Sacreeta

For the love of Classic Hollywood Romance Movies on Valentines Day.



Posted: Wednesday, February 06, 2008

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My Funny Valentines Series Articles, dedicated to you.
Romance in film, is one of the most visually pleasing journeys to take our mind, when we fall in love with the characters on the silver screen. Romance has been alive as long as humans have breathed on this earth, but the dawn of Classic Romance Movies changed the way we view Romance, and love stories. To actually feel apart of something, that's bigger than you and I, the Classic Fairytale endings stays with us, and we adore the actors, and the messages they give us, when we watch their movies.
Hollywood Classic Romance, they don't make films like they used to, with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. For those of you who are intrigued by Classic films, by the time honoured tradition of Romance, but aren't sure about what the movies are all about, I've a got a list here that might be of interest to you. I've written up a low down of what the films are about and who starred in them.

Looking for the top ten favourite Hollywood Classic Romance Films of all time! I've got 11 of the most loved, the most talked about, the most raved Hollywood Romance Movies on a list for those who haven't ventured into the Romance Classic Movies, and don't know which one to pick. Take your time, and go over them, and see which one is right for you and your sweetheart, all listed with casts, and plots.

No doubt everyone's number one is..

Gone with the Wind 1939

Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable
"Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn." That famous line comes from this Classic American Romantic Film. Scarlet, a well brought up, and proper lady, maintains her dignity and tries to hold onto her status during the most difficult times in American History, Atlanta burning, and the Union Army took everything from her, including her beloved Tara. Scarlet blossoms from a spoilt, selfish, and pampered Southern Belle, into a strong, surviving women.. who has two loves. She manipulates the men, she stands up to their sarcasm with fire, and in the end, her tricks and schemes leave her alone. Sad, tragic, sexy, and sassy. A great Classic Romance film for watching with you lover.

Directors
George Cukor
Victor Fleming
Actors

Vivien Leigh
Clark Gable
Olivia DeHavilland
Leslie Howard
Thomas Mitchell
Butterfly McQueen
Hattie McDaniel
Ann Rutherford
I.) Wuthering Heights 1939
 
Based on the Novel by Emily Bronte. If you read the novel, or you aren't into reading, and want to experience the romance of Heathcliff and Catherine, than I suggest you watch this movie. It is beautiful, timeless romance, full of tragedy, misguided loyalty, and loss. But it is also a beautiful love story, that shouldn't be missed by those who are Romantic at Heart. Great story to cuddle up to, on a cold winter night.
 
Director
William Wyler
 
Actors
Merle Oberon
Laurence Olivier
David Niven
Flora Robson
Donald Crisp
Geraldine Fitzgerald
An Affair to Remember 1957
A famous and delightful movie, from Carry Grant, and Deborah Kerr

The devilishly handsome Nick Ferrante, meets a stunning lounge singer named Terry McKay while on a cruise ship from Europe, to New York City. At the time of their meeting, though brief, and despite the fact they were both committed to another, they fell in love. Unable to bear a goodbye, they instead made a pact to meet at the top of the Empire State Building in New York, exactly in six months time. Nick shows up, and is broken-hearted when Terry stands him up. What Rick has no way of knowing, is that Terry had a tragic accident, and was unable to attend their rendezvous. Now with love lost, Nick has decisions to make, and action to take. Will he track down the love of his life, or marry the wrong woman in haste.

II.) Mr, and Mrs. Smith 1941
Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery
Yup, the original movie to Angelina Jollie and Brad Pitt's rendition of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The plots have little to do with each other, and the action of course is more emphasised with Brangelina on the silver screen.

Lombard and Montgomery light up the screen with their sizzling tale of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. A high society couple with their own set of rules. Once a month, Annie Smith and David Smith, are obligated to ask each other a question and the other must answer honestly. David had confessed that he missed his freedom and probably wouldn't marry her again, if he had the chance.  Then the strangest thing happens. Sudden Montgomery is contacted by a New York official who tells him that there is a state boundary dispute on, and all couples married between 1936, and 1939, in the country, were not legally married. David at first thinks he could have fun with this, that is until he realizes that the City Official, had also contacted his wife. This starts a whole gut twisting turn of events for David, and he learns a very valuable lesson about Mrs. Smith.

If you like Brangelina's version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, why not try out watching the original, and see them all. Great for cuddles and giggles with your sweetheart.

Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Actors
Carole Lombard
Robert Montgomery
Gene Raymond
Jack Carson
III.) Meet me in Saint Louis 1944
 
Four beautiful and wealthy Smith sisters happily live in Saint Louis, and they wait all year for the St. Louis fair. They become broken hearted when their father's work transfers him to a better position in New York, which means they have to move. Little Ester, 17, had just fallen inlove with the boy next door, who hasn't noticed her yet, and the others can't imagine life without the Saint Louis Fair. What's a girl to do? They each learn a less about life, love, and loyalty and how to move on. A great story to watch with your girls, your mom, sister, daughter. And a great cuddle movie with your sweetie.
Vincente Minnelli

Actors
Margaret O'Brien
Judy Garland Mary Astor
Lucille Bremer
Leon Ames
Tom Drake
Marjorie Main
IV.) Made for Each Other 1939
James Stuart and Carole Lombard

