Sheena asks:
Out of curiosity, are there romantic films that you would unhesitatingly recommend, besides Sense and Sensibility? Is that a post for another day? Two of my favourite films are The Scarlet Pimpernel (the Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews version) and Moulin Rouge.
We discussed this back in 2005 when I revealed in a multitude of ways how uncool I am in my love of movies and television shows. But I will say that for Hanukkah this past year, Hubby got me a set of the entire season of Cupid PLUS unaired episodes from some bootleg DVD vendor overseas. *le sigh* Jeremy Piven. What a lovely Hanukkah gift.
But it’s never a problem to come back to a topic – particularly almost two years later, when we have more readers with certainly more opinions – many many more opinions!
Another classic Cary Grant—Father Goose. “Goody-Two-Shoes and the Filthy Beast?”
Also, Roi de Coeur—King of Hearts with Alan Bates and a baby Genevieve Bujold. I know the HEA is everybody winds up in a loony bin, but Alan Bates in a kilt, what’s not to like.
I know,I know, Colin Firth was the definitive Darcy but there’s a lot to be said for Matthew Macfadyen.
So far I didn’t see mention of “A Walk in the Clouds.” It is so beautifully filmed. There are several generations; it’s about family; it ends HEA. I loved the music. The scene in the vineyard when they were wafting the butterfly wings to keep the plants from freezing is amazing. It is worth watching just for Anthony Quinn’s performance as the grandfather.
Kay
I hear ya on that Emdee, but when I thought about buying it I just couldn’t get past the Keira Knightley thing, its not like shes playing a minor character or anything, she is freaking Elizabeth Bennet! Really I require Johnny Depp in pirate regalia for that to happen.
Thanks for the input folks on A Very Long Engagement, I will watch it, but I think not save it for the VBD (very bad day). I’m about to watch Murphy’s Romance on my mother’s recommendation, after discussing this thread with her. She has a lifelong James Garner crush.
Most of my favorite romantic movies are kind of fucked-up. Most of them don’t have traditionally happy endings. They’re more good movies with central love stories than anything else—“central” defined as “if the love story element hadn’t been there, the movie would’ve been fundamentally damaged.”
So, here are the three I’ve already mentioned:
Harold and Maude
The Royal Tannenbaums
Say Anything
And in addition to those, I enjoyed:
When Harry Met Sally (about the only Nora Ephron movie that hasn’t made me gag)
But I’m a Cheerleader
Cyrano de Bergerac
Casablanca
Sabrina (the original version with Bogart and Hepburn)
Some Like it Hot (I suspect I love this largely because Jack Lemmon in drag is so totally wrong and so totally awesome)
While You Were Sleeping (I typically hate movies this cutesy…but Sandra Bullock’s Immense Powers of Cute + Bill Pullman’s acerbity overpowered me)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Rushmore
Buffalo 66
A Nightmare Before Christmas
Donnie Darko
Benny and Joon
Better off Dead (it’s not what you’d call a great movie, but I loveses it anyway)
Remains of the Day
A Room with a View (Julian Sands = RROWR)
Ladyhawke
The Princess Bride
Punch Drunk Love
Reality Bites (I am SUCH a sucker for Ethan Hawke, greasy hair and all)
A movie with a fantastic, skewed look at love is Being John Malkovich, though it’s by no means romantic in the traditional sense.
Does Memento count in this category? Not really, does it? Bah.
And for the extra special bonus round, here’s a list of movies I liked DESPITE the romance not quite working for me:
Breafkast at Tiffany’s
V for Vendetta
Old School (Luke Wilson! <3
<3)
Bottle Rocket
The Breakfast Club
On reading some of the comments up above more closely: Shit, if The Crow counts as a romance, then I’m totally adding Memento to my list of “favorite romantic movies.”
