Valentine’s Day will be here soon. Besides roses, candy, and dinner, you need some warm fuzzy movies to watch while snuggling with your love. Good love stories provide comedy, romance, and in many cases, a good cry at the expense of someone else’s relationship.
Have a great relaxing date night, while enjoying quality time spent with your loved one by watching these beloved Top Ten Tales of Love:
10 in the golden pool – Seeing love transcend decades is a glorious spectacle. Whether we see it within our own families or in a movie like here, it holds promise for our own relationships. Not only relationships with our spouses, but also with our children. Two movie powerhouses, Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda, gave us grace, humor, and reasons to believe in love for a lifetime. Seeing the love and admiration between Fonda and his daughter Jane adds credibility to this great and wonderful love story.
9. love is a splendid thing – Determination to be with the one you love: The basic theme of the love story abounds here, spun fascinatingly between two great actors. Jennifer Jones graces the screen in everything she touches, but watching her with William Holden is mesmerizing. Crossing racial barriers and adultery, this story finds you wishing this couple would overcome everything to be together. I watched it recently and actually cried a lot, just like I had before when I first saw it. Highly recommended. It’s a good hugs and tissues movie.
8. pillow talk – An excellent love story does not have to make you cry. This movie with Rock Hudson and Doris Day is the classic comedy full of mistaken identity, love and outright hilarity. Excellent soundtrack, especially the little ditty that reigns throughout the film in various versions! Also with Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter.
7. The store around the corner -James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. This was the inspiration for “You’ve Got Mail” with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. That was fine, but for that matter, as in many cases, nothing beats the original. No internet here, just good old fashioned letter writing and pen pal life in a quaint little town in Budapest at Christmas. You will cry into your hot chocolate.
6. the history of philadelphia – All-star comedy that returned Katharine Hepburn to the top after a plateau early in her career. Impossible to see how she wouldn’t have. This mini-novel tells the intertwining story of one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest families and the tabloid-filled lives they lead. Splendid dialogue and lots of lovely chemistry across the cast make for a “very welcome” piece of entertainment. With Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart (his Oscar award of hers) and Ruth Hussey.
5. love in the afternoon – May-December romance takes the stage here along with fast life, mischief and mistaken identities. Even a case of disappointment can’t stop Gary Cooper from falling for the young and beautiful Audrey Hepburn. The captivating music also helps to spin this captivating story. The train station scene in this movie features a classic moment that many other romance movies have tried to duplicate. There has been no other to reach the emotion that this film evokes.
4. it happened one night – What do you get with an heiress running from an engagement and a starving reporter trying to capture the story of the year? One of the best romantic comedies to ever hit the screen. Full of risque, yet now classic, 1930s moments, this film warms your heart as you laugh. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert were a great couple.
3. White House -Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. This is the story that has it all for everyone. War, intrigue, suspense, game, song, romance and of course Paris.
2. Madison County Bridges -Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. I didn’t think the movie would make me cry as much as the book, but it does. It is a love she must hold in her heart for the rest of her life, but as she passes the legacy of this love to his children after his death, it makes understanding his power that much easier. somehow.
1. wuthering heights – Sir Lawrence Olivier and Merle Oberon. The story of Heathcliff, Cathy and the wind of the Moors. Classic story of a heavy heart and, literally, everlasting love. The ultimate tearjerker. I still remember many years ago in college when some of my classmates and I went to an old movie theater in town showing this movie. After the lights came up at the end of the movie, almost all of us in the audience continued to sob. (We also laugh in embarrassment.) It’s beautiful and perfect for snuggling on Valentine’s Day. It will give you the gratitude of knowing love in your life, always.
The original list of my top picks I compiled was very long, but I also want to mention a few more for you to consider:
desktop game – Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy’s lovely chemistry throughout the film, especially in the library loft, gives me chills every time I watch it. They couldn’t have hidden it if they had tried.
brief encounter -Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson. Considered the love story of all love stories. Obviously, there’s something that tugs at the heartstrings of watching stories of unrequited love or, in this case, seeing love blossom between those already spoken to. Written by Noel Coward and moving along to Rachmaninoff’s glorious soundtrack, there’s no avoiding tears at the end of this film.
legends of the fall – Brad Pitt, the west, war and unrequited love. He picks up at least two boxes of tissues.
when harry met sally – one of my all time favorites… Women and men can be friends. However, these two were destined for love, period.
gone With the Wind – my best movie… but at four hours, it seemed a bit long to mention it in the top 10. But don’t miss it… romance, war, passion, Scarlett and Rhett…
titanic -Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It’s quite long, too, but it’s the quintessential romantic tragedy. We all know the story, but no other movie version captured the romance and desperation quite like this one. Coupled with Celine Dion’s crescendo on the title track and the never-ending story that continues (forgive me) through the necklace, you’ll still be in tears the next day when the song comes on the radio. It always has airplay this time of year!
Be sure to get them in time for your Valentine’s Day celebration or any time you want to have a glorious date night with your significant other!
