# What is your favorite love story movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554 "2016-01-09T03:16:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/81 "2016-01-12T21:59:12Z")
Mine just was recently released…_ **The Hateful Eight** _. Jennifer Jason Leigh is perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/82 "2016-01-12T22:19:55Z")
> [@Scougs](#): > > It’s usually listed as a horror, but I’ve always found **The Dead Zone** (1983) to be an incredibly moving love story. The scene where he’s tutoring the wee boy and Sarah appears unexpectedly at his door… Christopher Walken at his best, and tears me up every time. > > Big fan of **Brokeback Mountain** too, ever since reading the original short story back in 1998. > > I guess I don’t like happy endings either. Don’t like happy endings? Try “I Smile Back” (2015) [I Smile Back (2015) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3640682/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_11) It’ll tear your heart out. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/83 "2016-01-13T01:04:39Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > “i was looking [del]up[/del] at my phone” lmfao! :d **EDIT:** WTF is wrong with the capitals on this board?!? :mad: ---
**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:** [January 13, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/84 "2016-01-13T01:09:13Z")
> [@Gothic](#): > > Notorious. > > [Notorious (1946) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038787/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2) Ooo, yes. My favorite Hitchcock. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are fantastic. ---
**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:** [January 13, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/85 "2016-01-13T01:19:17Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > The Jerk. It is, not kidding, one of my favorite love stories. When Bernadette Peters pulls out her trumpet [during their lovely duet of Tonight You Belong To Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtConX8UNsk), you knew they were meant for each other. Have you seen **L.A. Story**? It’s the same sort of thing you describe; characters that are eccentric enough to be just right for each other. And it’s a bit more adult and realistic than _The Jerk_, but not too much. > [@Mixolydian](#): > > Not a big fan of RomComs, but I thought **It Happened One Night** was pretty good. > > Another vote for **Wings of Desire** - one of my favorite films, love story or otherwise. > [@terentii](#): > > Excellent choice! Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert… :o > > _ **The Philadelphia Story** _ is another good one: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart … they don’t make 'em like that any more! From the '30s madcap era I really like **My Man Godfrey** ; you can’t go wrong with William Powell. The romance is something of a subplot, though, not always front and center. And it has the funniest closing line in movie history. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/86 "2016-01-13T01:21:37Z")
**Harold and Maude** , I’ve probably seen it 20 times. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/87 "2016-01-13T01:26:34Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Have you seen **L.A. Story**? It’s the same sort of thing you describe; characters that are eccentric enough to be just right for each other. And it’s a bit more adult and realistic than _The Jerk_, but not too much. Have not seen and will check out. Thanks for the recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/88 "2016-01-13T01:39:51Z")
_True Love_. Late 80s, introduced Annabella Sciorra and Ron Eldard to the world. Great, great movie, with an ending that’s just ambiguous enough to leave you wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/89 "2016-01-13T01:41:31Z")
[Serendipity.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240890/) Its the ultimate macho fantasy. 😃 Who doesn’t want to pretend that they are _30-years-of-martial-arts-workouts_ John Cusack? Who doesn’t want to pretend that the life that they may not find 100% fulfilling isn’t just setting the stage for possibly the best cosmic gift possible? Who doesn’t want to pretend that Kate Beckinsale could actually walk into a room and actually _like_ them… all of the personality and the box it came in… the whole package? Who wouldn’t want to pretend that **IF** there was some power outside of reality, that it might be some invisible supreme five-dimensional-juggler surrounded by miles of fields of invisible laughing, dancing, and tumbling acrobats… and that if you danced just a little bit the right way… it might look down on you and say, “Boy, you’ve made me Laugh. Here is your Hearts Desire. Live Happily Ever After…” ? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/90 "2016-01-13T01:46:58Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > _True Love_. _ **True Romance.** _ Tarantino seen through the eyes of Tony Scott. It’s great, especially the parts with Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and James Gandolfini! :o ---
**Author:** ![jsquire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jsquire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsquire)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/91 "2016-01-13T04:09:13Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > For enduring love stories: _Life Is Beautiful_ > > and > > _The Notebook_ > > I cried for days. _Life Is Beautiful_ is one of my three or four favorite movies ever. This is how much I love it: when it first came out on VHS, the local Kroger played it on a combo TV/VCR they were selling. I went to pick up a couple of items, saw it playing, and stood in the middle of the store for the remainder of the film. I come home 90 minutes later, my wife says “what took so long?” and my answer was to speak Italian like Roberto Begnini. But the powerful parts are not romantic, at least not to me. They are equal parts silly and terrifying. My pick is _Before Sunrise_ and _Before Sunset_. The third one didn’t do much for me. Mu parents were married for 58 years, then my father got a cancer diagnosis and died three weeks later (which was less than two weeks ago). I wonder if any films have tackled the subject of a lifelong romance that very suddenly involves saying goodbye forever. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/92 "2016-01-13T04:32:01Z")
Speaking of Cusack, I’ll always love _Say Anything_. Just hearing Peter Gabriel’s name can get me all misty. Or want to kickbox. With a boom box. I’m so confused, but in the best possible way. ---
