Never has a subject been more emotive than when I ran a small survey to find out which were our favorite top 10 romantic movies of all time. First of all there is the problem of defining what constitutes 'romantic'. Then there is the era and age of the movie. Then there is the notion of what counts as a movie. In other words can a made-for-TV program count. Finally, after pulling my hair out with the stress of it all, I whittled the answers down to a final ten. You may not agree, you may send me your own lists and you may threaten me with violence but the point is, there is no definitive list. We all have our own top 10 romantic movies based on what we have viewed over the years. And that is it. Here are our the results of our top 10 romantic moves survey in no particular order.
Love Story (1970)
The music helps I have to say has an amazing impact once again on recent viewing but that's not the whole story by far. One of the best and most popular and enduring love stories on celluloid you can find. Ali McGraw and Ryan O'Neal star in a film that will have you reaching for the tissue box without doubt. Its funny how often romance is linked with sadness but I am not getting into that here. We have everything that a tearjerker can throw at you- rich boy, poor girl, opposing father, success, disaster, fatal illness etc. Superbly filmed and an emotional rollercoaster. Fabulous and a must-see, just watch it on your own though of you are prone to tears.
Titanic (1997)
Would you like someone to die for you, or want to die for someone? In tragedy we often find the barest soul of romance and so it is with this movie. The romance is not so much in the characters but in the fact that it is so intense and so brief and so unfairly taken away within a setting of huge drama. Self sacrifice may be the romantic ideal being portrayed here but there are few us of who watched this without a tear. At 3 hours, we are overtaken by every emotion and for days afterwards the movie leaves a haunting impact. But it is the drama of the two lovers that affected the worlds audiences the most. Superb.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
I cannot believe this is only ten years ago. To me it feels like a film from folklore, certainly in terms of perfect romantic movies. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks may be too sweet a pairing for some but in terms of romantic fantasy land this is about as close to heaven as one can get. Beautifully scripted and filmed and pulling on our heart strings with required, it is the perfect vehicle for the starts of the show to illustrate why they are both romantic stars. Meeting on top of the Empire State building - well who wouldn't! There are some reviews on the web that try and analyze this movie as if it was Ben Hur, lets not bother. Instead grab your pop corn and settle in with your sweetheart.
Pretty Woman (1990)
When asked, it came back in almost every top 10 I was given. Maybe it was the dream pairing of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, maybe it was the story of a girl finally made good. Maybe it was simply about boy choosing girl just when you think he might not. Whatever aspect you wish to focus on, this is top class romantic entertainment that over the years has not aged one bit. Critics should take note of the people's view as there were some unkind reports on this movie. Clearly these guys have no heart. Rent and watch and remind yourself how on screen romance should look. Yes it may be a re make of Pygmalion but quite frankly, who cares.
City of Angels (1998)
My personal favorite and one that is hugely successful in terms of presenting the answer to the complex romantic equation of romance, love and mortality. Meg Ryan again and based partly on the classic earlier film Wim Wenders' movie, Wings of Desire, City of Angels is beautifully filmed and acted, Meg being particularly on form. Nicholas Cage as the angel Seth finds himself at odds with the world by falling in love with Meg who looks almost as angelic as Nick throughout. Ultimately Seth's fall from grace to be with the woman he loves tugs at the heart but nothing on earth can prepare you for romantic dram of the final moments. From the opening heart breaking scene, to the angels portrayed as beings of light , aloof in high places, this movie appeals on every level Glorious and gorgeous in every way with a music score to match.
Casablanca (1942)
This classic and adored timeless classic is really a romantic melodrama. Often quoted ("here's lookin' at you, kid" and the always misquoted "play it again Sam"), it has lost none of its romantic value in the last 61 years. Against a wartime backdrop we are presented as viewers with a classic love triangle where two men vie of the affections of the same woman. Humphrey Bogart in splendid form as the exiled loner and the film its self attends to the theme of lost love. The ending is a romantic classic. If it is Sunday evening and raining outside this is the one for you (both).
An Affair to Remember (1957)
One of my favorites, the essential romantic storyline is that Cary Grant, an eligible bachelor is set to marry an heiress. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your viewpoint he meets Deborah Kerr whilst traveling alone on a luxury yacht and realizes he's engaged to the wrong woman. Just to complicate matters, she is engaged to the wrong man. In the end they agree to spend six months apart and if they still love each other they will reunite six months later at the top of the Empire State Building. Of course the threat of tragedy strikes. Even today elements of this storyline find their way into modern romantic productions. I have to mention one of the top cinematic romantic moments when Cary Grant walks into Deborah Kerr's room and sees the painting she had bought but which he had painted. A great romantic treat.
The Way we Were (1973)
I have always been a great fan of Robert Redford and it is easy today for the younger generation to forget not only his but Barbara Streisand 's formidable talents. Here we have two young lovers with differing political ideologies who come together, one the conservative , the other a radical. Its an odd thing but there are aspects to the American cinema of the early 1970's that have never been emulated (see The Last Picture Show for example) anywhere else and this embodies many sensitive romantic ideals that are rarely portrayed today. Miss Streisand won a deserved Oscar for her portrayal of the woman in love and the music will make your spine tingle. Lovely.
Dr Zhivago (1965)
The year I was born was 1965 but Omar Sharif still looks better today than I ever have. The music is mesmerizing, the, film work unbelievable and epic and the love story, simply stunning. Recently re-released in special edition DVD format, this is one for a weekend in and perfect for lovers of romantic movies everywhere. Julie Christie still look as gorgeous as ever and the perfect romantic heroine for this film. Set against the backdrop of the Russian revolution, Sharif and Christie portray two lovers who are separated and brought together again by war and fate. Once again it is a movie that combines romance and tragedy as the two appear to be intertwined but for a treat of cinematic vistas and passion this is a must see.
Brief Encounter (1946)
Celia and Johnson and Trevor Howard star in this romantic classic. A housewife by chance meets a married Doctor at a railway station. What transpires is a cinematic masterpiece of inspired passion and unrequited love between an English middle-class man and woman. Even the title has moved into general romantic speak. If you haven't seen it then put it at the top of the pile because you cannot be classed as educated in the art of romance until you have. My own note is that I was told it was filmed at Carnforth railway station at the edge of the English Lake District.
Oh and we now want to add the fantastic John Cusack movie, High Fidelity - just because !
Happy romantic viewing!
