# For Men Only: Your Favorite Romantic Scene in A Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096 "2005-05-23T15:00:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/1 "2005-05-23T15:00:08Z")
OK, I’m a girl. **Empire Strikes Back** was my favorite because of Han and Leia kissing. We women have a reputation for liking romantic movies. But come on, romance takes two…most of the great romantic poems were written by men. So give me some insight into the male romantic imagination. What is you favorite romantic scene in a movie? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/2 "2005-05-23T15:09:15Z")
I have a couple of favorites: Morant (Edward Woodward) sings to a roomful of Edwardian gentlemen and ladies in _Breaker Morant_, but his eyes are on the beautiful younger sister of his superior officer, Capt. Hunt. And her eyes are only on him. Devlin (Cary Grant) coolly escorts Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) down the stairs, into a waiting car and away from the watchful Nazis at the end of _Notorious_. Superman takes Lois Lane for a flying lesson in _Superman_. Any of about a half dozen scenes in _Sense and Sensibility_. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/3 "2005-05-23T15:14:24Z")
The boat scene in Shakespeare in Love, and the 20 minutes that follow. The first kiss in Dogfight (so tentative, so innocent). When Forrest Gump names his shrimpin’ boat. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/4 "2005-05-23T15:15:41Z")
At the end of **L.A. Story** , when all of the impossibly grand things that Harris promised to keep Sara from leaving, actually happen. It’s partly for the scene itself, it’s just beautifully filmed. But more important is the movie leading up to it. Most romantic movies try to make the leads as generically attractive as possible. I guess the idea is to lure in a big audience by getting them to fall for the characters a little bit themselves. In _L.A. Story_, both Harris and Sara are misfits, they’re both smart in a world (inside and outside of the movie) that doesn’t reward it. But they’re right for each other, so the payoff works. [sub]And I did fall for Victoria Tennant a little the first time I saw it.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/5 "2005-05-23T15:20:12Z")
John Cusack and Ione Skye’s date in Say Anything, where he kicks the broken glass out of her way, and they end up having nice, tender sex in his car, holding each other because of the cold. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/6 "2005-05-23T15:26:47Z")
When Chen Chang kidnapped Zhang Ziyi to the desert mountains in CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. In BRAVEHEART, when Mel Gibson and his bride-to-be took off for a ride in the rain. The bit with the pressed flower was nice, too. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/7 "2005-05-23T15:27:42Z")
Kenneth Branagh woos Emma Thompson in **Henry V**. The final scene in **A Letter to Three Wives** when Paul Douglas tells Linda Darnell she now has grounds to divorce him. The Flying Elvises, Vegas Chapter in **Honeymoon in Vegas**. Albert Brooks chasing Meryl Streep in the final scene of **Defending Your Life**. “Here’s looking at you, kid.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/8 "2005-05-23T15:34:46Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > The bit with the pressed flower was nice, too. Yeah, that was hot! Notting Hill: “I have an announcement–I’m getting married! He’s a really great man!” (aside) “By the way–it’s you.” Lave, Actually: Pretty much the whole movie. But the scene with the two people that don’t speak the same language: “I love driving you home. It’s the best part of my day.” “I hate when you drive me home. Leaving you is the worst part of my day.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/9 "2005-05-23T16:05:16Z")
Rick gives up Ilsa in _Casablanca._ Go ahead, tell me that isn’t romantic! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/10 "2005-05-23T16:24:04Z")
After this thread hits about 40 posts it would be interesting to see if the wimminfolks agree with us. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/11 "2005-05-23T16:28:56Z")