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Peter Pan (the live action version with Jason Issacs that came out a few years ago. Peter and Wendy have that whole first love/first heartbreak thing going on)
Sleeping Beauty
Shakespeare in Love
Romeo et Juliette (the DVD of the French stage musical. The music and singing are great, and Romeo is channeling Daniel Day-Lewis in Last of the Mohicans, complete with hair. Plus everyone in the cast sneers and struts like rock stars, and the sets and costumes are straight out of a vampire movie)
And of course, I second everyone who mentioned Last of the Mohicans, the BBC Pride and Prejudice, Roman Holiday, and the Princess Bride.
Shit, if The Crow counts as a romance, then I’m totally adding Memento to my list of “favorite romantic movies.”
They’d be on my list. Dark City would fall into that category, too. But it had a happier ending. I think. At least it did in the version of reality the aliens gave me that day.
Oh, man, sorry I’m spamming the comments, but I forgot to add Delicatessen and Amélie to the list (Mathieu Kassovitz is one of the hottest people, EVER). And Brazil, which is REALLY fucking dark if you see Gilliam’s original ending. And Ninja Scroll (anime) is pretty romantic as well.
The Shop Around the Corner (closely followed by the rest of Ernst Lubitsch’s – Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife, Trouble in Paradise- glad it’s already been mentioned)
The Apartment by Billy Wilder
A Matter of Life and Death and I Know Where I’m Going by Powell/Pressburger
Conte d’hiver by Eric Rohmer
Les Enfants du Paradis by Marcel Carne
Comrades: Almost a Love Story (Tian Mi Mi) by Peter Chan
and forgetting many more…
Late to the party but have to say anything with Irene Dunne, Jean Arthur, Rosalind Russell, Doris Day..and the list goes on. Oh, Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray in The Egg and I. 30’s and 40’s romances were great. Loved BBC’s North and South, Mae. Firth P&P okay, much preferred 80’s version. The recent BBC version of The Taming of the Shrew with Shirley Henderson and Rupert somebody (him out of Charles 11). Loved, loved, loved this.
Dude, am I the only one who really, really doesn’t like Last of the Mohicans? It bothers me in all sorts of ways, but especially in the way it moved the primary romantic focus from Uncas to Hawkeye/Natty Bumppo (which, by the way, has my vote for Least Romantic Hero Name In the History of Ever). It bothered me immensely. It’s an OK movie if I evaluate it separately from the book it’s supposedly based on, but in light of the book, the fact that they shifted the primary romance from white girl-brown dude and all the repercussions thereof to white girl-white dude pissed me off no end.
Oh, if only the Smart Bitches had a chatroom – we could all start the DVDs at the same time, and then watch them together virtually. Sunday Night Smart Bitch Theater, anyone?
Moonstruck! The Sure Thing! Casablanca! How could I have forgotten???
And has anyone mentioned Grosse Pointe Blank? I’m sorry, but even bloody and killing people, John Cusack is major hotness.
Can’t believe no one’s mentioned any of the Rogers-Astaire musicals. In “Swing Time” the “Never Gonna Dance” number nearly breaks my heart, when Ginger leaves Fred (temporarily) to run off with slimy George Metaxas. And “Carefree” when Fred falls for Ginger though she’s his best friend’s girl? I thought it was kind of romantic Fred couldn’t bring himself to punch her in the face even if it was for her own good.
I’ve got to mention “Gigi” too. Leslie Caron holds out for love and marriage. It’s got some great snarky lines too.
Anything with Colin Firth. Heck, I watched “Nanny McPhee” for that man.
(going16) yeah right
Oh, if only the Smart Bitches had a chatroom – we could all start the DVDs at the same time, and then watch them together virtually. Sunday Night Smart Bitch Theater, anyone?
OH MY GOD. It’d be the Smart Bitch version of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
And you know, if you we swap AIM screen names, we could probably make it happen—I’ve been in group chats before. A friend of mine hosts a group AIM chat for Battletar Galactica and another for House every week.
Hmmmmm.
Also, YES to Grosse Pointe Blank. I knew I was forgetting another awesome John Cusack movie in my list.
Anything with Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers.
