Seems I've been relentlessly bashing Romantic Comedies since I started
writing for Movie Smackdown. I'm only hard on them because I want them to be
better, because I know they can be better.
Just in case you don't believe me
when I tell you I love the genre, here is a little (partial) list of romantic comedies I
will happily defend, presented in reverse chronological order. All of them are
worlds better than the execrable holiday-themed callow crass cash cow currently raking in the moolah at the
multiplex near you. Trust me, you're better off renting and watching any
one of these in the comfort of home than taking a chance on finding true movie love in "Valentine's Day."
Duplicity (2009)
Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
Enchanted (2007)
Waitress (2007)
Knocked Up (2007)
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Little Manhattan (2005)
Sideways (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Love Actually (2003)
Mostly Martha (2002)
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Amélie (2000)
High Fidelity (2000)
Notting Hill (1999)
Chasing Amy (1997)
Four Weddings & a Funeral (1994)
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Swingers (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Impromptu (1991)
Green Card (1990)
Pretty Woman (1990)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Say Anything (1989)
Mystic Pizza (1988)
Crossing Delancey (1988)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Moonstruck (1987)
Annie Hall (1977)
Manhattan (1979)
Two for the Road (1967)
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
The Apartment (1960)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Pillow Talk (1959)
Funny Face (1957)
Sabrina (1954)
Roman Holiday (1953)
How To Marry A Millionaire (1953)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
Monkey Business (1952)
Adam's Rib (1949)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944)
Sullivan's Travels (1942)
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
The Male Animal (1942)
Talk of the Town (1942)
The Lady Eve (1941)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Shop Around The Corner (1940)
My Favorite Wife (1940)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Carefree (1938)
Holiday (1938)
Shall We Dance (1937)
Nothing Sacred (1937)
The Awful Truth (1937)
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Swing Time (1936)
Follow the Fleet (1936)
Top Hat (1935)
Twentieth Century (1934)
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
It Happened One Night (1934)
For those uninitiated, that’s 1939’s “Midnight” with Don Ameche and Claudette Colbert and 1939’s “Bachelor Mother” with Ginger Rogers. The Male Animal is extraordinarily funny based on the James Thurber and Elliott Nugent play. “Charade” (1963) is brilliant…what a score by Henry Mancini and a very clever script by Peter Stone…not sure it really fits in the rom-com genre which is why it’s not on my list. But Grant and Hepburn are pretty darned perfect together. The rest of your suggestions didn’t make my first tier…but I understand why you like them. Thanks.
Great list! I concur with almost all of the choices, although I need to track down The Male Animal and Mostly Martha. And here are the obligatory personal additions: Midnight, Bachelor Mother, Charade, What’s Up, Doc?, Roxanne, Lucas, Return to Me, Fever Pitch, Punch-Drunk Love.
Hmm. I’m not sure it’s an either-or situation, but yeah. I’ll take Manhattan. The Bronx and Staten Island too…should it come to that.
Manhattan over Hannah and her sisters?
Honestly, Charlotte, I could have (and probably should have) included every single Astaire-Rogers RKO outing on this list, but I was afraid of tipping my hand.
Thank you for tipping it for me. I will add a few more, now that the jig is up: Carefree (1938) and The Gay Divorcee (1934).
Nice list! There’s only one more romantic movie I can even think of to add to this incredibly comprehensive list, and that’s Shall We Dance. I know it’s supposedly not the greatest of the Fred and Ginger collaborations, but it definitely has my favorite score (can’t beat Gershwin), and the moment in the final number when the Ginger wannabes are taking off their masks and she just takes her hand away from her face and reaches out to him gets me EVERY FREAKING TIME.
Waitress. Yes.