My 10 Favourite Classic Romance Films
In celebration of Valentine's Day just a couple of days ago, I thought it would be nice to list 10 of my favourite classic romance films.
When I was much younger I used to read novels and watch movies solely for their romance stories. If there wasn't any romance to speak of, I wasn't interested. Now there are many other reasons to watch films, yet I'm still a romantic at heart and I love a good love story. Though a lot of films have some romantic element in them, for this Valentine's Day list I chose films that have a great love story at its center. To make a love story work on screen the actors have to make the audience believe they really are in love. All romances on this list work so well because of the chemistry and interplay between the leading actors. These classic love stories have stood the test of time, and though not all of them end on a happy note, they can be enjoyed over and over again. They are favoured by many classic film fans and it's not unthinkable their lists of favourite romance films will be similar to mine.
Incidentally, there are lots of other films that could have been on this list. Titles that come to mind are: Letter From an Unknown Woman, Jane Eyre, Rebecca, The Voice of the Turtle, White Sister, Way Down East, The Apartment, The Quiet Man, Street Angel, 7th Heaven, Giant, Dr. Zhivago, On Dangerous Ground, It Happened One Night, I Know Where I'm Going! and Portrait of Jennie. The one film that can be found on many lists but was not considered by me is Casablanca. I like a lot of things about this film (e.g. the humour) but for some reason I never cared much for the love story. I will watch it again someday because it's been a while.
So here goes, thé list! In no particular order of preference.
1. RANDOM HARVEST (1942)
“You and I are in the same boat, Miss Hanson; we're both ghost-ridden. We are prisoners of our past. What if we were to pool our loneliness, and give each other what little we have to give support, friendship? I'm proposing marriage, Miss Hanson, or should I call it a merger? A Member of Parliament should have a wife, Margaret; so I'm told on all sides. He needs a clever hostess; you have exceptional gifts. Would it interest you to have a wider field for them? You need have no fear that I would make any emotional demands upon you. I have only sincere friendship to offer. I won't ask any more from you.”
A WWI amnesiac war veteran escapes from an asylum (where he was placed because he didn't have any place to go) and gets help from a showgirl. She takes him to the countryside to hide him from the authorities. They fall in love and get married. An accident makes the man remember his past before WWI but he loses his most recent memories, including his life with his new wife. To make things even more complicated, the wife gets a job as his secretary, and she goes through the agony of his memory loss every day, hoping that one day he will remember her. You wonder how much more this woman can take, and then the man thinks it's a good idea to propose marriage (of convenience). Well, fortunately it all ends well and the man regains his memories from the time after he left the asylum.
How can it be that this seemingly oversentimental story with a far-fetched and improbable amnesia plot is so incredibly compelling and manages to capture the hearts of so many hopeless romantics? I'll give you the reason: Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. They have amazing chemistry (it's also a joy to hear both of them talk) and they make their romance believable. It's one of those heart-pounding and spellbinding love stories where the actors convey their characters' feelings for each other so well that it becomes palpable for the viewer. You hope they will find the love they have lost and wish them every happiness in the world. This is one of my favourite romantic couples of all time.
2. ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953)
Princess Ann: “At midnight, I'll turn into a pumpkin and drive away in my glass slipper.”
Joe Bradley: “And that will be the end of the fairy tale.”
A princess visits Rome and escapes from her temporary dwellings in order to get a taste of real life. She meets an American reporter, sent to Rome on an assignment to write about the princess, spends time with him and they fall in love in the course of a day.
Audrey Hepburn won an Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of the princess. She's utterly charming and has great chemistry with Gregory Peck. The last time I watched this in its entirety was on the big screen in 2017. It was the first time I consciously realised how fast Audrey grows up in one day, transforming from a girl into a woman, experiencing first love and first heartbreak. Although I love happy endings, the ending provided is probably the better option, but geez ... it is heartwrenching! Princess Ann realises she cannot forsake her royal duties whereas reporter Joe Bradley realises he cannot expose the story of their day together to the press. It always overwhelms me emotionally when Audrey sees Peck in the row of journalists, their eyes locking, how there is understanding between them but also infinite and palpable sadness. Also the way Peck looks at Audrey — steadily, having trouble breathing, eyes moist — chokes me up every time. And then that very last moment, when Peck walks away, hands in pockets, acceptance in his deliberate tread. Seriously, he is perfect here. As is Audrey. A wonderful love story, a romantic comedy, but keep a hanky ready for the ending!
