While many of us remember our first kiss, or falling in love for the first time, how many times have we been convinced of witnessing the depiction of those same emotions on the silver screen? Granted, it may not be something a lot of folks think about, but for me, romance in the movies can have the power to incredibly stir the soul, make me flinch awkwardly in my seat, or just flat-out laugh. After recently viewing the wonderful new movie Lady Bird, and being completely swept-up in the fledgling romance of the title character and her classmate Danny, it reminded me of how I'm a sucker for a well-done movie romance.
In order for me to be convinced of the adoration onscreen, pretty much everything has to be right -- the script, the acting, the score, the direction, editing, etc. It all has to set the right mood and believability. That isn't always an easy task. Most films run between 90 and 120 minutes. That isn't a terribly long time to introduce us to characters, advance a plot, have us care about the characters, and have them convincingly fall for one another. The fact that it works as much as it does is pretty neat.
So what are my favorite romances from the world of cinema? When has it worked for me? And why? Glad you asked! Following are some of those moments, and the films they come from.
Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson & Danny O'Neill from Lady Bird (2017) -- Greta Gerwig's sublime coming-of-age film that is getting much-deserved praise this year features a romantic subplot between two teenaged characters who are still finding themselves. While it's happening, we have a sense that, like most infatuations at that age, it may not last long, but while it does it is so sweet. And it features some cliched romance markers that could, done badly, ruin the moment: the young couple lays on the grass and looks up at the stars, Lady Bird plays with Danny's hair, etc. Yet all of it works. I was mesmerized by their moments together.
Sally Albright and Harry Burns from When Harry Met Sally (1989) -- Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are delightful in this Rob Reiner dramedy. They perfectly oscillate between love and hate (that oft-used plot device in many movie romances that doesn't always work, but here it does), and Harry's speech to Sally at the end, about all the things he loves about her, really got to me back in the day. This movie came out when I was in middle school and, at that time, there was a classmate who I talked with on the phone almost every night, before going to bed. Harry's line of "I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night" really got me.
Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility (1995) -- I'm a sucker for the underdog, and Colonel Brandon certainly starts out as that, with Marianne fairly unimpressed with the older (than her) bachelor. Over time, we see the two grow closer as the younger half of the eventual couple grows to appreciate Brandon for who he is, and for his fondness and love for her. Never doubt that love and attention can be intoxicating in its own right.
Picard and Anij from Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) -- Some might raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of this as a romance. Truthfully, I'm not sure what you'd call their chemistry, but they have something. Picard and the Enterprise crew arrive at a planet where people never grow old. There he meets Anij who, from what I can tell, is married (or at least partnered) and, while it certainly seems as though her partner/husband is quietly aware of the spark between her and the starship captain, it doesn't prevent Anij from spending quality time with their planetary visitor. Her and Picard go on walks together, she slows down time while they sit near a waterfall, and Jerry Goldsmith's score softly soars all the while.
Jack & Rose Dewitt Bukater from Titanic (1997) -- Do I really need to explain why this works? The two star-crossed lovers managed to bond dramatically during the course of the film and, when I watched Titanic at the theater on five different occasions, I was brought to tears all five times when Jack dies in the icy waters of the Atlantic and slips away forever.
Carol Connelly and Melvin Udall from As Good As It Gets (1997) -- This one is complicated. Melvin suffers from OCD (among other things), and, frankly, isn't very nice to Carol on many occasions. Carol seems to suffer from anxiety, and probably puts up with way more of Melvin's crap than she should. And yet... there's the moment -- the awkward moment -- at dinner when Melvin tells her that she makes him want to be a better man. That, and a few other scenes, really seem to work. And they work because they embrace the awkwardness instead of running from it.
Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar from Brokeback Mountain (2005) -- I'm not sure this qualifies as a romance, as it tends to rely a lot on tension and unleashed sexual desire, but it did evoke some very emotional reactions from me, as a whole. Then there's the last scene, and the way Heath Ledger acted the heck out of it just by himself, with the items that belonged to Jake Gyllenhaal's character -- very moving.
Forrest Gump & Jenny Curran from Forrest Gump (1994) -- Perhaps a controversial inclusion? If we're honest, Jenny treated Forrest abysmally, but it can't be denied that he loved her in spite of that. And, somewhere inside her, Jenny loved him, too. Finally, that scene with Forrest standing at her grave never fails to stir my heart and bring the tears flowing. I've included this because, for one, it meets the criteria of having emotionally impacted me and, for another, it's an interesting reminder that not all adorations are reciprocated, and not all relationships are balanced. How do we judge them because of it, or do we judge them at all?
Saajan Fernandes & Ila from The Lunchbox (2014) -- He works as an accountant. She works for the intricate meal preparation system that operates in Mumbai. Through a mix-up, Saajan receives the delicious lunch that Ila has prepared, and a correspondence -- and romance (of sorts) -- develops. I loved this movie's quiet emotion. It reminds me of You've Got Mail, without the creepy manipulation and obvious lack of compatibility (though, for a time, that movie worked for me, as well).
You may notice a lack of any films older than 1989 mentioned in this post. That's not an accident. I tried, dear reader, I really tried to think of an older movie that hit me with that necessary emotional wallop when it came to romance, but nothing came forward. I looked at lists of films. Nothing. Vertigo, perhaps, came the closest, but didn't make the cut because I view that more about obsession than actual romantic love. Vertigo does, however, work for me on an emotional level. It's definitely worth seeing, if you haven't already watched it.
So those are my (perhaps unconventional) choices for greatest movie romances, and romantic moments. It's a very personal compilation. I don't pretend to portray any sort of objectivity with these choices. They are all couples or moments in cinema that have affected me greatly. You might agree with some of these, or you might have a completely different list of your own. I'd love to hear your choices for the best in cinematic love, actually.
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