I’ve never been big on romance stories, not just because I’m a guy, but because the plot lines and resolutions are fairly limited (Couple lives happily ever after, couple breaks up, one partner dies in tragedy, etc.). But there are some stories which have been classified as “romance” with a backdrop which carries enough interest to dilute the more predictable plot line.
1. Gone with the Wind
2. West Side Story
3. The Way We Were
4. Reds
5. Bull Durham
6. Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (Taiwanese)
7. Harold and Maude
8. Bonnie and Clyde
9. Romeo and Juliette (the one with Michael York as Tybalt)
10. Wings of Desire (German)
Okay, this list has changed dramatically in the 5 minutes I took to type it up. I guess the question to be answered is, “what is a romance?” Is Kiss of the Spiderwoman a romance? Is Bonnie and Clyde? Obviously most movies involve some sort of love interest, but I assume that we agree that the romance – the coupling, or the frustration of potential coupling, must be at the core of the plot.
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November 2, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Ross Rowley
Walt Disney’s “Lady & The Tramp”
November 2, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Eric Kirk
You know, I never actually saw that one Ross. I’ve seen pretty much all of the other Disney animateds except Dumbo. Missed that one.
November 2, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Anonymous
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman was great.
November 2, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Eric Kirk
The first 20 minutes of Eat Drink Man Woman consists of the cooking of an incredible meal. I saw the movie in a theater while visiting Chicago, and had no idea where to go for good Chinese food!
Ang Lee is a brilliant film maker. I also loved The Wedding Banquet.
November 2, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Mitch
Is it a romance? Maybe that would be a reach. But Babette’s Feast is magnificent, and if Eat Drink Man Woman makes the list, I don’t feel bad nominating Babette’s Feast.
November 2, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Eric Kirk
I consider Babette’s Feast among religious movies, but romance? It was a factor with a couple of characters, but I don’t think the romance plot lines were prominent enough to qualify the film as a “romance.”
Of course, they were the top two in my list of best food movies.
http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/top-10-movies-in-which-food-figures-prominently/
November 2, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Mitch
Casablanca?
November 2, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Mitch
The English Patient?
November 2, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Eric Kirk
Casablanca I can’t believe I left off the list!
Never saw the English Patient.
November 2, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Mitch
It’s a must-see, Eric. I cried (blush).
November 2, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Bolithio
Im shocked that the Princess Bride is not on this list, the best romance ever.
November 2, 2011 at 5:28 pm
Sally
I enjoyed “Like Water For Chocolate”, but that might fall into the category of a non-guy movie.
November 2, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Sally
However, from the movies listed by Eric, and those who have commented, I must agree with Gone With The Wind, Casablanca, and Lady and the Tramp!
November 2, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Ben Schill
Wings of Desire is the greatest movie ever made…
November 2, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Jack Durham
“Out of Africa” and “The Remains of the Day.”
November 2, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Barb
I watched Gone With Yhe Wind not long ago, and I have to say there are some mighty long, BAD stretches amongst the memorable scenes.
Lady and the Tramp, on the other hand, is a gem from start to finish.
November 2, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Jack Durham
“The Mighty Aphrodite,” “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan.”
November 2, 2011 at 7:23 pm
ED Denson
Pride and Prejudice, especially the Keira Knightly version. (PS I would avoid the 1940 version that Aldous Huxley helped create the screenplay of.) The BBC 5 hour version is good, but only in restored color.
November 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Kathy E.
The Laurence Olivier version of Wuthering Heights. Doctor Zhivago. And I too am fond of the Princess Bride.
November 2, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Ernie's Place
Does “Body Heat” count?
November 2, 2011 at 11:18 pm
ronnyg
yeah
Body Heat
Tender Mercy’s
Swept Away
November 3, 2011 at 7:10 am
Erasmus
I am not alone in considering “Children of Paradise” (French,made in 1945) one of the two or three greatest films ever made. It’s occasionally referred to as “France’s ‘Gone With the Wind,’ and I won’t disagree except to remark that it’s as superior to ‘Gone…’ as Proust is superior to Hemingway. === Saw ‘Wings of Desire’ recently: the most over-rated movie I can think of. Chacun a son gout.
November 3, 2011 at 7:25 am
Dave Kirby
“The Year of Living Dangerously.”