3. LUCKY STAR (1929)
Mary: “What's the matter with your feet?”
Tim: “Nothing — just saving my legs.”
Mary: “What you savin' 'em for?”
Tim: “For a special occasion.”
A poor farm girl falls for a soldier returning from the war. He has lost the use of both of his legs and this handicap prevents him from declaring his love for the girl. They become friends and the way their relationship develops is very sweet. At the end the soldier miraculously regains the use of his legs and the couple lives happily ever after.
This was thé silent film which made me fall in love with silents and made me realise you don't need spoken words to tell a dramatic story effectively. I also fell head over heels in love with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. I had never seen them in a film before and had vaguely heard of their names in connection with successful screen couples. Director Frank Borzage was one of Hollywood's great romantics, known for his lyrical melodrama and capturing true love in the face of adversity. He had directed Gaynor and Farrell in two earlier silents 7th Heaven and Street Angel, also great love stories which easily could have made this list. Farrell and Gaynor have amazing chemistry and play beautifully together. And what a gem of a movie this is! So tender and sweet. Gaynor is cute as a button, though a little devious. I love how Farrell teaches her some manners, how to be clean and respectful. There are so many lovely scenes here, especially the one where Farrell washes Gaynor's hair with egg yolks. I also love the scene where he gives her a bracelet or the one where he swirls around in his wheelchair with her laughing like a little kid. People have commented on the fact that Farrell's recovery isn't credible and have also critiqued the notion that he would only be worthy if he could walk again. I think this story is like a fairytale, where love transcends the bad and the pain. A lovely and poignant film, one of my favourite silents.
4. WATERLOO BRIDGE (1940)
Roy: “Good night, darling.”
Myra: “Goodbye, darling.”
Roy: “Why goodbye when it's only till morning?”
Myra: “Because, every parting from you is — is like a little eternity.”
In WWI an army captain and ballet dancer meet during an air raid. They fall in love and decide to get married before he has to go back to the trenches. Their rash marriage plans are forestalled, he returns to the front and she loses her ballerina job as a result of disobeying orders. When she reads about the captain's death, she falls ill with grief and loses the will to live. Ultimately she becomes a prostitute to support herself. But then a year goes by and the captain is alive and well ...
The characters in this classic drama of doomed love are wonderfully portrayed by Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor who have great chemistry and make their romance very believable. I think this is the most tragic love story on this list, ending with the suicide of Leigh's character. Her defeatist attitude of life — while bearing feelings of guilt and unworthiness — prevents her from telling Taylor the truth about her being a prostitute. I'd like to believe they would have found happiness together, because Taylor loved her no matter what, and it's sad she didn't give him a chance, nor herself for that matter. Even his mother Lucile Watson accepted Leigh as her daughter-in-law, despite knowing what Leigh had confided in her. This was the favourite film of both Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor and it's not so difficult to see why. Despite the tragic ending, it's a great love story. And Leigh has never looked more lovely than here and plays her conflicted and tormented character very well. At times there's genuine sadness in her eyes. Her last scene with Taylor is heartbreaking.
5. BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945)
“This is my home. You're my husband. And my children are upstairs in bed. I'm a happily married woman — or I was, rather, until a few weeks ago. This is my whole world, and it's enough, or rather, it was until a few weeks ago. But, oh, Fred, I've been so foolish. I've fallen in love. I'm an ordinary woman. I didn't think such violent things could happen to ordinary people.” — Laura Jesson (thinking to herself while looking at her husband Fred)
Two people, who spend each Thursday in the same town, meet accidentally in the refreshment room of the station, waiting for their respective trains to take them in opposite directions. One day the man, a doctor, removes a piece of coal dust from the woman's eye. Meeting each other every Thursday thereafter they fall in love over the course of a few weeks. There's only one little problem: both are happily married and don't want to hurt their spouses.