I think all my others have been mentioned:
American President
While you were sleeping
Sliding Doors (and I agree, it’s not for Gwyneth)
Pride & Prejudice (the Firth version for preference)
Bridget Jones Diary. (I but not II)
Notting Hill for the scene at the press conference.
Love Actually for Colin Firth & Liam Neeson. (And Emma Thompson, though in a rather different way.)
And Sense & Sensibility for Alan Rickman acting all tortured outside Marianne’s bedroom. (Mind you, we’re then into any Harry Potter, just for the pleasure of watching Alan Rickman looking severe, and that’s probably wandering into the realms of erotica.)
Candy wrote:
OH MY GOD. It’d be the Smart Bitch version of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
And you know, if you we swap AIM screen names, we could probably make it happen—I’ve been in group chats before. A friend of mine hosts a group AIM chat for Battletar Galactica and another for House every week.
Hmmmmm.
OMG, that would so totally ROCK. Although, you can’t do it on Sunday, Monday or Thursday nights, because then I can’t make it, and the world does revolve around me. I tell you, it’s so much more convenient that way!
Some Like it Hot
“Nobody’s perfect.”
<-- Best final line EVER.
Better off Dead
“It’s a shame when people be throwin’ away a perfectly good white boy like that.”
Old School
Yes, that’s definitely a movie where I love everything *except* the romance. Especially every scene with Will Ferrell.
Speaking of which, will y’all kill me if I add Anchorman to my list? Because chauvinistic Ron Burgundy learning to respect female anchor Veronica Corningstone is *awesome*, and their animated love scene is hilarious (“Do me on that rainbow!”).
How about “Death Takes a Holiday,” the 30s version with Frederick March, who was unbelievably hot? Black and white, fluttery-looking filming, loved it.
“North By Northwest”? As a kid, I didn’t know what bad girls were but SO wanted to be one if Cary Grant would look at me the way he did Eva Marie Saint.
“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” with Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney.
Must second:
Casablanca
LOTM
Jane Eyre (pick one)
OH MY GOD. It’d be the Smart Bitch version of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
We could all sync up using the atomic clock at the Naval Observatory and start our DVD players simultaneously, for proper timing of snarkage.
I’d like to add 2 Coen Bros. films: Raising Arizona and O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Oh! and Monster’s Ball (not Coens, but thinking of The Man Who Wasn’t There (not romantic) made me think of Billy Bob Thornton).
A lot of people hate it, but I found Lost in Translation romantic.
I did forget all about Moonstruck. Oh, I could watch that over and over.
My favorite quote is:
Johnny – “In time you will see that this is the best thing. “
Loretta – “In time you’ll drop dead and I’ll come to your funeral in a red dress!”
One of my all time favorites that I watch whenever I catch it is The Cutting Edge. Its so campy and lovely all at the same time. The rest…
Love Actually
Notting Hill (I actually like the line of “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy…”. My DH thinks its almost as corny as in 4 Weddings, “Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed.”
When Harry Met Sally (I love the Carrie Fisher/ Bruno Kirby story the most)
and of course The Princess Bride
I sense a movie night coming soon.
verification: little21 I was little when I was 21. How’d you know?
The Scarlet Pimpernel: Leslie Howard/Merle Oberon for the best Percy/Marguerite, Anthony Andrews/Jane Seymore/Ian McKellen for starting the tradition of the love triangle, and for Ian McKellen being part of it.
Cyrano de Bergerac with Jose Ferrer. The definitive English translation, and a hot balding dude.
When Harry Met Sally, because for somebody who can’t imagine falling in love with somebody who *isn’t* a friend, it’s nice to see people in a movie not spontaneously fall in love when they bump into each other on the subway or something.
The Princess Bride
Chasing Amy, but my favorite part is really the “bromance.”
And Jeffrey, but I have to admitt I’m really more interested in Patrick Stewart/Bryan Batt than the two lead guys. Because Bryan Batt just generally rocks my world; I think he’s the only actor I’ve seen in enough plays that he has recognized me at the stage door (I think I’m his only fangirl), and Patrick Stewart is Patrick Stewart.
