A Month of Romance Movies

February is not only Valentine’s Day, but also my husband’s and my wedding anniversary. These are my personal favorite romantic movies that I will watch happily over and over – in no particular order. Watch one a day and fill the month with love.

  1. Love Actually (2003) – OK it’s a Christmas movie too, but I love it any time of the year. I love how it all braids together.
  2. Four Weddings and Funeral (1994)- the English do make rather lovely romcoms, don’t they?
  3. When Harry Met Sally (1989)- a movie that has given us a bunch of memes that are part of the collective consciousness including the immortal, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
  4. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) – “Who needed a sign?”
  5. Moonstruck (1987) – a movie about love at all ages. That’s amore.
  6. Casablanca (1942) – an allegory, a love story, a hill of beans
  7. Knight and Day (2010) – it’s silly, and fun, with stunts, and I like that they gave her a neat occupation.
  8. Roman Holiday (1953) – the movie that gave the world Audrey Hepburn and her haircut.
  9. The Holiday (2006) – a movie that worked hard to make some of the most beautiful women in the world look like ordinary windblown women (and almost succeeded), while making some good looking men look utterly gorgeous, even the old guy.
  10. St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) – this one can represent all the 80’s Brat Pack movies for me. Very young Demi Moore, very young Rob Lowe, and so on. Out of hand.
  11. Brokeback Mountain (2005) – one of the saddest love stories I’ve ever seen.
  12. Bringing Up Baby (1938) – one of the happiest. Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and leopards in Connecticut. Shall we run?
  13. Sense and Sensibility (1995) – representing all the Jane Austen feature film adaptations.
  14. Pride and Prejudice (1995) – So technically, not a feature film, the ultimate and best adaptation as a mini-series. At 5 1/2 hours, maybe save it for a weekend marathon.
  15. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) – charming songs and Debbie Reynolds. Good mornin’.
  16. Ella Enchanted (2004) – a woman saves herself so that she can save the prince.
  17. Shrek (2001) – another fairy tale romance. Feeling like a marathon? There are all the sequels too. Everybody likes parfait.
  18. A Room with a View (1985) – Venice and costumes and Maggie Smith.
  19. Sabrina (1954) – the chauffeur’s daughter turns out to be Audrey Hepburn. Edith Head didn’t thank Givenchy in her Oscar speech, but that dress was what won it for her, and everyone knew it.
  20. WALL-E (2008) – the strongest force in the universe is still true love’s kiss.
  21. Much Ado About Nothing (1993) – I always enjoy Branagh’s take on the Bard, and this one is a triumph of design over budget with delightful acting thrown in.
  22. Charade (1963) – a love story wrapped up in a suspense thriller. This is one of the films they always call “stylish”, mostly because Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn look so fabulous – but so does Paris. Featuring James Coburn as one of the villains with a box of matches.
  23. The African Queen (1951) – a movie about keeping promises. Rise above.
  24. It Happened One Night (1934) – the movie that almost destroyed the undershirt manufacturing industry. “Don’t hold it against me, I’m a little screwy myself.”
  25. Bull Durham (1988) – the Church of Baseball, and lollygaggers.
  26. How To Steal a Million (1966) – What, Audrey Hepburn again? Yep. Togetherness.
  27. The Great Race (1965) – Blake Edwards at the top of his game.
  28. Roxanne (1987) – the power of words, not worms.
  29. For Leap Years: Whisper of the Heart (1995) – Studio Ghibli’s beautiful animation and a beautiful love story too. Also consider Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), for even more falling in love.