The Ten Best Romantic Movies Of All Time

1. It Happened One Night
This 1934 best-picture winner stars Claudette Colbert and the oh-so-swoonworthy Clark Gable. In a classic screwball comedy, a journalist and a debutante are thrown together and, spoiler alert: they fall in love. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Bonus: If you’ve seen Spaceballs, you’ll recognize some of the source material that was spoofed.

2. Princess Bride
It has action and adventure, revenge and rodents of unusual size, pirates, and mistaken identity. All of that and, at heart, it’s a romance with something for everyone. If you don’t like it, I’m judging you and I’m not sorry.

3. Gone With the Wind
How could this list be complete without this one? Maybe I just have a thing for Clark Gable, but what red-blooded American woman doesn’t? Set against the backdrop of the civil war, this tells the story of a man who will fight for his woman. Remember, fellas, Ashley Wilkes isn’t the one setting hearts racing.

4. Sixteen Candles
We all learned to love Jake Ryan (and his perfect car) with this 80s classic. When Samantha’s family forgets her 16th birthday on the eve of her big sister’s wedding, it seems like a total disaster, but it sets up a perfect high school comedy and romantic story as only John Hughes could tell it. When Jake Ryan delivers his “Yeah, you,” we all melted a little and developed a little soft spot for guys named “Jake.”

5. Tom Jones
Maybe you expected Pride and Prejudice, and it almost made the list, but this 1997 miniseries based on the classic 18th century novel by Henry Fielding is even better. It’s funny, it’s bawdy, there are swordfights and, of course, romance. In short, it’s even better than Pride and Predjudice when it comes to adaptations of period novels, and criminally overlooked. It’s time for this miniseries to get it’s due! Believe me, you’ll forget Mr. Darcy in no time.

6. Notting Hill
I’m just a girl, sitting in front of her laptop, telling you this is one of the most romantic movies of all time. Just when it seems that the love story could get a little too sweet, the ensemble cast brings in comic relief to reel it back in. In the end, it’s funny and sweet, and one of the last films in Hugh Grant’s floppy-haired phase.

7. Sabrina
No, not the Harrison Ford remake (don’t get me started on that) the real one. Chauffeur’s daughter Sabrina Fairchild ends up getting a taste of high society- and romance- with the Larrabbee family, who she has watched from obscurity of the garage since childhood. She finds out the heart can surprise you. Isn’t it romantic?

8. Philadelphia Story
Another classic, this one with Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant (all the swoons in the world), and Jimmy Stewart (who I would marry in a minute). Part screwball comedy, part romance, it’s the best of both and you will be hard-pressed to find a better movie of any genre.

9. Never Been Kissed
Uncool Josie was known as “Josie Grosie” in high school and, now a reporter, has to undercover as, you guessed it, a high school student. She has some career success, but still doesn’t have any confidence in herself. In fact, she’s still never been kissed. This is a story with humor and heart as well as romance as she gains that confidence. When she finally gets that kiss? It was worth the wait.

10. The Wedding Singer
It may masquerade as a comedy (and it’s genuinely funny. I will judge you if you don’t laugh out loud), but you know this is really a romance. You all wish you had a love like this. During that scene on the plane, I tend to get something in my eye. Every single time.