I just had to delurk for this:
Two for the road
(warning: a bit of adultery.)
Check it out.
Plee-ee-ee-ease.
Oh, yes, Grosse Pointe Blank PLEASE.
And Practical Magic. Can’t believe I forgot that one.
Oh Saaaraaaah….
“Loretta: You ruined my life!
Ronny: No, I didn’t.
Loretta: Oh, yes, you did! Oh, yes, you did! Y’know, you got them bad eyes, like a gypsy, and I don’t know why I didn’t see it yesterday. Bad luck! That’s what it is. Is that all I’m ever gonna have? I should have taken a rock and killed myself years ago!”
Sorry, long list.
1. Jane Eyre (Timothy Dalton verison, my favorite romance of all time)
2. Robin of Sherwood (british tv series with my life long crush Michael Praed, love the Robin/Marion romance)
3. Period Pieces: Pride & Prejudice (both Colin Firth & Greer Garson versions) Sense & Sensibility (Emma Thompson), Persuasion (Ciaran Hinds), BBC North & South, , Scarlet Pimpernel (Anthony Anderews)
5. Paranormal: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (surprisingly profound), Ladyhawke, Truly, Madly, Deeply
6. Popular: Romancing the Stone, Pretty Woman, Bed of Roses, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle
7. Miscellaneous: Undercover Blues (you gotta love a happy movie), Speed(actually a dang good romance), 1776 (I adore John & Abagail Adams), Regarding Henry (a really wonderful film), Titanic (even though I’ve hated Leo in everything he’s done after), Regarding Henry (a really wonderful film), Shining Through (agree with Amy)
8. Older movies: The Black Swan (Maureen O’Hara & Tyrone Power), The Valley of Decision (Gregory Peck & Greer Garson), Oklahoma (I never get tired of hearing Gordon MacRae sing, sigh), Mclintock (does anybody have better chemistry than John Wayne & Maureen O’Hara, I totally buy them as a couple), and The Long Hot Summer (Paul Newman sizzles in this movie)
9. TV: La Femme Nikita (talk about sexual tension and Roy Dupuis, another sigh), Gilmore Girls (Luke & Lorelai seasons 1-5) & General Hospital’s Luke & Laura (god, I love Tony Geary and I don’t care about the whole rape issue, it’s a soap opera not real life)
So many movies I totally forgot and so many I’ve never saw as romantic! 🙂
I Love Some Like it Hot for the comedy part much more than the romance part, but whichever way to look it is a great movie.
Another movie I love is an old French comedy Fanfan la Tulipe – it is romantic, funny, sparkly and altogether delightful. I checked – and there is an DVD with English track. Too good to be for gotten.
Oh god, how could I forget Murphy’s Romance and I have to add The Wedding Singer and second The Outsider & Night of the Comet with Timothy Dalton.
Oops, Timothy Daly not Dalton and that’s Year of the Comet (not night of)
I shouldn’t be allowed to make lists. Okay, one more post. Any other American Dreamer fans out there? I love that movie and Tom Conti is absolutely adorable in it. I also have to add Sex and City to the tv list. I’m decidedly in the Big with Carrie camp, but Adain did have his good points.
Phantom of the Opera, if it had been done as it ought and not completely raped by the man who put nipples on the Batsuit.
Dear Frankie is sweet.
The Fountain is just plain pretty.
C’era una volta has Loren and Sharif, mmmkay?
People keep telling me to see Dirty Dancing, but I can’t bring myself to due to having seen ten minutes of it once while in the company of a loathsome and gropy boy in high school. But I hear good things.
I am so glad to see that a lot of you mentioned Ladyhawke. That is my abso-fricking-lute favorite movie. I think it has everything, humor, beautiful scenery, good fighting scenes and a very hawt Rutger Hauer. What about that scene for a moment at sunrise where they can almost touch, but then can’t and Navarre lets out the howl. I even have the soundtrack-sigh.
