Classic Hollywood had a thing for romance: Most films from the early days of the silver screen involve a central love story. Heck, even Alfred Hitchcock, the “Master of Suspense," used a fair amount of smoochin' in his iconic horror movies. But after a long cinematic dry spell, it's safe to say the resurgence of rom-coms is upon us. With so much love on the brain, we decided to investigate which classic, must-watch films remain the most quintessentially romantic of them all.
After scouring the archives of film history, we determined the movies below best tell the evolution of the romance genre. Starting from Old Hollywood and going through the '90s (we figured "classic" meant pre-2000 films), these titles exude classic Hollywood romance. While subplots range from tearjerker to pure comedy, there’s still plenty of witty dialogue, corny meet-cutes, and, of course, swoon-worthy moments. And sure, some of these films didn’t age all that well (things were a lot different almost a century ago, after all)—but if you can look past the gender stereotypes, we guarantee these movies will induce butterflies.
In chronological order, these are the best classic Hollywood romance movies to put on your watch list for your next movie night, whether you're looking for date night material, a solo watch, or a movie to watch with friends. Expect to see genre mainstays like Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, as well as more modern greats like Molly Ringwald and Meg Ryan. Below, find the best romance movies of all time.
'It Happened One Night' (1934)
Director: Frank Capra
Stars: Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly
Considered one of the first and still greatest romantic comedies of all time, this Frank Capra joint stars Claudette Colbert as a feisty young heiress set to marry a man her father disapproves of and Clark Gable as the guy hired to help her get home. Guess whether they end up together? The chemistry between Colbert and Gable sizzles.
'Bringing Up Baby' (1938)
Director: Howard Hawks
Stars: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charlie Ruggles
Cary Grant (who will appear many times on this list) and Katharine Hepburn (likewise) star in this truly batshit screwball comedy about a paleontologist and the woman who's into him. There are dinosaur bones, museum capers, and even a real-life leopard. Strap in.
'The Philadelphia Story' (1940)
Director: George Cukor
Stars: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart
The keystone in the “comedy of remarriage” genre—in which the characters of Code-era movies had to be divorced (rather than merely single) to make on-screen flirting kosher for audiences—is this movie starring Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and Cary Grant. Never mind their genuinely conflicting love triangle: Those three names alone qualify this movie for a spot on every list of top classic films.
'The Shop Around the Corner' (1940)
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Stars: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
A delightful film from iconic director Ernst Lubitsch, this movie about pen-pals who turn out to be work rivals is just heart-wrenchingly romantic. Also, it’s the basis for Nora Ephron's '90s classic You’ve Got Mail (hence the name of Kathleen Kelly’s bookstore, The Shop Around the Corner). Cross-generational swoon!
'His Girl Friday' (1940)
Director: Howard Hawks
Stars: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy
Cary Grant is a newspaper editor, and Rosalind Russell is the do-what-it-takes investigative reporter who used to date him. When he finds out she’s engaged to someone new, he tries to postpone the wedding by giving her a juicy story about a man who may be wrongfully convicted; she gets in deep when the piece has more merit than they realized. Come for the proto-feminist messaging, stay for the lightning-quick dialogue. (Seriously, how do they talk this fast?)
'The Lady Eve' (1941)
Director: Preston Sturges
Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn
Barbara Stanwyck plays Jean Harrington, a con artist known to prey on super-wealthy guys like Charles Pike (played by Henry Ford). Jean thinks she has this one in the bag as she finds Charles falling under her spell, but soon this quick job gets complicated when he dumps her, assuming she's only after his money. Classic! The only possible solution? By reintroducing herself to Charles, but this time as a high-society woman Lady Eve Sidwich.
'Casablanca' (1942)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
There’s a reason this is considered one of the most iconic movies in history. Humphrey Bogart scorches the screen while Ingrid Bergman is enchanting in a breathlessly romantic and genuinely funny epic about Morocco during WWII. Somehow the most quoted movie ever made is still surprising every time.
'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944)
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Stars: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Leon Ames
Judy Garland stars in this movie-musical about four sisters preparing for the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Aside from being preciously cute with impressive ensemble song-and-dance numbers, it also introduced the classic holiday tune “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to the world. That makes it a rom-com and a Christmas movie—two tastes that go great together (just ask Love Actually).
'An American in Paris' (1951)
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Stars: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant
Gene Kelly sings Gershwin tunes as a painter in Paris, where he surrounds himself with other bohemians and fawns over a beautiful ballet dancer. It was Leslie Caron’s first role in a movie, though she would become a huge star.
