Ever notice how the best movies contain at least a little romance? Now granted, my favorite flicks are things like A Room With a View or Moonstruck or even all the way back to the Katherine Hepburn & Cary Grant gem, The Philadelphia Story. But I do watch plenty of non-romance movies since I have a husband and he’d rather see a thriller than anything containing kisses. And I have to say it’s nice to stumble across the occasional picture that sneaks a little romance in along side the action/adventure/mystery or what-not.
Take for example my recent repeat viewing of Independence Day. This martians take over the world story wasn’t billed as anything romantic, but the fact that the studly military pilot falls for a single mom stripper and marries her before his mission to save the world steals my heart. And the fact that their wedding vows inspire a divorced couple in the film to remember how powerful love can be only makes me appreciate the movie all the more. I could sit through the flight sequences and blowing things up because I connected with characters who fell in love.
Smart directors know that this is a powerful draw for audiences. Peter Jackson worked diligently to be true to as much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as possible, but he knew he wanted more of Arwen’s character in the picture. The romance bewteen Aragorn and Arwen wasn’t much developed in the Fellowship of the Ring book, but Jackson pumped up her role to give audiences a taste of romance.
Star Wars made room for Hans Solo’s flirtation with Princess Leia. Last of the Mohicans had one of the most beautiful romantic subplots I’ve ever seen. And how many Disney movies contain romantic elements even though that’s definitely not the core theme of children’s animated films?
The point is, romance adds a warm dimension to the screen by allowing us to connect with characters. Romance opens the door to a more emotional showing, and possibly a more meaningful viewing experience. Romance helps move stories to an epic level because it touches on one of the most powerful of human experiences.
What do you think of romance at the theater? And what are your favorite romantic scenes in films– whether or not they are romances?
***One random poster will win a copy of Joanne’s newest Blaze, HIDDEN OBSESSION, the first full-length book in the “Perfect Timing” miniseries.***
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A friend of my husbands was looking for a movie to watch with his wife and my husband offered to loan him Braveheart. The friend was skeptical as to whether his wife would want to watch it so my husband tells him there is a romance in it. But the woman dies at the beginning of the movie I point out to him. Yes, but he THINKS about her through the movie he tells me. When I thought about it I agreed that the romance was there, otherwise I don’t know if I would have sat through a long movie filled with a lot of violence.
by Maureen
on June 15th, 2006 at 6:20 am
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My favorite romantic scenes come from the movie Speed. The chemistry between the characters that Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock played just gave an added dimension to the escalating tension. You wanted them to get through this together so they could give their attraction a chance to blossom into a romance.
by Cheryl S.
on June 15th, 2006 at 7:05 am
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Yeah, movies with chemistry are good. “King Arthur” was a favorite : Clive Owen - need I say more? He was just so sexy in that movie but it was the relationship with Guinivere that made it more interesting.
And the “Die Hard” movies, especially the first one when he rescues his wife/ex-wife. You gotta have a good cause, and what’s better than romance?
“Spaceballs” was a funny movie but it was really enhanced because of the chemistry between Daphne Zuniga and Bill Pullman (who rocked in “While You Were Sleeping”)
I know there are more, I just haven’t had my caffeine yet…
by Stacy ~
on June 15th, 2006 at 7:17 am
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From the Notebook: The entire book - the way James Garner’s character shows his love for his wife - when he dances with her and the way he talks to her - his love just come shining thru. He is so patient with her with her illness.
by Pat
on June 15th, 2006 at 7:41 am
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My favorite romantic movie is Dr Zhivago. The relationship that evolves between Omar Sharif- Dr Zhivago and Julie Christie’s-Larissa(the nurse) is intense..there’s guilt(he’s married with kids), lust, love, loss… all set during the Russian Revolution.
I also love “Pretty Woman” where the prostitute -Julia Roberts teaches Richard(The millionaire)-Richard Gere about life, love and relating to people.
by Laurie
on June 15th, 2006 at 8:07 am
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Romancing the Stone, hands down! And obviously it’s a romance. From the first scene where romance novelist Joan Wilder is crying over her scene til the end where she compliments Jack Colton on his boots and he says, “Yeah, that poor old yellow-tailed guy… developed a fatal case of indigestion. He died right in my arms.” Joan’s reply? “I can’t blame him. If I were to die there’s nowhere on earth I’d rather be.”
Me either! I’d love to be in Jack T. Colton’s arms. 
by Marilyn
on June 15th, 2006 at 9:07 am
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The Notebook! It was very romantic. He loved his wife till the very end. A love you don’t often find, few lucky ones do. Book & Movie both moving! 
by Tammy G.
on June 15th, 2006 at 10:47 am
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Oh there are so many romantic scenes that I love. One of my favorite is from LOTR, when Arwen gives Evening Star to Aragorn and with it her immortality.
by Danny
on June 15th, 2006 at 10:55 am
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Any Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie! They just had so much chemistry between them.
by Susan
on June 15th, 2006 at 11:38 am
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There are so many great romantic scenes in the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice. Times when Darcy looks at Elizabeth with such tenderness in his gaze. There is also a scene at the end of LOTR: Return of the King when Aragon is reunited with Arwen that was so touching. I love romantic movies. Movies that have some kind of romantic tension are usually so enjoyable.
by Cherie Japp
on June 15th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
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I love Meg Ryan’s romantic comedies. I love the scene in Sleepless in Seattle when she and Tom Hanks’ character met for the first time.
