As recommended by: ID7318818, larsensdefence, jodave
American romance starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey and directed by Emile Ardolino. Documents a teenage girl's relationship with a dance instructor encountered on a family summer vacation. A low-budget movie that ended up earning $214m globally. Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features
As recommended by : alice45, jodave
British romantic comedy-drama starring Pauline Collins in which a 42-year-old Liverpudlian housewife finds herself "in a rut". In order to escape she flies to Greece where she finds the the grass is indeed greener and a relationship with a taverna owner ensues. Photograph: The Ronald Grant Archive
As recommended by: VirgilKane, gotgumption, liberalcynic
"An Affair to Remember, surely? I hear the words 'holiday romance' and think of Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant before Danny and Sandy!" says gotgumption. Directed by Leo McCarey and starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, Wikipedia attests this to be the most romantic film ever. Nickie Ferrante meets Terry McKay aboard the transatlantic ocean liner, but with both already involved in separate relationships, they agree to meet back at the top of the Empire State Building in six months' time, after they have ended their relationships. The film is used in Sleepless in Seattle as the epitome of romance. Photograph: Cinetext/Allstar
As recommended by: Proton, liberalcynic
American drama directed by Irving Rapper and starring Bette Davis and Paul Henreid. A tale of an unattractive, overweight repressed spinster whose life is dominated by her dictatorial mother. She takes a cruise and finds love with a married man but they decide it would be best not to see each other again. The quote "Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars," can be found in the top 100 movie quotes in American cinema. Photograph: SNAP /Rex Features
As recommended by: jacob123, peterob
Directed by Ang Lee and starring Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams, the film depicts the complex romantic and sexual relationship between two men in the American west. The justification of it being a holiday romance can be found through the meeting of Ennis and Jack through summer work and the fishing trips that they go on. As a romance it needs none as it is the 12th highest-grossing romance film of all time. Jacob123 finds it "very moving". Photograph: Kimberly French/AP
As recommended by: Nzgreg
Directed by Sofia Coppola, starring Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray. Ageing American movie star Bob Harris arrives in Tokyo to film an advertisement. He meets Charlotte (Johansson), a college graduate who not only seems to be equally lost in the alien culture but equally lost in life. Nominated for four Academy awards. Photograph: Rex Features
As recommended by: shakercoola
Directed by Barbet Schroeder and starring Mimsy Farmer and Klaus Grunberg. When Stefan (Grunberg), a graduate in mathematics, meets Estelle (Farmer) at a party in Paris he immediately falls for her, despite his friend's warnings about her nature. Schroeder explores the blinding qualities of love as Stefan stumbles, blinkered by his affections, into hell. Photograph: Moviestore/Rex Features
As recommended by: Enheduanna
Directed by Silvio Soldini, starring Licia Maglietta and Bruno Ganz. An Italian housewife is left stranded during a family vacation and decides to hitchhike home but instead ends up on an impulsive detour to Venice. Here she finds an escape from her controlling businessman husband with Fernando Girasole. Photograph: Everett/Rex Features
As recommended by: hawkwoman
Prudence resigns from a teaching position after giving a student her copy of Lovers Must Learn (the book on which the film is based) and is subsequently asked to leave. She sails to Rome where she believes she will be surrounded by people who know the meaning of love. She meets Don, who has just broken up with his girlfriend, and they proceed to tour Italy together. Romance naturally follows. Photograph: Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
As recommended by: Niko2
Directed by Melville Shavelson and starring Clark Gable and Sophia Loren. Mike Hamilton is a Philadelphia lawyer who travels to Naples to settle the estate of his estranged brother. He has left an son named Nando who is being raised by his aunt Lucia Curcio, a dancer in a nightclub. Mike decides that it would be best if the child was raised in the US and fights Lucia for custody of the child. Unwittingly, though, Mike becomes attached to both Italy and Lucia and finds himself unable to leave. Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features