'Roman Holiday' (1953)
Director: William Wyler
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in this William Wyler–directed romance about a princess who takes a day off to run around town, and the civilian who falls for her. If you like Vespas, you’ll love this movie—even if Meghan Markle would have never.
'Carmen Jones' (1954)
Director: Otto Preminger
Stars: Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey
Dorothy Dandridge's wildly good performance as Carmen Jones got her nominated for an Oscar, making history as the first African American actress in a leading role to be nominated. This underrated musical set at an all-Black army camp follows Carmen, who wants the super-married Joe, so this should end well!
'Desk Set' (1957)
Director: Walter Lang
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Gig Young
Desk Set is a classic battle-of-the-sex comedy and the eighth film of famed acting couple Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. She’s a researcher at a broadcasting network who knows all the answers, he’s the computer salesman trying to put her out of a job. Madness and some hilarious-in-retrospect observations about the nature of technology ensue.
'An Affair to Remember' (1957)
Director: Leo McCarey
Stars: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning
Raise your hand if you’ve ever made a pact to reunite with someone on top of the Empire State Building in six months. Cary Grant’s character and Deborah Kerr’s character meet aboard the SS Constitution en route from Europe to New York, where they fall in love and plan to meet atop the Empire State Building, after which they’ll presumably ride off into the sunset. Spoiler: That’s not what winds up happening. But man, this is a love story for the ages.
'Funny Face' (1957)
Director: Stanley Donen
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson
Not to be confused with the 1927 musical of the same name that also starred Fred Astaire, this Funny Face is a memorable fashion movie. It stars the dance icon as Dick Avery, a famed fashion photographer who finds the next big thing in a hesitant beauty named Jo Stockton (a delightfully snarky Audrey Hepburn). Romantic shenanigans and musical numbers ensue.
'Some Like It Hot' (1959)
Director: Billy Wilder
Stars: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe
A classic film list without one film starring the iconic Marilyn Monroe would be a travesty! What's not a travesty, though? Her role as Sugar Kane, a member of an all-girl band set to perform for a couple of weeks in Florida, in Some Like It Hot. The singer befriends Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon), two struggling musicians disguised as women on the run from a Chicago mob. The threesome looks like they'll be friends forever, but soon Joe finds himself falling for Sugar while Jerry tries to get rid of a millionaire bachelor who can't seem to take no for an answer. Just another day in paradise!
'West Side Story' (1961)
Director: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise
Stars: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn
If you like movie musicals, gang fights involving a lot of finger-snapping, stories based on Romeo and Juliet, old-school New York settings, and deeply unhappy endings, then West Side Story is the movie for you!
'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961)
Director: Blake Edwards
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal
Audrey Hepburn is the O.G. Manic Pixie Dream Girl (and on-screen style icon) as Holly Golightly, the country bumpkin-turned-wild party girl living out her N.Y.C. fantasy and taking on some seriously odd jobs and eating pastries in front of Tiffany's. Yes, it’s a romance, but it’s also a movie about what it means to invent yourself.
'Paris Blues' (1961)
Director: Martin Ritt
Stars: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Sidney Poitier
Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier are the leading men of this 1961 romantic drama that follows the professional and personal struggles of two aspiring American musicians trying to make it in France. The film, which is less "laugh out loud" than it is a deep sigh, stirred controversy for its progressive portrayal of interracial relationships, reminding us that the days of Jim Crow weren't that long ago.
'Charade' (1963)
Director: Stanley Donen
Stars: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau
Even decades after its release, the twists and turns in this noir-inspired story of a woman who teams up with a worldly playboy to solve her husband’s murder will keep you guessing until the end. Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn star in this caper, which has as many thrills as it does swoon-worthy moments.
'The Americanization of Emily' (1964)
Director: Arthur Hiller
Stars: James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Douglas
James Garner plays an American WWII naval officer who usually chills on the sidelines at his buddy's flat in London, and away from the action of the battlefield. While hiding, he meets Emily (Julie Andrews), a British woman recently widowed. They fall quickly in love, but Garner's character soon has to go on a dangerous mission that could risk everything they've built.
'Doctor Zhivago' (1965)
Director: David Lean
Starring: Julie Christie, Omar Sharif, Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay
Based on Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel, Doctor Zhivago is a war epic that takes place in Russia during World War I and the Russian Civil War, and it’s just as epic as a love story. It tells the tale Yuri Zhivago, who became a doctor during the Russian Revolution and pined in his youth for a woman named Lara who was having an affair with his mother’s lover. Reuniting years later when they’re married to other people, they have the opportunity to address unresolved feelings. It may be set against a snowy Serbian setting, but the passion remains hot.
