# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/61 "2003-02-12T19:42:51Z")
To End All Wars ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/62 "2003-02-12T19:44:49Z")
20,000 leagues under the sea was pretty good and I don’t remember any women in it at all. ---
**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, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/63 "2003-02-12T20:25:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*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. \*\* Oh, fudge! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avalonian \* > **_Watership Down_ has a touch of rabbit-romance implied, as I recall it.** I think calling it romance is a stretch. They wanted the females for purely procreative reasons. (Although maybe that alone could disqualify it from the OP’s criteria.) My new entry: **Apocalypse Now!** ---
**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, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/64 "2003-02-12T20:42:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaspar Hauser \* > \*\*Oh, fudge! > > I think calling it romance is a stretch. They wanted the females for purely procreative reasons. (Although maybe that alone could disqualify it from the OP’s criteria.) > > My new entry: **Apocalypse Now!** \*\* Ah, but in **Apocalypse Now: Redux** , Martin Sheen’s character get’s it on with a hot looking French gal, then there’s also the Playmates who work at “improving the crew’s morale.” ---
**Author:** ![scablet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@scablet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scablet)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/65 "2003-02-12T23:55:16Z")
I thought the waitress had a speaking part in **Reservoir Dogs** as well, and was going to post as such, but a quick viewing of the opening scene just now confirmed that the waitress never actually speaks; they’ve already received the tab when the movie opens, and they leave before she comes to pick it up. So the entire duration of the movie goes by without a peep from a female (unless you count the screaming of the lady whose car Pink hijacks) - even the soundtrack is fully comprised of male-vocalist songs! This was also the first time I noticed how Mr. Pink goes to take a sip of his coffee as Nice Guy Eddie is speaking, only to find it (presumably) empty and shoots a look of disgust towards their absentee waitress. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Roberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Don\_Roberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Roberto)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/66 "2003-02-13T00:53:41Z")
No romantic aspect that I recall, although my memory is notoriously faulty: Das Boot Apocolypse Now The Seventh Seal I think the top ones mentioned so far (including my own) are 2001, Bridge on the River Kwai, and City of Lost Children. And in my interpretation, **Lawrence of Arabia** definitely had some homoerotic undertones ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Roberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Don\_Roberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Roberto)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/67 "2003-02-13T00:55:51Z")
Doh! Forgot about the Playmates! ---
**Author:** ![Emilio\_Lizardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Emilio\_Lizardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emilio_Lizardo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/68 "2003-02-13T01:00:08Z")
**Boondock Saints** and, of course, **Koyaanisquatsi** No actors or characters at all! How much purer can you get? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/69 "2003-02-13T01:11:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*\*\* Midnight Cowboy **. Lots of sex, no real love. In the flashback scenes in Texas, Joe Buck has a girlfriend.** ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/70 "2003-02-13T01:12:33Z")
Oops. That second sentence above was mine, not from Annie-Xmas. ---
**Author:** ![cmburns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cmburns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmburns)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/71 "2003-02-13T01:16:10Z")
Has anyone mentioned **One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest** yet? There is the scene with the hookers, but it would be a stretch to call that a “love” plot. I don’t remember anything else even approaching a romantic angle in the film, although it has been awhile since I saw it. Same for **A Clockwork Orange**. There’s certainly some sex, but I don’t think anything in the plot resembles romantic love. ---
**Author:** ![zigaretten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/91b2a8/32.png) [@zigaretten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zigaretten)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/72 "2003-02-13T02:43:57Z")
In **A Clockwork Orange** the writer loves his wife and is almost destroyed by her death. In **City of Lost Children** Miette gets jelous when One tries to impress the hooker and…well…I don’t care what you think, there is something not quite “right” about the relationship between One and Miette. Maybe I’m just a dirty old man. My nominee: **The Lord of the Flies** , especially the old B&W version. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/73 "2003-02-13T03:05:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Emilio Lizardo \* > \*\*[and, of course, > > **Koyaanisquatsi** > > No actors or characters at all! How much purer can you get? \*\* Damn you! I was skimming through this whole thread, jus’ waitin’ to see if anyone would beat me to it. I’ll enter: **Mindwalk** ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/74 "2003-02-13T07:04:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Don Roberto \* > \*\*No romantic aspect that I recall, although my memory is notoriously faulty: > > Das Boot > \*\* Well, at least in the directors cut, there was the sub-plot about the crew member who had a lover in france who as carrying his baby. Lt. Werner was asked to deliver a batch of letters to her when he was to get off in spain. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Don Roberto \* > \*\* > The Seventh Seal > \*\* I seem to remember at least one couple in there who was someone prominent. ---
**Author:** ![SadTomato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@SadTomato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SadTomato)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/75 "2003-02-13T07:13:54Z")
\*\*Silent Running My Dinner With Andre The Errand Boy Dark Star The Hot Rock Beverly Hills Cop All The President’s Men Texas Chainsaw Massacre\*\* ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/76 "2003-02-13T08:44:15Z")
**Silence of the Lambs** ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/77 "2003-02-13T08:52:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Emilio Lizardo \* > \*\ ***Boondock Saints** > > and, of course, > > **Koyaanisquatsi** > > No actors or characters at all! How much purer can you get? \*\* True, but there are several couples with their arms wrapped around one another in the film. So, that certainly seems to indicate that they are in love. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/78 "2003-02-13T10:20:11Z")
What about **Babe**? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/79 "2003-02-13T12:56:54Z")
In Babe, the farmer is married, apparently quite happily. ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-film-of-all-time-without-a-love-plot-sub-plot-or-aspect/154473/80 "2003-02-13T15:21:56Z")
Nobody’s mentioned **Shawshank Redemption**! Excellent film, one of my top 5, but no real love interest. How about **Vertigo**? That’s pretty much the earliest film i can think of with a purely platonic m/f friendship in it. or **Metropolis**? Not much romance there! [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=3) [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=5)