Top ten romantic movies for Valentine’s Day

Relive a romantic night where you held hands with your beloved and stole a kiss in the darkened cinema.

With more than a century of great films to choose from, we’ve selected a top ten list of romantic films from each decade.

So, if you’re looking for a nostalgic date night, why not grab a box of popcorn and bring a pack of Jaffas to your Living Gems cinema or check out the resort’s DVD library to organise your Valentine’s Day night at home.

It Happened One Night (1934)

Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this screwball comedy is about a down-at-heel reporter who gets the scoop of his career when he stumbles across an heiress on the run. Smartly written with delightful performances, it’s no surprise that it won every major Oscars category including Best Picture.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Margaret Sullivan and Jimmy Stewart are just a delight as two sparring employees who don’t realise they are falling in love with one another while anonymously corresponding. Considered one of the best films of all time, the story was remade in 1998 as You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly are perfectly cast. Grant is a retired cat burglar on the French Riviera forced to go back to his old ways to catch a copycat at work. The costumes by Edith Head are superb as is the lush cinematography which won an Oscar for photographer Robert Burks.

My Fair Lady (1964)

The Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion is a fabulous star vehicle for Audrey Hepburn as the feisty flower-seller Eliza Doolittle and the priggish English professor Henry Higgins played by Rex Harrison. The mis-matched couple go through their trials and tribulations before finding their happily-ever-after. No surprise that My Fair Lady won eight Oscars including Best Film, Best Actor and Best Director.

Robin and Marian (1976)

Love isn’t just for the young, Robin and Marian, starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn, revisits the story of Robin Hood in his middle and later years. Featuring an all-star British cast, this film has heart-felt performances from the leads.

The Princess Bride (1987)

Just as popular today as it was on its release, The Princess Bride is a rare combination of romance, humour, fantasy and adventure that holds up on repeated viewings and is a genuine cult classic. Directed by Rob Reiner and starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and a great supporting cast, you’ll be looking in the eyes of your beloved and saying, ‘as you wish’.

Titanic (1997)

James Cameron’s epic disaster film is just as famous for the ill-fated romance between working class Jack and upper-crust Rose, as it is for the scale of the production. Your heart will go on as you follow the star-crossed lovers, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, knowing that the big iceberg is on its way.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

This adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic tale of personal pride and class prejudice is less stagy and more naturalistic than other film adaptations thanks to the direction of Joe Wright (Atonement, Anna Karenina, Darkest Hour) making his debut as a feature film director, and the charming performances of Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

A Star is Born (2018)

This oft-filmed tale (1937, 1954 and 1976) is brought to the screen for a new generation by Bradley Cooper who both stars and directs. His co-star, Lady Gaga, delivers an outstanding performance as the aspiring singer-songwriter. Her song, Shallow, won the Oscar that year for Best Original Song. Bring tissues … you have been warned.

Emma (2020)

We end our list with another Jane Austen adaptation, this one is a comedy of manners. Beautifully photographed with marvellous costumes, Emma stars Anya Taylor-Joy who is perfect in the title role as the self-assured and spoiled rich girl who loves to meddle in the lives of others. Johnny Flynn is terrific as Mr Knightly while Bill Nighy just about steals the show as Emma’s hypochondriac father.