This is one of the most famous classic love stories ever put on screen, one that has won many awards. If you consider the story, it's nothing special. Many films deal with the same story premise of an adulterous affair. What makes Brief Encounter so unique is the delicate handling of the subject matter and placing the main focus on the characters: two innocent people who happen to develop feelings for someone other than their spouse but struggle against those feelings. The strength here lies in the portrayal of these characters, both immensely likeable and decent and respected, with the viewer rooting for their happiness. Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson are outstanding in their roles and make us believe they really are in love. At the ending, their final goodbye, there's a brief moment where Howard puts his hand on Johnson's shoulder (while her acquaintance is chatting away and ruins their last moment together) and lets it linger a bit before leaving, and it's just heartbreaking. David Lean's direction is great and the film still resonates with modern audiences. To complement an already perfect film is the wonderful Rachmaninoff score. One of my top favourite romances.
6. NOW, VOYAGER (1942)
“Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.”
This is my favourite Bette Davis film and hands-down the one I've seen the most. I can pretty much dream the content. I've read some people argue online that Bette ends up with the wrong guy and she should have found happiness with Claude Rains, her doctor. Yes, it could have been a possibility and I wouldn't even have minded myself if she would have found romance with Rains, thus making this a completely different film. As it is now, there's nothing in the way Davis and Rains portray their characters that suggests something other than the strong friendship bond they share. Bette's feelings for Paul Henreid are clear from the start and there's no doubt he's our romantic hero. The chemistry between Bette and Paul is great, just seeing them smoke cigarettes together makes the temperature in the room rise. The ending is iconic, with Henreid once again lighting two cigarettes and Bette saying the famous last line. Here's the whole scene, one of my favourite scenes of the film:
Charlotte: "Jerry, Dr. Jaquith knows about us. When he said I could take Tina, he said "You're on probation." Do you know what that means? It means that I'm on probation because of you and me. He allowed this visit as a test. If I can't stand such tests, I'll lose Tina and we'll lose each other. Jerry, please help me."
Jerry: "Shall we just have a cigarette on it?"
Charlotte: "Yes."
Jerry: "May I sometimes come here?"
Charlotte: "Whenever you like. It's your home, too. There are people here who love you."
Jerry: "And look at you and Tina, and share with you peace and contentment."
Charlotte: "Of course. And just think, it won't be for this time only. That is, if you will help me keep what we have. If we both try hard to protect that little strip of territory that's ours. We can talk about your child ..."
Jerry: "Oúr child."
Charlotte: "Thank you."
Jerry: "And will you be happy, Charlotte?"
Charlotte: "Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."
7. LOVE AFFAIR (1939)
“It was the nearest thing to heaven. You see, you were there.”
This love story was remade by director Leo McCarey in 1957 as An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr which is the wider-known version. I could also have chosen the 1957 version for this list, because I love that one as well, but if I have to choose between the two films I think I have a slight preference for this one from 1939. And it has everything to do with Charles Boyer (even though I also love Cary Grant!). Well, just look at him and tell me he's not one of the most romantic male film stars classic Hollywood had to offer. Okay, he's French, so he was born with the romantic gene, but the way he looks at Irene Dunne with those beautiful eyes would make any woman fall in love with him. Their romance is very believable and their chemistry is sizzling (there's a reason they made two more movies together). McCarey must have thought his love story was pretty good too because he felt the need to tell it twice.
8. THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947)
“You must make your own life amongst the living and, whether you meet fair winds or foul, find your own way to harbor in the end.” — Captain Daniel Gregg
An impoverished widow moves to the English seaside with her daughter and their maid and rents a cottage, supposedly haunted by the ghost of the former owner, a deceased sea captain. She meets the captain face-to-face and he lets her stay in the house because he likes her spunk and wants what's best for the house. The two form a bond and friendship over time. As the widow agrees to ghostwrite a book about the captain's sea journeys, their friendship develops into something deeper.