I also just watched The Princess Bride for the first time yesterday…I really enjoyed it. I love all of the scenes between Buttercup and Westley…especially at the beginning when she is calling him farm boy and giving him orders and he simply says, “As you wish” and she realizes that he loves her.
by Jennifer Y.
on June 15th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
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Loved Carlito’s Way. It’s definitely not a romantic movie but I really connected to the Carlito character’s yearning to leave behind his past to seek paradise with a long lost love he is lucky enough to reunite with. The scene where she teases him from behind the chain on the door and he breaks the door down is one of my favorites. But Pacino’s dream sequence of Penelope Anne Miller dancing on the beach as he lay dying was the best.
…Of course I loved the book too. What a writer! Torres makes me care for such a bad man.
by allyb
on June 15th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
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I like Star Wars movies where the sparks fly between Han Solo and Leia.
by Minna
on June 15th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
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The original Star Wars trilogy–each and every scene with Solo and Leia.
The Princess Bride–when Buttercup tells Wesley, “But you were dead” and he replies, “Death cannot stop true love”
First Knight–When Arthur aks Gwynnever to marry him, “the man, not the king”. Later, when Gwynnever asks Lancelot to kiss her before leaving; and finally that night, when Arthur breaks down and cries in the chapel over their betrayal.
Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves–the night when John’s and Fanny’s baby is born, Robin
asks Marian to dance with him. Also after Robin kills Nottingham, Marian wonders, “You came for me!” and Robin replies, “I’d die for you.”
Good Will Hunting–Robin Williams monologue about love and his wife.
The Man in the Iron Mask–the subplot between Queen Anne and D’Artagnan. They have something like three lines of dialogue total but man!
There are so many more, I’ll just stop here!
by azteclady
on June 15th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
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I like romance at the theater. I like the scenes where you can feel the romantic
ions between 2 people, where you can honestly feel what they are feeling or what is portrayed in the film. It’s like it is happening to you.
by Robyn
on June 15th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
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A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. Any of his books are tearjerkers and so romantic. In the book if I remember correctly heroine is wheeled down the aisle to marry her hero. In the movie, she walks down. You can just feel the love between h/h - she makes him a better person. And the love between the father and daughter is so wonderful.
by Karen
on June 15th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
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I like to wait for romance movies to come on DVD so I can watch them curled up on the couch with my husband. I do go to the show, but I’m usually seeing a action movie that my husband wanted to see. I loved the scene in The Notebook at the end. I’d post more about it but I’m afraid it would be a spoiler for those that haven’t seen it. I also like the scene in Dangerous Beauty when Rufus Sewell comes into her bedroom, picks her up and the romance begins. LOL
by KimW
on June 15th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
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I don’t watch that many movies but the original Star Wars with Han Solo and Leia are touching.
by Joyce
on June 15th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
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i just love bridget jone diary and when bridget and darcy kiss in the snow so cute, cried. angelina and brad making love after the fight, wow baby so hot!!!
pick me lol
by kim h
on June 15th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
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I love romance in movies. Especially when the right actor & actress are cast. Some of my favorites are:
The Notebook: The main characters were cast perfectly. Great love story.
While You Were Sleeping: Sandra Bullock & Bill Pullman (good chemistry)
Hope Floats
Where The Heart Is
Pretty Woman
Curly Sue (I know an odd choice, but it touched my heart when the professional woman fell in love with the homeless man and his daughter).
by Sandra M
on June 15th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
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Star Wars Hans Solo and Princess Leia really makes the movie.
by Sally
on June 15th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
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OK, what ever happened to the old fashioned romance movies?
by Sally
on June 15th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
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Pretty Woman - The ending was so romantic - he braves his fear of heights to get the girl.
by Helen
on June 15th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
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I remember crying buckets when I read “The Notebook.” And then I read “A Walk to Remember” and cried a little. Then I read “Nights in Rodanthe” and I figured out that if this was Nicholas Sparks, somebody was gonna die. The dh gave me the DVD of “The Notebook” and I figured I’d already cried all I was gonna cry over that story. Boy was I wrong!
by Marilyn
on June 16th, 2006 at 12:49 am
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I too will have to go with Nicholas Sparks books/movies - they are soooo romantic and always need a bunch of tissues. All wonderful reads or watchings.
by Joanne V.
on June 16th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
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Well I can’t think of a movie that had a great romance scene…but I would like to be entered in the contest:D
by Kathleen
on June 16th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
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A Knight’s Tale - when he first sees her and follows her on horseback into the church. Too sweet. They have such great dialogue.
Romancing The Stone - I love the scene where he breaks the heels off her shoes.
Anything with Cary Grant and Rock Hudson. Pillow Talk where he first meets Doris Day in person and becomes a new personality because she hates who he really is springs to mind. 
by Lis
on June 16th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
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Loved First Knight and King Arthur too, but then I’m a big time fan of anything medieval. I haven’t seen Robin Hood in eons, but that’s definitely something worth revisiting.
***Prize Winner*** Congratulations to Sally, winner of HIDDEN OBSESSION! Thank you to everyone who chatted.
by Joanne Rock
on June 16th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
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Sally, you can email me at joanne@joannerock.com for details. Thanks again!
by Joanne Rock
on June 16th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
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Big congrats Sally!!!!!
by Danny
on June 17th, 2006 at 11:53 am
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wtg sally
by kim h
on June 18th, 2006 at 2:39 am
