# What is the greatest film of all time without a love plot, sub-plot, or aspect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473 "2003-02-12T00:20:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/41 "2003-02-12T06:10:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*You’re forgetting Ann Sears as the nurse dating William Holden’s character. \*\* :smack: I sure am. And I even watched it again not too long ago… ---
**Author:** ![shotgun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@shotgun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shotgun)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/42 "2003-02-12T06:13:16Z")
What about “Deliverance”. Unless you call that love?? ha! ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/43 "2003-02-12T14:26:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shotgun \* > \*\*What about “Deliverance”. Unless you call that love?? ha! \*\* But at the end, doesn’t Jon Voigt wake up from a bad dream next to his wife? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/44 "2003-02-12T14:44:07Z")
\*\* Midnight Cowboy \*\*. Lots of sex, no real love. \*\* To Kill a Mockingbird \*\* is also a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/45 "2003-02-12T14:48:39Z")
**Canadian Bacon**? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/46 "2003-02-12T15:09:47Z")
> [@](#): > > But at the end, doesn’t Jon Voigt wake up from a bad dream next to his wife? I believe the scene you are thinking of is Voight visiting the wife of the guy who died (Ronny Cox? it’s been a while). _Deliverance_ is definitely _not_ an it-was-all-a-dream movie. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/47 "2003-02-12T16:13:57Z")
**The Replacement Killers**. Sure, there’s a pesky gun runner/drug dealer trying to get into Mira Sorvino’s pants, but that doesn’t really count as “romance.” Well, for most people, anyway. **The Neverending Story** comes to mind. Right up there with **End of Days**. **Predator** also lacked romance, but not **Predator 2** , so not all sci-fi is completely romance free. To be honest, I kinda got the impression there was a little bit in **Alien** between Ripply and the captain. I could be wrong, or it could just be the fact he was the first victim of the fully grown beast, so it never really developed. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/48 "2003-02-12T16:47:44Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > Deliverance_ is definitely _not_ an it-was-all-a-dream movie. \*\* I didn’t make myself clear, and I certainly didn’t mean to imply that _Deliverance_ was an it-was-all-a-dream movie. Anyhow, after everyone’s gone home (“I don’t think I’ll be seeing you for a while, Ed”), there’s a scene of the calm waters of the lake created by the dammed up river, and a arm comes floating to the surface. Ed (Jon Voight) then awakes with a start. He’s in bed with someone who comforts him and he rolls back over. I always thought it was his wife (but it _could_ be Drew’s (Ronny Cox) widow. That never occurred to me.) Checking IMDB, it shows Belinda Beatty as Martha Gentry, and Ed’s last name is Gentry, so I think it’s his wife. Mind you, that’s _very_ little man/woman relationship - maybe fifteen seconds of a 109 minute movie. But under the terms of the OP, I think it disqualifies _Deliverance_. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/49 "2003-02-12T16:49:55Z")
Scifi/fantasy? romance-free? huh? Han & Leia, Lois & Clark, Arwen & Aragorn, Captain Kirk & anything vaguely feminine… There are a few, maybe. Neverending story is close, but I always saw a bit of a spark between the empress and Bastian. Maybe it’s just me. Kid’s movies in general tend to have lots of clean romance. Pinocchio is maybe the only disney movie that doesn’t. I was going to say Toy Story, but there’s Bo Peep. hmmm… tough one… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/50 "2003-02-12T16:55:56Z")
Gotcha, **Labdad**. I did misunderstand what you were saying. Now that you explicate a bit, I think I remember that scene, too. Sorry for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/51 "2003-02-12T16:58:04Z")
**Watership Down** and **Duel**. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/52 "2003-02-12T17:10:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aaaaaarrgg \* > \*\*first one that comes to mind is ‘the exorcist’ \*\* Supposedly, that’s Ray Bradbury’s favorite Valentine’s Day movie. Since it does deal with God’s love for His creation… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/53 "2003-02-12T17:19:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaspar Hauser \* > **Duel**. Only in the original, made-for-TV version. In the theatrical release, he calls his wife when he pulls over for gas and, IIRC, tries to make up for the argument they had. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/54 "2003-02-12T17:37:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of Sandwhich \* > \*\*The Killing \*\* No, Elisha Cook, Jr. is a henpecked husband whose wife is humping someone else, possibly Sterling Hayden, IIRC hrh ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/55 "2003-02-12T18:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaspar Hauser \* > **Watership Down** _Watership Down_ has a touch of rabbit-romance implied, as I recall it. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/56 "2003-02-12T19:07:29Z")
I haven’t seen it since it first came out, but I don’t recall **Schindler’s List** having any romantic sub-plot. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/57 "2003-02-12T19:13:22Z")
**Full Metal Jacket**? ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/58 "2003-02-12T19:26:28Z")
Ralph Fiennes character was in love or had a relationship with the Jewish maid in _Schindler’s List_. How about _ **Stand by Me** _? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/59 "2003-02-12T19:27:09Z")
Jodie Foster’s character in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ had no boyfriend or any other hint of a romantic social life. Although, I suppose some could argue that her character’s relationship with Dr. Lecter COULD be somewhat construed as “romantic,” I think the film made it fairly clear that Hannibal was more of a ‘father figure’ for her. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/60 "2003-02-12T19:37:12Z")
I was going to say Silence of the Lambs, but I think the subtext between Clarice and Hannibal kill it, and then of course there’s the twisted sexuality of the killer. Not love, but still… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473.md?page=4)