November 3, 2011 at 9:28 am
Eric Kirk
Ernie – was that the one with William Hurt and Kathleen Turner? I don’t know if it qualifies as a romance noire or something like that, but it’s one of the best movies of the 1980s. Kathleen Turner was simultaneously incredibly sexy and creepy at the same time, especially when you see it a second time around and know what’s happening.
Mitch – I will probably watch English Patient someday, but I’m a little jaded by the Seinfeld episode about it.
Annie Hall is one of the best movie’s ever, and should have been on my list. The Year of Living Dangerously as well.
November 3, 2011 at 9:29 am
Eric Kirk
Wings of Desire is the greatest movie ever made…
Yeah, much better than the Meg Ryan American version.
November 3, 2011 at 10:43 am
jackdurham
I love “The Year of Living Dangerously.” BTW, that’s a case in which the movie is better than the book.
November 3, 2011 at 11:27 am
R. D. Finch
Some wonderful movies have been named here, but what’s wrong with a great romantic movie without a “significant” background? Romance movies are above all about personal relationships, not historical events or metaphysics. In concentrating on romantic movies with serious themes or at least overtones, you overlook the richest treasure trove of romantic movies ever–the great American screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. Has there ever been a more enjoyable romantic movie than “Bringing Up Baby”? Or “The Awful Truth” or “The Palm Beach Story”? Or if you must have social significance, “My Man Godfrey”? And romance is the basis of musical movies, even if aside from the Warner Bros. musicals of the early thirties like “Gold Diggers of 1933″ they don’t tend to deal with social issues like “West Side Story.” Escapism has its place too.
Eric, I have been writing a specialist blog on classic film for a little more than three years. As a longtime Southern Humboldt resident, I wonder if you would consider providing a link in the sidebar as a Sohum Blog:
http://www.themovieprojector.blogspot.com
November 3, 2011 at 11:30 am
R. D. Finch
Eric, I just left a comment and realized that I have actually been writing my blog for a little more than three years, not two, as I wrote. Can that be changed? If not, ignore this comment.
November 3, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Eric Kirk
Done R.D. And yes, I’ll include your blog in my list of links.
November 3, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Anonymous
The Reader, Brokeback Mountain, Shakespeare in Love, My Fair Lady, Annie Hall and BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER and LOVE STORY, MARTY, JERRY MAGUIRE, TITANIC, ALWAYS, REGARDING HENRY, HELLOoooooooooo!
There is a large gap between what a man thinks a Romantic movie should be or not to be…………
November 3, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Lodgepole
A Little Romance
November 4, 2011 at 7:10 pm
brian
Wes Anderson’s ‘Rushmore’………
November 5, 2011 at 9:54 am
Cristina Bauss
“Amélie,” “Roman Holiday,” and “A Room With a View.” Ed, I disagree with you on the “Pride & Prejudice” with Keira Knightley (much as I like Keira); the BBC version is a FAR superior adaptation of the book. The big-screen version took liberties that actually weakened the story significantly.
I’m sure I could think of a lot more, but I really do need to get back to my math homework.
November 5, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Bunny
A Man and A Woman?
November 9, 2011 at 9:10 am
just sayin'
Groundhog Day, As Good as it Gets, Strictly Ballroom, All the Pretty Horses, Swept Away (1974), Black Orpheus…
These last two may not fit your criteria if you are excluding violent films as unromantic guy flicks. However they they fit, somewhat self-consciously, the romance movie mold:
Natural Born Killers and, of course, True Romance.
November 9, 2011 at 11:02 am
Eric Kirk
Good choices JS. I was thinking Eating Raoul too. The Postman Always Rings Twice. The Third Man. In fact, I think most good noir films involve a failed romance plot line.
November 9, 2011 at 11:10 am
Movie junkie
Heroin usually makes for a better than bland romance movie.
Sid and Nancy
Panic in Needle Park
Candy
uh…there’s at least a few more.
November 9, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Eric Kirk
MJ – there’s the old movie More, but it isn’t very good except for the Pink Floyd sound track. And Bird of course, which did involve a romance, but wasn’t the central plot line.
November 10, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Movie junkie
You’re right, Erik, half these MORONS responses DON’T COUNT. DELETE THOSE POSTS. ROMANCE HAS TO BE CENTERAL TO THE PLOT, NOT just an APPENDAGE TO THE STORY. It has to be a LOVE STORY, GET IT THE FUNK RIGHT. that said the best love story is Short Circuit, about a man and his robot sex slave.
November 14, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Eric Kirk
Decaf MJ. Decaff.