This movie is a James Stuart Classic. James plays a lawyer John Horace 'Johnny' Mason, who after one day of meeting the girl of his dreams, (Carole Lombard) Jane, he marries her and brings her home to his mother. Who completely disapproves. Their love is tested with the most difficult times of their lives hitting them all at once. A snowball of pitfalls, living with a cranky live-in mother-in-law who hates you, James loses his status at the Law Firm, his new bride becomes pregnant with a baby. The baby later becomes deathly ill, and needs medicine to be flown in from New York, or he will die. Some profound things would pull any couple apart, but not these two. Their love is real, and with everything life through at them, their love grew stronger. A Classic American Romance story, that will lift your spirits and give you hope.. as you know, they really were, Made for each other.

Director
John Cromwell
Actors
Carole Lombard
James Stewart
Charles Coburn
Lucile Watson
Eddie Quillan
Alma Kruger
V.) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953
 
'Diamonds are a girl's best friend.' Marilyn Monroe
That song comes from this movie. Two lounge singers, "Two Little Girls from Little Rock" and dancing queens Lorelei and Dorothy, make their way to Paris on a transatlantic cruise ship. Meeting eligible bachelors, keeping a sexy and sassy girly dialogue with the men. If you are a Marilyn Monroe Fan, then you won't want to miss this one.
 
Director
Howard Hawks
 
Actors
Marilyn Monroe
Jane Russell
Charles Coburn
Elliott Reid
Tommy Noonan
George Winslow
VI.)Casablanca-1947

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart
Rick Blane, an exiled American soldier took refuge in Casablanca, and opened a nightclub. He's a bit of a rascal, and deals with some underhanded men, and in his escapades he comes across two letters of importance to some very influential people. When Nazi Major Strasser, accompanied by the beautiful Ilsa, arrives in Casablanca, things turn around for Rick Blane. Isla was a recent lover who scorned him, and Major Strasser, although, syndical, is in good with the Chief of police. Dangerous times fall upon Rick Blane, as he discovers Isla had good reason for breaking their love affair, and the two plot to escape Casablanca.. only their covert plans were discovered. Intrigue of two lovers who have choices to make, and a battle to fight.. to be together.

A great Classic tale, for all lovers, and romantics at heart to watch.

Director
Michael Curtiz
 
Actors
Ingrid Bergman
Humphrey Bogart
Paul Henreid
Claude Rains
Conrad Veidt
Sydney Greenstreet
Peter Lorre
IIX.) Misfits Marilyn Monroe 1961
Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn plays a hot and sexy divorcee, in the 1960's who falls for a stubborn, ridged cowboy, who most of the time you'd think doesn't deserve her. She gives the most dramatic performance out of all her other movies, and we get to see Marilyn at her very best. Down to earth, shattering and beaming with emotions that run high, that run hot, and even hysterical. What a great movie, great tempo, for Marilyn Monroe Fans, a must see, over and over again.

Clark Gable ...  Gay Langland
Marilyn Monroe ...  Roslyn Taber
Montgomery Clift ...  Perce Howland
Thelma Ritter ...  Isabelle Steers
Eli Wallach ...  Guido
James Barton ...  Fletcher's grandfather
Kevin McCarthy ...  Raymond Taber
Estelle Winwood ...  Church lady collecting money in bar
IX.) Funny Face 1957
 
Fred Astaire, and Audrey Hepburn
Small town girl Jo Stockton works as a clerk in Greenwich Village bookstore, when a fashion photographer, Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) books the store for a photo shoot, as he's on the hunt for an intellectual backdrop for a dizzy headed model. The camera crew were far from gentle and left the store in a mess, which the clerk, Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) was left to clean. Dick Avery, feeling guilty, decided to stay behind and help. While he looks over his photos, he notices Jo in the background of one of his photos, and is convinced that he going to discover her, as their new model. Jo, who believes models are air headed fools, wants nothing to do with him or his company, until a free trip to Paris is tossed in. After a while, of putting up with stress of her new job, she starts to enjoy her work, and Dick is starting to enjoy more than just her pretty smile in a picture, he wants the whole package for himself.

Director
Stanley Donen
 
Actors
Audrey Hepburn  as Jo Stockton
Fred Astaire as Dick Avery
Kay Thompson
Michel Auclair
Robert Flemyng
X.) My Fair Lady 1964
 
Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison
A Romantic tale of Rags to Riches. Two English linguists, have a chance meeting, and make a bet, that they can transform an English lass with a cockney accent into a refined Victorian Lady, with a refined aristocrat accent. Eliza agrees to their scheme, and Higgins is quite successful. Eliza captures the heart of an English Aristocrat, due to the dismay of Higgins who fell inlove with Eliza.

Director          
George Cukor
 
Actors
Audrey Hepburn
Rex Harrison
Stanley Holloway
Wilfrid Hyde-White
Gladys Cooper
Jeremy Brett
 
Happy Valentines Day, you cutey love birds..
 
 
Written by: Sacreeta

Sacreeta Veneficus--Actor: Casting: Columnist: Novelist: Scriptwriter: College Instructor: Graphic Artist: Latino Dancer: Singer

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