I’ll second the airplane scene in _Casablanca_. No one has ever been more romantic in fiction or life. But the Paris scenes were horrible. (Just to add an off-topic Bogey moment – one of the sexiest scenes I’ve ever scene was the “put your lips together and blow” from _To Have and Have Not_.; one of the creepiest scenes I’ve ever scene was Bogey’s “seduction” Mary Astor in _The Maltese Falcon_; one of the most blatant rape scenes (fully clothed) I’ve ever seen was Ricardo Montalban as Khan in _Star Trek_ commanding to Madlyn Rhue “open your heart” in “Space Seed.”) I’ll also second _Say Anything_ – “You’re shaking.” It’s the only realistic depiction of teen sex I’ve ever seen. Maybe a scene or two in _Love, Actually_, but I’d have to double-check. It’s been a while since I’ve scene it. In _Four Weddings and a Funeral_ when Kristin Scott Thomas admits offhand that she was in love with Hugh Grant. (Any scene with Andie MacDowell was a clunker, but I otherwise loved that movie.) Several other scenes, including John Hannah’s recitation of Auden at the funeral (yes, that was romantic) and James Fleet’s “Thunderbolt City”! The only other example I can think of right now is from television – several scenes regarding Tim and Dawn in _The Office_. I found them devastating. I’d object to many of the scenes mentioned in this thread. The _Braveheart_ scene was barf-worthy in my book. _Henry V_ - I found the seduction nearly incomprehensible and stilted. It was all politics anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/12 "2005-05-23T16:34:34Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > The only other example I can think of right now is from television – several scenes regarding Tim and Dawn in _The Office_. I found them devastating. I’m only a couple episodes into Season 2, so I haven’t seen the Christmas special or anything, but “devastating” is a good word for their relationship and interactions. And as the audience, I feel just as horrible as the characters, in that rare instance. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/13 "2005-05-23T16:37:44Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’d object to many of the scenes mentioned in this thread. The _Braveheart_ scene was barf-worthy in my book. Sounds like man who’s never kept a momento from young love for a long time. Man, just from a playa perspective that’s a killer romantic move. You kidding? Of course, if you’re talking about the horseback ride in the rain leading up to that revelation… well… maybe. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/14 "2005-05-23T16:52:22Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’d object to many of the scenes mentioned in this thread. So do I. I guess it’s a personal thing. I’m a little surprised that Love, Actually and Shakespeare in Love are so underrepresented in this thread, as I find them to be the two most romantic movies ever, no questions asked, shut uppa you face if you think different. But I am heartened to see not even one reference to Harold and Maude. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/15 "2005-05-23T16:53:38Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Sounds like man who’s never kept a momento from young love for a long time. Not true. > [@](#): > > Man, just from a playa perspective that’s a killer romantic move. You kidding? Well, to me, anything that is so obviously a “move” by definition is coloured by a layer of insincerity. I just don’t believe in such gestures as an indication of true romance. It always makes me think of _Highlander_ in which he got laid (in the present) by stabbing himself. “Hmm … so that’s what women want. A live disembowelment.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/16 "2005-05-23T16:59:09Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > After this thread hits about 40 posts it would be interesting to see if the wimminfolks agree with us. How can they? We’re not even agreeing with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/17 "2005-05-23T17:03:32Z")
\*\*ascenray. \*\* That’s just messed up, dawg, thinking that’s insincere. There’s waaaay easier ways of faking sincerity than keeping a genuine momento of an old flame for a couple of decades, that you later return to the old flame. Have you never heard of alcohol? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/18 "2005-05-23T17:04:39Z")
_Beauty and the Beast_, when the Beast shows Belle the library. _Titanic_ - “I’m flying, Jack”, the portrait. _Casablanca_ - hell, the whole thing (well, most of it) was romantic. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/19 "2005-05-23T17:06:57Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Well, to me, anything that is so obviously a “move” by definition is coloured by a layer of insincerity. I just don’t believe in such gestures as an indication of true romance. I’ve got to disagree. I once kept a flower given to me by a young lady for years, with no expectation at all of “using” it to cash in on her heart strings when she returned to me. In fact I fully expected never to see her again. And I haven’t. Aw, crap. Now I’m thinking about her again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096/20 "2005-05-23T17:09:03Z")
Two that stand out for me:“Bull Durham”–the whole montage between Costner and Sarandon after Nuke leaves for the majors. “Sideways”–Virginia Madsen’s wine monologue that ends with “plus, it tastes so f\*\*\*\*\*\* good!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-men-only-your-favorite-romantic-scene-in-a-movie/305096.md?page=2)