My all-time favorite top 5 romantic movies.

1. Casablanca

What die-hard romantic has not watched this movie more than once? It has all the elements we love in a great romantic story:

– A drool-worthy, tortured, alpha-hero who never smiles…but you know, soon as he does, women worldwide will gasp after their knees buckle.

– An internally conflicted, intelligent heroine.

– Sexual tension that makes the screen fog up.

– Great dialogue (just like me, I bet a lot of you can remember most of the dialogue from the movie? Right?).

Not only women love this movie, guys love it as well, with an action filled  plot in a war time setting. (Not to mention, it is a great “date movie” for people dating and for married couples. Trust me on this one *smile*)

That heart-rendering scene when Rick walks away from Isla, because he loves her so much. (Okay, he does go off into the sunset with that Laszlo dude, but that relationship has always been up for discussion – not that there’s anything wrong with that, however, in my romance plotting brain, I believe Rick walked away because he adored Isla with all his heart and soul and wanted to keep her safe. That’s why he released her and not because he had any bromance with a capital B going on with his best buddy.)

“Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of. Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that. Now, now… Here’s looking at you kid.” ~~Rick~~

2. The Way We Were

Besides sexual chemistry, what other elements make a great romance? Conflict. Conflict. Conflict. Hubbell and Katie, passionate lovers, embark on a wonderful romance, but alas, that thing that keeps a viewer rooted to their seat disrupts the chemistry between the two main characters…conflict, in the form of opposite political viewpoints and their character arcs, those damn convictions in their traits that wouldn’t give them their happy ever ending, at least not together. Pretty sure if we checked in on them years later, they’ve both moved on.

“Wouldn’t it be lovely if we were old? We’d have survived all this. Everything thing would be easy and uncomplicated; the way it was when we were young.”  ~~Katie~~

3. Roman Holiday

If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know that I am an avid Audrey Hepburn fan, so it’s no surprise that two of her movies make my list.

Roman Holiday has all the makings of one of the greatest romantic movies of all time. This movie is a heart-warming, romantic comedy. It also possesses a delightful cast of characters. A precocious, mischievous princess, who is bored out of her crown, so she decides to take a break from all the pomp and circumstance and runs away to have a holiday in Rome. She meets a handsome American who is her hero (or so she thinks).

You know us romance readers, we love a hero who isn’t who he says he is, the tough guy, whose motives are one thing, but change drastically when he falls for the heroine. The sexual tension between the two is so palpable as the viewer anxiously awaits for the Princess to marry the Pauper Reporter.

But alas, it’s not to be. Joe (the hero) redeems himself for keeping his reporter identity a secret (the cad, he was going to write an exclusive, a la tabloid style, that is, until he falls head over heels for her), and Princess Anne goes back to curtsying and her Princess duties.

The ending always has me in tears, no matter how many times I watch it and I sigh, for what could have been for these two.

“Rome, by all means, Rome. (Princess Anne stares directly at Joe). I will cherish my visit here, in memory, as long as I live.” (Tissue please!)

Side note: I’m noticing a trend here, my three top movies—the couples don’t end up together. Don’t worry, I would never do that in one of my books…or would I?   

4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Charming, comedic, flawed and quirky characters, beautiful heroine, great looking leading man, cute fur baby (Cat), a peek inside Tiffany’s (I’m in lust with that store), New York City setting and surprising plot twists–what’s not to love about this movie?

I bet I’m not the only one who can sing “Moon River,” right? The relationship between Holly Golightly and Paul starts off as a mild simmer, each have their secrets, each have many faults and eccentricities, but in the end, their passion and feelings are stripped away and their barriers come down, and yes, we do get a happy-ever-after ending, complete with Cat and a steamy memorable kissing scene in the rain.

“I don’t want to own anything until I know I’ve found the place where me and things belong together.  I’m not quite sure where that is just yet.  But I know what it’s like…. It’s like Tiffany’s…. Not that I give a hoot about jewelry.  Diamonds, yes.  But it’s tacky to wear diamonds before you’re forty…” ~~Holly~~ 

5. Pride and Prejudice

Talk about sexual tension that makes you want to scream, “Kiss him all ready. Rip his clothes off!”

Love the comedy in this movie, and how the sparks fly right off the screen when the slightly uptight, and rich Mr. Darcy won’t allow himself to fall in love with Elizabeth, a woman who is considered to be in a lower class. Of course, Elizabeth gives him a run for his money as well, as she has her own prejudices against him.

It’s this mental, emotional and physical push and pull that gives viewers insight into this great relationship in the making. It’s their journey that we love and it’s their happy ever after that we applaud, once they do let go of all their pride and prejudices.

“So this is your opinion of me. Thank you for explaining so fully. Perhaps these offences might have been overlooked had not your pride been hurt by my honesty…” ~~Mr. Darcy~~

I’d love to hear about your all time favorite romantic movies.