'How to Steal a Million' (1966)
Director: William Wyler
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Eli Wallach
This movie is proof that Hollywood should be making more romantic heist films. It’s about an art forger’s daughter (played by Audrey Hepburn, in the most divine Givenchy wardrobe) who falls in love with an art thief (Peter O'Toole). Things get even screwier, but it’s hilarious, madcap, and butterflies-in-your-stomach romantic, too.
'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?' (1967)
Director: Stanley Kramer
Stars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier
Some things about this movie are super problematic today. For example. the minor characters are offensive stereotypes. But this 1967 film was groundbreaking for its time. When white Joanna Drayton (Katharine Hepburn) brings her Black fiancé (played by the legendary Sidney Poitier) home to her wealthy liberal parents for the first time, they’re forced to reconcile their “liberal” ideations with their reservations about the then-controversial concept of interracial marriage. It’s an examination of race relations in the 1960s, released six months after the landmark Loving v. Virginia case struck down anti-miscegenation laws in the United States.
'Romeo and Juliet' (1968)
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Stars: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, Milo O'Shea
There are many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, but only one that follows the text precisely while also bringing an awkwardly horny je ne sais quoi. This is the version you probably watched in your freshman-year English class, and for that, it is an instant classic. Also, great script. That Shakespeare guy was pretty good at writing!
'Love Story' (1970)
Director: Arthur Hiller
Stars: Ali MacGraw, Ryan O’Neal, John Marley
Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal play a young couple facing multiple challenges—including one extremely tragic one—in this ‘70s romance. Oliver (O’Neal) is a wealthy Harvard student who falls for middle-class, aspiring musician Jenny (MacGraw), despite their differences and his family’s wishes. You’ll love watching their whirlwind romance set against a New England backdrop (with many great autumnal mid-century looks to match), but know you should keep the tissue box nearby.
'The Way We Were' (1973)
Director: Sydney Pollack
Stars: Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford, Bradford Dillman
Told via flashback, The Way We Were is a love story that almost isn’t. It’s not a spoiler to say this one doesn’t have a happy ending (remember the extended reference to it in Sex and the City?). It follows the lives of two opposites who wind up in a relationship: Katie, a politically active Jewish woman played by Barbra Streisand, and Hubbell, an easy-going WASP played by Robert Redford. Their relationship is passionate and challenging and they almost go all the way. Yeah, it’s a tearjerker.
'Claudine' (1974)
Director: John Berry
Stars: Diahann Carroll, James Earl Jones, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs
A single working mother of six in Harlem, Claudine (Dihann Caroll) has no time for romance, but a chance encounter with neighborhood garbage collector, Roop (James Earl Jones), makes her eager to experience love again. Ultimately, it tells the story of how love can grow even in the hardest of times.
'The Goodbye Girl' (1977)
Director: Herbert Ross
Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings
Richard Dreyfuss won an Oscar for his performance as a struggling actor who sublets his friend’s apartment, only to find out that his friend has abandoned his girlfriend (Marsha Mason) and her 10-year-old daughter (Quinn Cummings), who happen to still live there. The pair clash initially, but eventually get past their differences and sparks fly. It’s very 70s—and endlessly charming.
'Splash' (1984)
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy
The Little Mermaid gets a contemporary update in this beloved '80s movie. Tom Hanks stars as a businessman working at the seaport in N.Y.C. who's contacted when a mysterious (and nude) woman played by Daryl Hannah claiming to know him washes ashore the Statue of Liberty. As it turns out, she's a mermaid, a secret that's more difficult to hide on the streets of Manhattan than one might expect. It’s very '80s, but Hanks is, as always, instantly lovable.
'Romancing the Stone' (1984)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito
Full of romance and adventure, Romancing the Stone is a genre-defying action movie that's basically Indiana Jones as a love story. Kathleen Turner plays a dowdy author of romance novels who—after her sister is kidnapped by thugs in the Colombian jungle—discovers her own life is in danger and must bring a treasure map to her sister’s captors. She’s assisted by a gruff mercenary (Michael Douglas) who helps her find the treasure. It’s also hilarious, and Turner and Douglas are pitch-perfect.