I love this unusual story with fantasy elements, and even though I'm not a fan of Rex Harrison, I thought he worked well together with Gene Tierney and they made their romance work. Tierney is perfect and delightful as the feisty heroine — she's so beautiful here and I love her costumes — and Harrison is also well cast as the gruff captain. They don't even have that many scenes together, but the ones they do have are very pleasing and I love their exchanges and bickering. What I like most about this film is the mood and the dreamlike quality, enhanced by the amazing photography by Charles Lang (for which he won an Oscar nomination) and the beautiful score by Bernard Herrmann (I read somewhere this was his favourite score). I love the poignant scene Tierney shares with her daughter in the kitchen where they talk about the captain, dreams and loneliness. This is a lovely film where Mrs. Muir and the captain's love for each other is pure, spiritual and otherworldly. The ending with Tierney and Harrison walking away makes one believe love does transcend death.
9. CITY LIGHTS (1931)
“Tomorrow the birds will sing.”
A tramp saves a wealthy man from killing himself during the wealthy man's drunken stupor. It's the start of a friendship between the two men. At the same time the tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl who is poor and lives with her grandmother. The girl mistakes the tramp for a millionaire but falls in love with him for his kindness. He then learns that a costly operation can restore her eyesight and he does everything in his power to earn the money to make her see again.
This film is maybe the only one on this list where the chemistry between the leads is not as apparent as with the other entries. (Incidentally, I think Chaplin has the best chemistry with Edna Purviance.) But the love story is a timeless one and it's what makes this film so well loved by many. Chaplin's ability to turn such a simple story in something heartwarming is laudable, and the pathos, where Chaplin is known for, really does its work here. The viewer feels immense sympathy for the Tramp who goes out of his way to earn the money and even gets himself in jail. We love him because he doesn't act as if he's making a sacrifice, he's doing it out of love for a girl and he would do it again if he had the chance. We want him to succeed. When at the ending the Tramp spots the girl through a shop window and realises she has regained her eyesight, we feel his fear and insecurity. Then, when she recognises him as her benefactor, and we are left with a close-up of Chaplin's face, his hope to be together with the girl he loves becomes our hope. It's one of the most endearing endings to a film I've ever seen.
10. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
“Rhett, Rhett ... Rhett, if you go, where shall I go? What shall I do?”
“Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.”
Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, need I say more?
Based on one of the most famous epic novels of the 20th century, written by Margaret Mitchell, this film adaptation became one of the greatest films ever made. The hunt for the right actors to portray the leading characters is well known. Since the love story is at the center of the film, the successful casting of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler was crucial. Vivien Leigh is perfect as the feisty, selfish and headstrong Scarlett and there's no other actor than Clark Gable thinkable in the role of Rhett. The chemistry between them is unmistakable and they make their love for each other totally believable. What makes Scarlett and Rhett's love story so compelling is that it's a complex one, marred by many obstacles. They never found that eternal bliss, not even on their happy honeymoon where there was always the shadow of Ashley Wilkes looming over them. And when Scarlett realises she has loved Rhett all along, Rhett is done waiting and it's frankly too late. We can't really blame Rhett for leaving Scarlett but we can't help rooting for our determined heroine either, hoping that one day she will get her happy ending. "After all, tomorrow is another day."
So, that's it! My 10 fave love stories. I might watch some more romantic films this month and hope some of them will become favourites too.
(The film posters below are arranged in order of release date, earliest first.)
GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Random Harvest (1942) with Greer Garson and Ronald Colman;
*Roman Holiday (1953) with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck;
*Lucky Star (1929) with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell;
*Waterloo Bridge (1940) with Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor;
*Brief Encounter (1945) with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard;
*Now, Voyager (1942) with Bette Davis and Paul Henreid;
*Love Affair (1939) with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne;
*The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison;
*City Lights (1931) with Charlie Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill;
*Gone With the Wind (1939) with Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
ALL GIFS IN THIS POST MADE BY YOURS TRULY!