In "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", Kate Hudson employs every dating faux pas in the eponymous self-help book in order to ditch her fella. Aside from dumping him outright, she could have used some more imaginative methods and sent him packing, cinema-style.

In the name of singledom, we rate some of cinema's most memorable ditching tactics (both good and bad) for your future reference:

Ditcher: Charles (Hugh Grant) in "Four Weddings and a Funeral"
Technique: Bumbling Charlie refuses his unsuspecting bride's hand in marriage at the alter, humiliating her in front of her friends and relatives. How romantic.
Worth a try? Undoubtedly successful, but could result in being knocked out by the dumpee's right hook. We'll give it 6 out of 10.

Ditcher: Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) in "Taxi Driver"
Technique: Sure, the cinema can make a great date venue, but not when Travis takes his prim-and-proper lady to his favourite porn venue. Dirty macs ahoy! She wasn't impressed.
Worth a try? Could spark a break-up, or an entirely new experimental phase in your relationship. Either way, it's worth a go. 7 out of 10.

Ditcher: Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz) in "Vanilla Sky"
Technique: Jealous of her lover David Aames' (Tom Cruise) feelings towards a pouty Spaniard (Penélope Cruz), leggy psychotic Julie takes him for a long drive off a short bridge, leaving him looking like the Elephant Man.
Worth a try? Don't even go there. A big fat zero out of 10.

Ditcher: Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) in "Casablanca"
Technique: After the time of her life in Paris with Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogard), Ilsa dumps him at the train station via a letter, afraid to tell him her deep, dark secret...
Worth a try? It certainly did the trick, although naughty Ilsa was actually committing adultery at the time. 8 out of 10.

Ditcher: Rick Blaine in "Casablanca"
Technique: His heart ripped in two with the reappearance of his old flame Ilsa, Rick falls straight back in love but does the noble thing and sends her off with her freedom-fighting hubbie.
Worth a try? Ouch, feel those hearts being crushed. Still, this is the most bittersweet break in Hollywood history, a definite, beautiful ten out of 10. They'll always have Paris, sniff...

"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" opens in UK cinemas on Friday 18th April 2003.