While not a romance in the traditional sense, a movie that is unfailingly romantic for me every time I see it is 84 Charing Cross Road which is about the correspondence between a British bookshop clerk and a New York writer during WWII. The story was originally a book written by the writer in the story, Helene Hanff, and while it’s mostly a long distance friendship, the movie version with Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft is unbelievably wonderful.
Seeeelah:
Rose: How’s the mother?
Loretta: She’s dying. But I could still hear her big mouth.
I just thought of an awesome one, Crossing Delancey. The theme music just runs through my head for hours sometimes.
OMG SB Sarah. Jeffrey! I LOVE that movie. It’s Amelie. But with boys. Gay boys. In America. Other than that, totally Amelie.
And yes, yes, YES to the miniseries North & South. Pride & Prejudice in the Industrial Revolution. 99% of the people I’ve talked to about have said the hero’s better than Colin Firth as Darcy. BETTER THAN DARCY, FOLKS. Check for clips on Youtube – the actor’s name is Richard Armitage. I’m getting flushed just thinking about it.
Some new, some dittos:
Cinema Paradiso
– the original version, not the longer director’s cut, which filled out to no good purpose the adult love story
84 Charing Cross Road.
Loved the book, and the movie did it justice.
Truly Madly Deeply
with Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman, the ghost who needs a hot water bottle? Can’t believe it’s not been mentioned yet!
Last of the Mohicans
– that “I will find you” quote? Aaaaah.
Love Actually,
except it annoyed me that the nice girl with the ill brother got nuffin much apart from a speedy moment or two with a sweet boy, and others less deserving got a bunch more.
When Harry Met Sally – just wonderful dialogue, done well.
I’d agree about Shadowlands – that’s a hanky romance for sure
Some Kind of Wonderful,
which I first saw as a teenager and haven’t really shaken off since, cheese or no cheese, because Eric Stolz and Mary Stuart Masterson make it work (and the smartmouth little sister’s great comic relief).
Down With Love
– park preconceptions at the door and chuckle at the fun. It knew it was silly, and we knew it was silly, and that was part of the fun.
SeaChange
– TV series screened on the ABC in Australia, with Sigrid Thornton as a magistrate in a (quirky) beach town, who gets to enjoy episode after episode getting closer and closer to David Wenham’s Diver Dan, and THEN gets to do the same with William McInnes’ Max – romantic tension, great secondary characters. Not sure if it screened in the US or UK, but it won the ratings hands down in Oz primetime.
Gattaca
Life as a House
The English Patient
Chocolat
Save the Last Dance
Coming Home (Jon Voigt and Jane Fonda)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
The Sound of Music
Oklahoma (Hugh Jackman version – lovely stuff!)
Kate and Leopold
First Daughter
Ladyhawke
You’ve Got Mail
The Princess Bride
It’s a Wonderful Life
Wimbledon
P&P with Colin Firth
Sense and Sensibility (Emma/Kate version) (read somewhere that the BBC is doing this as a long TV version as per the Firth P&P, with the same scriptwriter).
Gladiator
The Horse Whisperer
Bull Durham
Field of Dreams
The Natural
Green Card
Dave
Cold Mountain
The Bridges of Madison County (film so much better than the book)
While you were sleeping
Speed
Thanks for everyone else’s lists – some good reminders there.
I was reading the list and there are so many good ones. Smart Bitches have good taste.
But there is a glaring omission, and finally, finally! Someone mentions The Nightmare Before Christmas! *sigh*
The Mummy has the hottest men in existence.
Four Weddings and a Funeral John Hannah is so great in this!
Some Like it Hot is a classic and my sisters and I can quote it word for word, sometimes we text each other for days at a time.
My campy favorite is Romancing the Stone
If only there was a complete list! I’d forgotten about all these wonderful films. And Sea Change – talk about extended sexual tension. And then she had another go with an equaly gorgeous bloke!
Speaking of John Cusack movies, my husband is telling me I must add Serendipity to this list. (I didn’t like it as much as he did, but I do agree it’s romantic.)
And Chicklet, that’s my favorite quote from Better Off Dead…I’m laughing right now just thinking about it.