# Recommend some good romantic comedies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270 "2005-01-18T00:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/21 "2005-01-18T02:55:29Z")
I second (or 3rd, 4th, whatever): The Philadelphia Story It Happened One Night Love, Actually (this is such a wonderful movie on so many levels) and add my own selection: [Sliding Doors](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120148/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9U2xpZGluZyBEb29yc3xodG1sPTF8bm09b24_;fc=1;ft=1) My love for John Hannah after seeing this movie knows no limits. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/22 "2005-01-18T02:55:32Z")
Thanks for all the great ideas so far! Actually I have seen a few of them already (Wimbledon - which I really liked, but I’m not sure if it’s on DVD yet), and Keeping The Faith (it was a while ago, but I remember it being really funny). From what I’ve heard about the plot, it would be easy to split the viewing Love Actually over two days. And I’ll be sure to mention a bunch of the more classic films. (Out of 60 or so employees at my company, about 55 are women aged 30 to 50, so they’ll get some nostalgia out of the older films). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/23 "2005-01-18T03:03:28Z")
Love Actually Fever Pitch My Name Is Joe ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/24 "2005-01-18T03:04:38Z")
> [@drm](#): > > Garden State _Garden State_ is a romantic comedy? I mean, I know it has romance and it has comedy but I wouldn’t call it a romantic comedy. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/25 "2005-01-18T03:32:26Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > Actually I have seen a few of them already (Wimbledon - which I really liked, but I’m not sure if it’s on DVD yet) It is. I work at Blockbuster and we have it on our shelves for rental and for sale. I can’t believe I forgot _The Philadelphia Story_ - the dialogue just hooks me every time, which is the same quality I like so much in _When Harry Met Sally_. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/26 "2005-01-18T03:44:00Z")
_When Harry Met Sally…_ was the first one I thought of. And everyone else, too, apparently. So in search of some novel suggestions, let’s drop by Lubitsch Alley: \*The Shop Around the Corner Ninotchka Trouble in Paradise To Be or Not To Be \*(not exactly a _romantic_ comedy, but great) and Austen Lane: _Emma Sense and Sensibility Mansfield Park_ (I haven’t seen it all the way through, but it looks pretty good) _Twentieth Century_ is Carole Lombard at her best. _Truly Madly Deeply_ (a little dark and offbeat, but good) _Choose Me_ (a little-known favorite of mine by Alan Rudolph) and we can end up in heaven: _Made in Heaven_ (Rudolph again) _Defending Your Life_ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/27 "2005-01-18T03:47:58Z")
[House of Sand and Fog](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315983/)? OK, maybe it’s a little short on romance. And on comedy. But it’s a damn fine flick, and not just on Valentine’s day. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/28 "2005-01-18T04:19:12Z")
I have to second **Sliding Doors**. My cousin and his wife watched it and hated it vemonously. Turned it off shortly into it. We rented it and really liked it. So now, whatever they hate, we know we will like. And vicey-versy. And I am with you on the John Hannah Adoration thingie. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/29 "2005-01-18T04:26:31Z")
Another good one: [**Next Stop Wonderland**](http://imdb.com/title/tt0119778/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9bmV4dCBzdG9wIHdvbmRlcmxhbmR8aHRtbD0xfG5tPW9u;fc=1;ft=1). ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/30 "2005-01-18T04:58:48Z")
**Clueless** ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/31 "2005-01-18T04:59:06Z")
My favorite in the genre is [The American President](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112346/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9VGhlIEFtZXJpY2FuIFByZXNpZGVudHxodG1sPTF8bm09b24_;fc=1;ft=7;fm=1) (Run time, 114 min) The IMDB sums up the plot well, and I think that the casting is very well done (especially with Richard Dreyfuss and Michael J. Fox in support). It’s romantic without being gushy, and funny without being stupid (not to say that that’s a bad thing all of the time 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/32 "2005-01-18T05:49:31Z")
_::Windwalker shakes his head::_ Breakfast at Tiffany’s. _::Windwalker exits stage left::_ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/33 "2005-01-18T05:54:45Z")
_Gregory’s Girl_ and _Local Hero_, both directed by Bill Forsyth. The former emphasizes romance more than the latter but they’re both very good and very sweet without being saccharine. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/34 "2005-01-18T05:55:38Z")
**Prizzi’s Honor Bride of Chucky Scream Blacula Scream** I’m really not in the spirit of this, am I? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/35 "2005-01-18T06:14:32Z")
Although not a big fan of Diane Keaton, I liked _Something’s Gotta Give_. A classic would be _7 Year Itch_. Also _Something About Mary_ and _Tin Cup_. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/36 "2005-01-18T06:20:35Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > **Prizzi’s Honor > Bride of Chucky > Scream Blacula Scream** > > I’m really not in the spirit of this, am I? Hey, at least you didn’t recommend _House of Sand and Fog_. I second (or octuple) the following: **Love, Actually Roxanne Sliding Doors** (Possibly your best bet, since not many will have seen it, and it’s very good.) I wouldn’t go with _When Harry Met Sally_ only because I saw it way too many times already. Strangely, I would still recommend **Overboard** , which I have seen even more times. But if you have some Meg Ryan fans to please, I’d go with **Kate & Leopold**. If they could handle a more dramatic movie with romance in the mix, I’d also toss in **Beautiful Girls** and **Laurel Canyon**. My favorite romantic comedy of all is probably **The Wedding Singer**. It helps that it squarely targets the 30-somethings who came of age in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/37 "2005-01-18T06:35:35Z")
It’s not a great movie, but it’s cute and funny, at least in parts, and it has James Garner. That right there is worth a bunch of points. I’ll watch James Garner any day. _Murphy’s Romance_ Not sure about the spelling there, actually. And it probably has the advantage of not being something everybody has seen a dozen times. Other than that I’d put in a good word for _It Happened One Night_ and _Philadelphia Story_. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/38 "2005-01-18T06:56:16Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > \*\* > Scream Blacula Scream\*\* Gotta second this one. 🙂 Actually, [10 Things I Hate About You](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/) is a well-done and fun adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. Good romantic comedy and, unlike Romeo and Juliet… … no one dies. Well, no one stabs themselves. Or poisons themselves. Or, hell, hires Leonardo Di-what’s-his-name to play a part. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/39 "2005-01-18T08:27:02Z")
I’d like to second a number of movies mentioned already: **While You Were Sleeping** **The Princess Bride** I’m also a bit of a Cary Grant fan, and love some of his less well known films: **[I Was a Male War Bride](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041498/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9SSBXYXMgYSBNYWxlIFdhciBCcmlkZXxodG1sPTF8bm09b24_;fc=1;ft=1)** - for a period farce it stands up very well to modern sensibilities **[People Will Talk](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043915/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9UGVvcGxlIFdpbGwgVGFsa3xodG1sPTF8bm09b24_;fc=1;ft=3;fm=1)** - another period piece, though not a farce, and again, it stands up very well in spite of the 50 years since it was filmed. **[Father Goose](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058092/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxzZz0xfGxtPTIwMHx0dD1vbnxwbj0wfHE9RmF0aGVyIEdvb3NlfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=2;ft=21;fm=1)** ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270/40 "2005-01-18T15:07:05Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Garden State is a romantic comedy? I mean, I know it has romance and it has comedy but I wouldn’t call it a romantic comedy. Actually that’s exactly what I thought but I threw it in there anyhow because it did, in fact, have both romance and comedy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-romantic-comedies/285270.md?page=3)