**Author:** ![MacLir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@MacLir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacLir)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/93 "2016-01-13T15:38:09Z")
I’ll go with “[50 First Dates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_First_Dates).” Both the devotion of her Dad and brother, to repaint a wall every night so she can paint the mural every day, and then the ultimate solution of a video scrapbook that is her personal “boot sequence” to keep her up with everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/94 "2016-01-13T16:16:39Z")
I guess my favorites are **"Roman Holiday"** - The writers don’t cop out. The ending, though bittersweet, is the **only** way this story could end. Besides, Audrey Hepburn is just so damn beautiful in this film! **"Prelude To A Kiss"** - This little seen love story has such a deep premise. When we fall in love is it because of a person’s looks or because who the person\*\* really\*\* is. **"Her"** - I was blown away with the writing in this film. Though the man was a real person and the woman a computer created “person” this love story may have been the most honest portrayal of a relationship ever put on film. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/95 "2016-01-13T16:18:06Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > _Up_ manages a beautiful love story in about the first ten minutes. Good call! I forgot about that one. I defy anyone watch those ten minutes and not cry. It just can’t be done. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/96 "2016-01-13T16:51:30Z")
Another enthusiastic vote for “Serendipity”. Kate Beckinsale is luminous in the film and Cusack is it his most appealing. Plus I, too, am a closet believer in the trope that love will find a way, no matter the odds. And for a classic movie love story, you just can’t beat “Casablanca”. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/97 "2016-01-13T16:52:32Z")
By far my favorite is **Comrades, Almost a Love Story**. It is hard to express just how wonderful and moving this romance is. But I’ve tried, in a previous review I wrote that I’m posting below. I’ve spoliered it, not b/c of movie spoilers but so I don’t gum up the thread with a wall of text. [spoiler] **Comrades, Almost a Love Story** is one of my all-time favorite movies, of any genre. **Comrades** swept award after award upon its Hong Kong release. For example, see the list for the Hong Kong Film Awards: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director (Peter Chan), Best Actress (Maggie Cheung), Best Supporting Actor (Eric Tsang). Plus Best Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume & Make-up Design, and Score. The story covers a 10-year span. In 1986, Li Jun (played by Leon Lai) arrives in Hong Kong right off the proverbial turnip truck. He’s a Mainlander from some rural community up north. He has come to Hong Kong to make some money in order to eventually bring his fiancée down and get married. This task is made difficult because he is rather naive and more importantly, doesn’t speak a word of Cantonese. His best hope is to work menial jobs until he can learn the language and better his circumstances. One day he goes into a McDonald’s to pantomime his way into ordering a hamburger. The cashier, Li Qiao (Maggie Cheung), is arrogantly frustrated with his inability to speak Cantonese and tells him he’d better get with the program because in the hustling capitalism of Hong Kong, people like him don’t stand much of a chance. He is drawn to her because she can speak to him in Mandarin and she is very cute. “Are you from the Mainland, too?” he asks. “Of course not!” she says. (It’s hard to move up in HK with that stigma attached.) Anyway, they end up spending time together. She steers him toward an English language class. Out of friendship? Well, not really, because she gets a cut ($$) for every Mainlander she delivers. She also has him running errands and such for her. They grow closer. At one point she confesses that she too is from the Mainland (but from nearby Guangzhou Province, not from up north hicksville). He replies “I’ve pretty much known that all along.” “They why did you let me take advantage of you?” “I needed a friend and you’re the only one I have.” They become lovers of convenience and proximity. He still loves his fiancée and sends her letters, but she is distant and Li Qiao is near. So far, this is the first half hour of the film. How it plays out from here is the magic of this movie. The backdrop of the next 10 years is the ever-changing Hong Kong as it prepares for the 1997 handover. Fortunes made, fortunes lost. Li Qiao and Li Jun go their separate ways, but find themselves back in each other’s lives from time to time. She meets someone else and he ends up marrying his fiancée. But still their feelings for each other can never be suppressed entirely. I hope I have not made this seem like a typical boy-meets-girl romance. It is so much more than that, and yet without all the trappings you might expect from a big-budget Hollywood film. There are no wisecracking sidekicks, no cute kids making fools out of the adults, no slapsticky miscommunications. Just these two wonderfully engaging people and the lives they lead and the difficult choices they make. I know I am a romantic softie. A number of movies cause my eyes to get all misty. I’ve seen “Comrades” at least 6 times and I still get leaky. I know what happens, I know how it ends – there are no plot surprises. Yet every time I watch it I can’t help but be absorbed by the acting, the pacing, and the emotional impact of the story of these two people.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/98 "2016-01-13T18:18:07Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Has no one yet mentioned _ **Roman Holiday** _ with Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, and Eddie Albert? Another romantic movie for people who don’t particularly care for romantic movies! :o I was wondering how long it would take for someone to mention _ **Roman Holiday** _! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/99 "2016-01-13T18:29:43Z")
Lost in Traslation. Bill Murry and Scarlet Johanson never actually hook up, but they form a very special bond. One of my most favorite movies. ---
**Author:** ![vertizontal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ad7895/32.png) [@vertizontal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vertizontal)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554/100 "2016-01-13T18:54:47Z")
[Phenomenon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenon_(film)) This film has lots of interesting twists and turns, with a charming little love story between the John Travolta and Kyra Sedgwick characters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-love-story-movie/742554.md?page=6)