriangRelations Type 7]] between Bessie, Henry, and Ladyfish. Both are resolved by the end of the film.

* In Film/{{Tron}} between main character Flynn, ex-girlfriend Lora and her current boyfriend Alan, writer of the eponymous program. This carries over into the computer world with Alan and Lora's program expies, Tron and Yori (with whom Flynn shares a LastKiss).

* This is the premise of Creator/FrancoisTruffaut's ''Film/JulesAndJim''. They wound up going the {{Polyamory}} route.

* ''Film/BendItLikeBeckham'': Jules adores Joe who only has eyes for Jess. More triangular in that multiple supporting characters mistake Jess and the boyish Jules for a couple.

* ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' is a classic, with Victor loving Ilsa who still loves Rick but whose duty lies with Victor...

* Between Manolo, Maria and Joaquin in ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife''. Manolo and Joaquin are both in love with Maria, but she only is in love with Manolo.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': ''Film/ANewHope'' sets up a minor rivalry between Han Solo and Luke Skywalker over Princess Leia, which ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' follows up on: Han and Leia's relationship goes full on into BelligerentSexualTension, with Leia at one point kissing Luke on the mouth in front of Han to piss him off, but then she and Han make an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove to each other [[spoiler:before Han is turned into a HumanPopsicle]]. Upended by ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' with the {{retcon}} that [[spoiler:[[SurpriseIncest Luke and Leia are fraternal twins]] who were SeparatedAtBirth]], which was not originally planned by the filmmakers.

Examples of {{Love Triangle}}s in films.

Examples of {{Love Triangles}} in {{Live Action Film}}s.

[[LoveTriangle Click here to return to the original page]]

* ''[[Film/{{Gojira}} Godzilla (1954)]]'' is a ''very tragic'' one-sided example of this. You have the three characters Emiko Yamane, Hideo Ogata, and Daisuke Serizawa. Emiko and Ogata were already together when the film starts, but Serizawa knew about their relationship. In contrast, Serizawa revealed his horrible secret while Emiko's affair was hidden from her father's eyes. Then Godzilla came and destroyed Tokyo twice over, to the point Emiko felt she had no choice but to reveal his secret weapon: The Oxygen Destroyer. Another character contrast is also revealed: Ogata wanted to use the Destroyer to kill Godzilla, but Serizawa does not. After a scuffle, Serizawa knew the weight of Japan's fate is on his shoulders, and voluntarily uses it. How does it end? He [[HeroicSacrifice gave up his own life so they can be together]]. But if ''Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah'' is anything to go by, they didn't get married after 1954.
* A rather strange, and even squick-worthy one to some in ''Film/TheConstantNymph'', between Lewis (adult), Florence (adult), and Tessa (14 years old).
* In this nasty little noir, ''Film/TheStrangeLoveOfMarthaIvers'', there's two: between Sam, Martha, and Walter & between Sam, Martha, and Toni.

* In ''Film/LastVegas'', Billy and Paddy both loved Sophie. She ended up marrying Paddy after [[spoiler:initially choosing Billy, who told her that she belonged with Paddy.]] A year after her death, when the movie takes place, Billy and Paddy again end up falling for the same woman, [[spoiler:and again, Billy tries to be selfless, but this time, Paddy won't let him and insists that Billy pursue his own happiness.]]
* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' turns this into more of a Love Pyramid, with [[TheHero Will]] and [[RomanticRunnerUp Norrington]] in love with [[ActionGirl Elizabeth]], and [[HandsomeLech Jack]] attracted to Elizabeth. Elizabeth loves Will and is also attracted to Jack. HilarityEnsues many times over.
* ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory'', as well as many other classic screwball comedies.
* In the FilmNoir, ''Film/{{Road House|1948}}'', Jefty is in love with Lily while she’s in love with Pete. Jefty, however, won't take this lying down.

* ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' is a classic, with Victor loving Ilsa who still loves Rick but whose duty lies with Victor...

* The Chinese film Painted Skin is just one big love triangle pileup. With certain supernatural elements. But no, it's mostly a bunch of love triangles (pick a main character, any main character).
* ''Film/AnchorsAweigh'' had the triangle between Clarence, Susan, and Joe. [[spoiler:Clarence eventually finds another girl, and Joe and Susan end up together.]]
* ''Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'': Johanna is loved by Anthony Hope and Judge Turpin (though the latter is more lust than anything else). Will she chose the beautiful young man who might help her break free - or the creepy old man who has the power to hurt her if she defies him? Simple, she chooses the sailor willing to help her. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome After all, why would she marry some creepy old man that treated her like a prisoner and was her guardian since infancy?]]

* While this was averted for the most part in [[{{Film/Thor}} the first movie]] (although it implied that [[ShipTease Sif was interested in Thor]]), it was advised that there would be a love triangle between Thor, Sif, and Jane in ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. But Thor still clearly loves Jane, and while Sif tried to show her affections for Thor, he remains [[ObliviousToLove oblivious to her]]. [[ShipperOnDeck Odin]] wants Thor and Sif together, like in the comics. The only real moment is when Sif passes Jane and glares at her, to which Jane glares a little back.

* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' movies play up the barely-even-there-at-all love triangle from the books into a much bigger thing, presumably to cash in on the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' fad. The first movie isn't so bad but [[Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire the second]] manages to make it seem like Katniss is in a relationship with the guy she never has romantic feelings for in the book, while her relationship with the other boy is very downplayed. Suzanne Collins, who wrote the books, has stated that she didn't plan a love triangle of any kind but her publisher insisted that she add one.
* In ''Film/TwoForTheRoad'', there's a minor one, before Mark and Joanna get together, and a major one later, almost leading to divorce.
* ''Film/PrimeCut'': Lee Marvin's character has two love interests, a teenage prostitute and the middle aged wife of the BigBad.
* ''Film/IShotJesseJames'': Both Robert Ford and John Kelley have feelings toward Cynthy Waters, and work toward earning her affection. Bob's reputation as the killer of UsefulNotes/JesseJames makes the triangle even more intense. In the end, she chooses to [[spoiler: stay with John]].
* ''Film/{{Filibus}}'': Leo is in love with Leonora, who is in love with the Count de Brive. When the Count turns out to be Filibus, they decide the natural course of action is for Leo and Leonora to get engaged.
* ''Film/CanyonPassage'' has two overlapping love triangles. Lucy Overmire is engaged to George Camrose, whose best friend is Logan Stuart. As a result of spending a prolonged length of time in each other's company, Lucy and Logan develop feeling for each other, but neither will act for fear of hurting George. Meanwhile, Logan is engaged to Caroline Marsh. Vane Blazier is in love with Caroline and, noting Logan's interest in Lucy, warns him not to do anything that would hurt Caroline. Ultimately everything is resolved when [[spoiler:George commits murder and goes on the run before being shot by the posse chasing him. Caroline realises that she doesn't share Logan's ambitions, and releases him from him promise so he can leave to pursue his dream. Logan and Lucy ride off together to rebuild Logan's fortune, and Vane proposes to Caroline, with the two of them planning to settle down and start a farm]].
* ''Film/DeadOfNight'': In "The Golfing Story", Potter and Parratt are both in love with Mary, who loves each of them equally. They eventually agree to break the deadlock by playing a round of golf: the winner to receive Mary's hand in marriage. Mary enthusiastically agrees to this proposal.
* ''Film/PlanB'' has a love triangle between Laura, her ex-boyfriend Bruno, and her new boyfriend Pablo that starts out simple enough with Bruno wanting to get back together with Laura who's willing to spend some nights with him but refuses to dump Pablo for him. But then things get a lot more complicated when Bruno starts suspecting that Pablo -- who doesn't know that he's Laura's ex or that Laura is cheating on him with Bruno -- [[AmbiguouslyBi may be attracted to him]] and decides that the best way to encourage him to dump Laura is to [[FauxYay seduce him away from her]]. Long story short, [[spoiler:Bruno and Pablo [[PairTheSuitors end up together]] after Bruno realizes that he [[RomanticFakeRealTurn fell in love with Pablo for real]], and Laura is left in the lurch]].
* ''Film/ElectricDreams'' goes the [[TheEighties very 80's]] route with a love triangle that involves [[InstantAIJustAddWater a sentient home computer]].
* In ''Film/TheManFromColorado'', Owen and Del are both in love with Caroline. When they return from the war, she has to decide which of them she is going to marry. She chooses Owen, but it is obvious that she still has feelings for Del.
* In ''Film/BlackPatch'', Hank Danner's wife Helen used to be in love with Clay Morgan. When Hank is shot InTheBack trying to escape from Clay's jail, Helen suspects Clay may have done it to MurderTheHypotenuse.
* ''{{Film/Sam}}'': Samantha/Doc/Cynthia. This is revolved by Doc dumping Cynthia (his girlfriend) who didn't treat him well, and ending up with Samantha.
* In ''Film/TheFly1986'', journalist Veronica falls in love with reclusive scientist Seth, much to the dismay of her editor and ex-lover Stathis. When Stathis attempts to force her into a CareerVersusMan decision, PoorCommunicationKills leads to Seth believing she's cuckolding him...and drunkenly deciding to use his teleporter on himself, unaware that there's a fly in the transmitter pod with him. He proceeds to undergo a SlowTransformation into a HalfHumanHybrid, and Stathis unexpectedly becomes TheConfidant to Veronica as she struggles with Seth's decay ''and'' the realization that she's pregnant with a probably-mutant child. In the end, [[spoiler: Stathis saves Veronica from the crazed Seth's attempt to force Romantic Fusion upon her, and she ends up having to slay Seth by his request in the aftermath. This event ends the film; the sequel establishes that the survivors do not end up together]].
* In ''Film/ShallowHal'': Hal is initially interested in his neighbor Jill, but she rejects him for finding him shallow. So he falls in love with Rosemary, and that's where Jill falls in love with Hal. She tries to win him over when Hal and Rosemary's romance has problems.
* Writer/Director Ron Shelton is fond of this trope:
** In ''Under Fire'', while Alex and Claire have gotten divorced early in the movie (she thinks they're BetterAsFriends), he still has feelings for her, but she develops feelings for Russell, a colleague of theirs (they're all journalists).
** ''Film/BullDurham'': Annie, who sleeps with and mentors one ball player per season, gets involved with Nuke, even though Crash - who is also mentoring Nuke, as it turns out - is in love with her. Over the course of the movie, we see Annie also is in love with Crash.
** ''Film/TinCup'': Roy, a golfer, is in love with Molly, a psychologist, but she's involved with his hated rival, David, and Roy spends most of the movie trying to win her over.
* ''Film/TombstoneRashomon'': During his interview, Johnny Behan makes the SuspiciouslySpecificDenial that he and Wyatt Earp were not rivals for the affections of an actress from San Franciso (i.e. Joesephine Earp née Marcus); adding that she had only lived in his house because she was acting as governess to his son.
* ''Film/{{Eternals}}'':
** Sersi (A) is in a Type 7 with Dane (B) and Ikaris (C), who are both in love with her. Ikaris is her ex-lover, whom she even married centuries in the past, but after he left and didn't return for over a century, she moved on from him and got together with Dane instead. She does sincerely love Dane, but after Ikaris returns, it's clear she still has lingering, unresolved feelings for him, too. This is resolved by the end [[spoiler:when Ikaris, after betraying both sides and feeling wracked with guilt because of it, commits suicide, and Sersi and Dane are still together.]]
** In a Type 4, Sprite (A) has unrequited love for Ikaris (B), who has had a romance going on with Sersi (C) for millennia; even in the present day, when they've broken up and Sersi has a different boyfriend, the two still have UnresolvedSexualTension, while Ikaris clearly isn't interested in Sprite that way at all (if he's even aware of her feelings). [[spoiler:This seems to be one of the reasons Sprite resents Sersi and pulls a FaceHeelTurn.]]
* ''Film/Charly2002'': The film begins with Charly almost engaged to her boyfriend, Mark. While on an extended trip to Utah she meets Sam. She then has to choose between them.
* ''{{Film/IQ|1994}}'': Catherine is engaged to James, a psychology professor. But she develops romantic feelings for Ed, the neighborhood mechanic.
* ''Film/IndiaSweetsAndSpices'': Everyone perceives Alia and Rahul as basically engaged, though she just sees him as her friend. After she begins to date Varun however, it gets between them as Varun's intimidated by this. He breaks up with her partly over it. [[spoiler:The ending doesn't have her with Varun, but it implies they may get together again.]]
* ''Film/ThePromise2016'' is about a love triangle that develops between Mikael, an Armenian medical student, Ana, a French-Armenian woman, and her boyfriend Chris, an American journalist, something that's complicated by the impending arrival of the Armenian genocide and fall of the Ottoman Empire. [[spoiler:Neither of them end up getting together with Ana as she tragically dies before she can escape Turkish oppression.]]
* The first trap in ''Film/Saw3D'' is actually ''called'' "the Lover's Triangle". Two men (Brad and Ryan) are placed on opposite sides of a triangular circular saw, with the woman they're both involved with (Dina) suspended above it. To win, one of the men has to kill the other by shoving the saw all the way over to their side; if neither does before the time limit expires, Dina will be dropped on the saw and killed. Initially, the men duke it out... but then Dina makes a fatal mistake by cheering on whichever man seems to be winning. Brad and Ryan realize that she doesn't actually give a damn about ''either'' of them (else she would only have cheered on the one she preferred), and the two mutually lock the saw upright so it kills her.
* At the beginning of ''Film/TheManFromLaramie'', Barbara is engaged to Vic and begs him to run away with her. But as time passes she is increasingly drawn to Will.
** Though it's somewhat [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] since Vic never actually even seems to suspect that Barbara is attracted to Will and the matter never becomes a point of contention between the three of them. By the end, Vic's dead and Will leaves Barbara behind ([[MaybeEverAfter though with a vague invite to maybe look him up one day]]).
* ''Film/SomebodyIUsedToKnow'': Ally returns home and reconnects to her ex-boyfriend Sean, but learns he's engaged to Cassidy. She's convinced he still has feelings for her though, and wants Sean back. [[spoiler:Ally eventually realizes that this is wrong, and Sean marries Cassidy with them being happy together.]]

* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' turns this into more of a Love Pyramid, with [[TheHero Will]] and [[RomanticRunnerUp Norrington]] in love with [[TheChick Elizabeth]], and [[HandsomeLech Jack]] attracted to Elizabeth. Elizabeth loves Will and is also attracted to Jack. HilarityEnsues many times over.

* The premise of ''Film/TheOtherWoman2014'', where not one, not two, but ''three'' love triangles [[spoiler:and a possible fourth]] take place. CorruptCorporateExecutive Mark King cheats on his wife, Kate with two other women: lawyer Carly Whitten and swimsuit model Amber. The three women then join forces to expose his womanizing ways [[spoiler:as well as his schemes to defraud his company and [[FrameUp frame Kate]] for it]].