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Ten Romance Films I Loved from a Guy who doesn't watch Romance FilmsMay 21 '06 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line These 12 movies are all very emotionally evocative for me. Wouldn't it be great if love was as real as it is on the big screen? Who wouldn't want to fall in love like they do in the movies? Some of my favorite romance movies in chronological order: One: To Have and Have Not (1944 directed by Howard Hawks, based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway) Ever hear the song lyric just like Bogie and Bacall or the expression If you want me just whistle, you know how to whistle right? You just put your lips together and blow. This film stars legendary Humphrey Bogart with a then 19 year old Lauren Bacall. Was the romantic interest between these two real? You bet, the two married shortly thereafter, it was Bogart's third marriage, and his happiest. He was married to Lauren Bacall until he died at age 54. The film's backdrop is a typical hard nosed Bogart character Harry Morgan, who decides to transport a fugitive running from the Nazis. Bacall plays Marie, a singer in the club that Bogart drinks in. The two start by hating each other, but you know how that goes! Two: Roman Holiday (1953 directed by William Wyler) Although their love affair is brief, and not even consumated, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck shine in this film about a princess who takes off from her royal duties to see what its like for everyone else. This film also won the Oscar for Audrey Hepburn. The movie was shot on location in Rome. Watch this movie and see if you don't fall in love with Audrey Hepburn! Three: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961 directed by Blake Edwards) In Truman Capotes book, Holly GoLightly leaves without saying goodbye, but in the film adaptation, Hollywood calls for a happy ending. See a young George Peppard (The A-Team) hopelessly woo young flighty socialite Holly Golightly in 60s New York. This film captures Capote's short story fairly well, and takes out the rather bitter edge that Capote's story had. (in his short story, Holly had a bit of a mean streak). Is this one of my favorite romance movies, simply because Audrey Hepburn is in it? Well, yes! Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style some day. Oh dream maker, you heart breaker, where ever you're going I'm going your way. Two drifters off to see the world, there's such a lot of world to see. We're after the same rainbow's end waitin round the bend, my huckleberry friend Moon River and me (music by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Johnny Mercer) Four: Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964 directed by Jacques Demy, starring Catherine Deneuve - French with English subtitles) This was one of the saddest romance movies I ever saw. It is also performed all in song, yet it's not a musical. It is a french movie, and in the beginning a young woman falls in love with a young man, and romance soon follows. Her mother doesn't care much for the young man, and when he is called off to war, the mother tries to set her up with another man. To complicate things more, she finds out she is pregnant. This movie didn't have the happy romantic ending I wanted, she married another while her true love was away and in the end, he too marries another. I doubt you can watch the final scene, (when the two meet by chance a few years later) with dry eyes. Even the movies theme song is romantic and sad If it takes forever, I will wait for you, for a thousand summers, I will wait for you, till you're back beside me, till I'm holding you Till I hear you sigh, here in my arms. This song usually brings tears to my eyes, because of course, she does not. This Connie Francis song was also used to end the only episode of Futurama to make me cry; Jurassic Bark Five:Benny & Joon (1993 directed by Jeremiah S. Checkhik, starring Johnny Depp). Those of you who know me, know that I'd manage to get a film by Johnny Depp here somewhere, he is my favorite actor. This is one of his early films, and it is as much of a comedy as it is a romance. Its a pleasant enjoyable film, and Depp is great in it. Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a mildy slow woman who lives with her brother Benny (Adian Quinn). Joon needs medicine and care to function her best. One day Sam (Johnny Depp) comes along, and only sees an inner beauty in Joon. Her brother is very overprotective. The romance that follows is both poignant and humorous. Six: Bridges of Madison County (1995, directed by Clint Eastwood) Leave it to a guy to pick a movie with Clint Eastwood for a list of romantic movies, but I think this is one that even many women agree is a very tender heartfelt romance movie. Yes, it's about an affair of a lonely married woman (played by Meryle Streep) with a National Geographic Photographer (Eastwood) assigned to photograph the bridges of Madison County. It's also charming, poignant, and downright romantic. Seven: As Good as It Gets (1997 directed by James L. Brooks) Jack Nicholson played a lonely troubled man with Obsessive Complusive Disorder. One day he meets a waitress played by Helen Hunt. An unsteady romance ensues. My favorite line Before I met you, I didn't always take my medicine. Now I always take my pills. You make me want to be a better man Greg Kinnear also plays a great supporting actor as Simon Bishop. Eight: Happenstance Le Battement d'ailes du papillon (2000 directed by Laurent Firode, starring Audrey Tautou). It was in Amelie that I first saw the today's French version of the late Audrey Hepburn, and she is Audrey Tautou. Like Audrey in Roman Holiday, I instantly fell in love with this young beautiful Audrey with a certain je ne sais quoi when I saw Amelie. Since that movie wasn't a love story, Happenstance is on my list. It is a very light hearted film in which happenstance keeps two destined for love apart (I am going to give away the ending now!) until the end when they finally meet to fall in love. What makes this film work so well for me can be summed up in two words Audrey Tautou. She is a marvelous actor, and U.S. audiences will now be familiar with her, since she is starring in The DaVinci Code. She has made many other wonderful films, and a few that I didn't care for, but she is worth checking out. (French with English subtitles or English dub) Nine: In the Mood for Love / 2046 (2000/2004 both directed by Kar Wai Wong) My introduction to Hong Kong director Kar Wai Wong was actually the sequel to In the Mood for Love which was 2046. I saw the original a month later. These two films introduce us to Chow Mo-Wan (played wonderfully by Tony Leung). Back in 1962 Chow was married, but estranged from his wife. Next door lives Su Li-Zhen Chan (also played wonderfully by Maggie Cheung) who also has a distant relationship with her husband. They each suspect their spouses of having affairs, and end up forming a bond. Although the bond of Chow and Su Li-zhen is never consumated, this film truly illustrates what LOVE is all about. Stunning cimematography, lingering shots of the actors, and beautiful music all contribute to both of these films look at what love is about. I list both of these films together, because I couldn't decide which I enjoyed more. In 2046 (the # of the hotel room that Chow met Si Li-Zhen), Chow returns to live again in this hotel, where he found true love, but didn't act. We can only watch painfully as he tries to recapture that feeling with three other women, only to end in heartbreak for all. Since 2046 is a sequel, consider it a top ten list bonus film. (In Cantonese with English subtitles). Ten: Secretary (2002 directed by Steven Shainberg) An alternative romance of sorts. Shy submissive Maggie Gylenhall goes to work for quirky lawyer James Spader. (yeah even quirkier than the one he currently plays on Boston Legal) If you've never seen an S&M romance story, this is a good film to start with. If you don't have an open mind, you may want to skip this one however. Eleven: The Notebook (2004 directed by Nick Cassavetes) Ah there's always room for one more. I really enjoyed this adaptation of Nicolas Sparks novel. A true tear jerker and romantic film with fantastic performances from Ryan Gosling and the lovely Rachel McAdams really got to me. Gena Rowlands and James Garner's performances really completed this film into a moving romantic story. I know there are hundreds of romance movies out there, and its probably far from the genre that I watch the most. However, although these may not be the Top Ten Most Romantic Movies, these are ten movies that really elicited a strong emotional response. To me, a movie with the capacity to move its audience is the best.  |
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