Everybody loves love, and one of the places where we go searching for it the most is movies. Romantic movies are a staple of the moviegoing experience, and one of the genres that are most revisited—whether it be by couples during special occasions, or just by those who want to believe what they see on the screen is also meant for them. In fact, there are actors who have made entire careers out of delivering the perfect romantic moment.
From the funnier ones to the more dramatic—but still classically romantic, the genre has given us a little bit of everything, and it’s almost hard to narrow down this list to only ten. There are way too many romantic movies that fit every different sub-genre. But some rise above the rest and have become the standards from which others judge romance.
So, if you want to watch the 10 most romantic movies of all time, here’s our list and where to watch them.
The Princess Bride
Ostensibly a fantasy-adventure comedy, The Princess Bride might just be one of the best romances ever told. The movie itself tells you so! Adapted from the William Goldman novel of the same name, this is a very meta story about the importance of family, but also about pirates, true love, revenge and the power of fairy tales. It also features about three of those quotes you probably repeat to this day without knowing where they came from.
Ever After
A romantic period drama, Ever After is supposed to be a Cinderella adaptation, but other than sharing a name, two stepsisters that aren’t all that close to the Disney version and a stepmother that’s kind of the worst, this isn’t really Cinderella. But it’s still a very fun period romance, with a prince that’s actually leagues better than the Disney version ever was, if nothing else because here he actually has a personality. As does Ella!
When Harry Met Sally
One of the quintessential romantic comedies, When Harry Met Sally follows two friends through the ups and downs of years of friendship as they try to defy the idea that ‘men and women cannot be friends.’ Turns out that idea is both right and wrong, at least when it comes to them. Because they do become the best of friends. And yet, they also fall in love. That’s what rom-comes are all about, aren’t they?
While You Were Sleeping
Mistaken identity trope is a really hard one to pull off in a movie, and yet Sandra Bullock has enough charisma to not just sell it but to make While You Were Sleeping one of the most romantic rom-coms ever. Add a drop of amnesia and a supportive but clueless family who means well but who ends up being more a nuisance than a help for most of the movie, and this is the perfect romantic comedy if you also love a little drama.
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music has everything. Romance, music, history, and pretty sights! It’s just that, perhaps, most people wouldn’t consider it a romance. Enter a man with seven children and a woman who is a nun and that doesn’t really sound like the beginning of a romance. But sometimes, the most unexpected romances can be the most surprising ones. And Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer do get to sign a romantic duet while staring into each other’s eyes, so there’s that.
Notting Hill
Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts deliver one of the most iconic rom-coms of all time. If you like the genre, this one’s a must-watch. It’s got both the right level of awkwardness and the right level of adorableness of two people from very different walks of life coming together and finding that they actually do have something in common. Not just that, that they might actually bring something to each other’s lives. Plus, Notting Hill might just have the most iconic rom-com speech of them all.
Pride & Prejudice
The most famous of all the Jane Austen adaptations, Pride & Prejudice has become one of the most iconic representations of what romance is all about. The movie, which is all about family, getting over your own worst impulses and learning to see things from the perspective of others, showcases two very different romances for sisters Elizabeth and Jane Bennett. And there’s that hand flex!
Bridget Jones’s Diary
From Pride & Prejudice to a movie inspired by it, Bridget Jones’s Diary is a movie about a woman who is a little bit of a disaster at love—which is what makes her so relatable—and who despite that, ends up finding her very own Mr. Darcy, played by Colin Firth, who played Mark Darcy in the BBC version of the Jane Austen adaptation, to boot. Sounds like a happy ending to us.
You’ve Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are an iconic rom-com pairing, and though Sleepless in Seattle is also a very good movie, they’re never as good together as in You’ve Got Mail, the perfect enemies-to-lovers movie with the most endearing ending. There’s something about watching them grow to like each other, and seeing that perfect chemistry on display.
Casablanca
It’s hard to do a most romantic movie list without Casablanca, the quintessential romantic movie, starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. It’s a wartime romance, so there’s always a level of worry to every second these two characters spend together, but there’s also such tenderness and care to Bergman and Bogart’s performance, and Casablanca has become a classic not just because of this relationship, but because of at least a couple of lines that have now become part of our vocabulary.
Where to watch the Top 10 most romantic movies of all time streaming online
Check out our list below to find the Top 10 most romantic movies of all time available to stream online in the US.