'Sixteen Candles' (1984)
Director: John Hughes
Stars: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling
At the height of her Teen Queen status, Molly Ringwald starred as Samantha, a girl whose 16th birthday has been overlooked and overshadowed by her sister’s upcoming wedding. Not only that, she’s pining over older hottie Jake Ryan (the de facto name for every Hot Guy In High School) who doesn’t even know she’s alive, and the only boy who seems to be interested in her is a massive dweeb. Yes, parts of it are super racist and problematic, but it’s also a true testament to the awkwardness of being 16 and hoping someone will see you.
'She’s Gotta Have It' (1986)
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell
This sexy movie about a woman (Tracy Camilla Johns) refusing to choose monogamy was the first full-length film for Spike Lee, who wrote and directed it. Though not as iconic as Lee’s Do The Right Thing (which came out three years later), it launched his career and was even remade into a very modern Netflix romance series in 2018.
'Moonstruck' (1987)
Director: Norman Jewison
Stars: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia
A beautiful widow (Cher, in a role for which she very rightly won a Best Actress Oscar) who lives with her Italian family in Brooklyn meets a tempestuous baker (Nic Cage, minus one hand) who turns out to be the estranged brother of her new fiancé, who happens to be visiting his ailing mother back in Sicily. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and sexy in a weird way, but the writing is deceptively poignant and thoughtful.
'The Princess Bride' (1987)
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin
The ultimate romantic fairy tale and incredible book-to-movie adaptation is also one of the funniest movies of the 1980s. Sure, Princess Buttercup and Wesley are made for each other, but Mandy Patinkin isn’t even in the main love story and he’s as smoochable as Inigo Montoya. It’s almost impressive how well the jokes here hold up over three decades after its initial release.
'Coming to America' (1988)
Director: John Landis
Stars: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley
Before Wakanda, there was Zamunda, the wealthy African nation where Crown Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) was dreading his upcoming arranged marriage. He doesn’t want a woman who wants him because he’s a prince, he wants a woman who wants him for him. So what happens? He and his best friend (Arsenio Hall) go New York, where Akeem gets a job at a fast-food restaurant and embarks on finding the woman of his dreams against his parents’ wishes. Plus, when it came out, black actors weren’t often romantic leads in film, which adds to the importance and poignancy of this movie.
'Say Anything...' (1989)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Stars: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney
Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone thinks of this movie as, “John Cusack with the boombox,” but there’s a reason it makes every “best romantic comedies” list: It’s a love story on multiple levels and shows just how much people will endure for love. Cusack stars as Lloyd Dobler, a slacker/aspiring kickboxer in love with Ione Skye’s Diane Court, the class valedictorian. Classic.
'When Harry Met Sally' (1989)
Director: Rob Reiner
Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
Can men and women ever really be friends? This movie written by the legendary Nora Ephron doesn’t make a case for the likelihood, but Billy Crystal is sarcastically sexy and Meg Ryan is peak America’s Sweetheart. In addition to all the iconic comedy scenes, it still manages to be incredibly sweet and romantic (and the perfect fall watch when sweater season arrives). I’ll have what they’re having.
'Ghost' (1990)
Director: Jerry Zucker
Stars: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg
Now supernatural love stories are a dime a dozen, but few pack the passion like Ghost. The romance-thriller hybrid stars the ‘80s and ‘90s hunk Patrick Swayze as a man who was murdered and tries to contact his girlfriend (Demi Moore) from beyond the grave to solve the crime. Your heart will ache at these lost souls, and you’ll never see pottery the same.
'Before Sunrise' (1995)
Director: Richard Linklater
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
If you believe in kismet encounters, take it as a sign to watch this ‘90s movie. This adored slice-of-life movie from Richard Linklater, which spawned two sequels, follows two young travelers throughout one night. On a train to Vienna, when American Jesse doesn’t have lodging for the night, he finds a solution and companion in Parisian student Celine (Julie Delpy) as they decide to spend the evening exploring the city together. Their conversations are more than enough to make you fall for this iconic duo.
'Titanic' (1997)
Director: James Cameron
Stars: Kate Winslet, Leonardo Dicaprio, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates
How have hearts gone on since the release of Titanic? (They haven’t.) James Cameron’s epic historical drama set aboard the ship that wasn’t supposed to sink up to its demise is a love story for the ages between star-crossed lovers Jack (Leonardo Dicaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet). Whether you watched the multi-part VHS growing up, caught it on cable, or saw it multiple times in the theaters, this one leaves an impression, and there’s a reason many of us are still quoting it to this day.
