Romanceis a classic genre in Hollywood. It’s been around since the silent film era of the 1920s and has since branched off into multiple subgenres. There’s the ever popular romantic comedy, which includes films likePretty Woman,How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,andThe Big Sick.There’s romantic fantasy, likeGhostand theTwilightfranchise. And then there’s romance that borders on erotica, like50 Shades of Gray.Even when they’re not defined as romance, most movies tend to feature a love interest or subplot. And why not? Romance is something that most people can relate to. They’re either dreaming of it, searching for it, or have experienced it at some point in their lives.
Every now and then, though, a romance film comes along that becomes a cultural milestone. It’s praised by critics and viewers alike and is hailed as a masterpiece. Some of these films break our hearts and make us leave the theater in tears. Others reinvigorate our belief in true love. And then there are those select few that come to dominate the Academy Awards. Here are ten romance movies that swept both the Oscars and audience goers off their feet.
10Titanic (1997)
This one is the juggernaut of romances and Oscar winners.Titanicisa love story for the ages, bringing together an unlikely duo from separate social classes – all on the cusp of the legendary cruise ship’s sinking. The movie was a box office smash and a cultural phenomenon. It launched the young Leonardo DiCaprio’s career into another stratosphere, turning him into a heartthrob for young women across the country, and established Kate Winslet as a great actress.Titanicreceived 14 Oscar nominations and won 11 of them, including Best Picture, Best Director for James Cameron, and of course, Best Song for Celine Dion’s iconicMy Heart Will Go On.It holds the record for most Oscar wins in a three-way tie, along withBen-HurandThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
9West Side Story (1961)
Love and tragedy often go hand in hand, andWest Side Storyis no exception. It’sRomeo and Julietas a musical, set in New York City during the racially divisive 1950s. The film is based on a 1957 Broadway production, featuring the iconic lyrics and music from Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein respectively. InWest Side Story, Latina character Maria (Natalie Wood) falls in love with Tony (Richard Beymer), whose former gang has a rivalry with the Puerto Rican gang led by Maria’s brother. There’s singing, dancing, and plenty of violence.West Side Storyreceived 11 nominations and only lost one of them. It won Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Wise, and Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno, making her the first Hispanic woman to win an Oscar.
Related:West Side Story: Comparing the Plot and Cast of the Classic to the Remake
8The English Patient (1996)
The English Patientis one of those movies that you’ve probably heard of but haven’t seen. It’s an epic romance set during World War II, based on the 1992 novel of the same name. Here, a nurse (Juliette Binoche) takes care of a horribly burned plane crash victim (Ralph Fiennes), who recounts his story and love affair through a series of flashbacks. The film was a box office success and received critical acclaim. Of its 12 Oscar nominations,The English Patientscored 9 wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Anthony Minghella, and Best Supporting Actress for Juliette Binoche.
7Gigi (1958)
Gigiis the first romantic comedy on this list. It’s also one of the most awarded films in cinematic history. A classic American musical,Gigicaptures the budding romance of a young woman named Gigi (Leslie Caron) and a wealthy playboy named Gaston (Louis Jordan). Based on a novella of the same, the film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won all nine of them, including Best Picture and Best Director for Vincente Minnelli. For decades,Gigiheld the record for the highest clean sweep of Oscar nominations – untilThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingcame along in 2003, winning all 11 of its Oscar nominations.
6Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Some viewers may not considerSlumdog Millionaireto be a romance. However, it’s the romance between the film’s two main characters that becomes the beating heart of the story. In this 2008 smash hit, Jamal (Dev Patel) from the slums of India finds himself as a contestant on the Indian-Hindi version ofWho Wants to be a Millionaire?.Every question in the game show ties to a moment from his past, allowing him to select the correct answer and progress in the competition. But it’s not the million dollars that Jamal wants. It’s the love of Latika (Freida Pinto), who’s the reason why Jamal went on the game show in the first place. With its unique setting and story,Slumdog Millionairewent down asone of the best movies of the 2000s. Out of 10 nominations, it nabbed eight wins, including Best Picture and Best Director for Danny Boyle.
Related:10 Best Danny Boyle Movies, Ranked
5My Fair Lady (1964)
My Fair Ladyis a romantic musical that dabbles in both comedy and drama. It starred one of Hollywood’s classic beauties and leading ladies, Aurey Hepburn. The filmfollows a snobby wager made by an English phonetics professor (Rex Harrison), who claims that he can transform a poor, young woman with a strong Cockney accent (Audrey Hepburn) into a presentable member of high society. And of course, he ends up falling for her. It’s a questionable pairing with a questionable ending, but that didn’t stop the movie from cleaning up at the Oscars.My Fair Ladyclaimed 8 wins from its 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for George Cukor, and Best Actor for Rex Harrison.
4Gone with the Wind (1940)
Gone with the Windis often considered to beone of the greatest romances of all time. Set during the Civil War, ittakes a unique approach and shows the perspective of the South.Gone with the Windtells the love story of two wealthy, flawed people: Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and Scarlett O’Hara, played by the then unknown Vivian Leigh. Their romance is tumultuous, flip-flopping between love and hate and displaying physical abuse and marital rape. And audiences couldn’t get enough of it. When adjusted for inflation,Gone with the Windisthe highest grossing film of all timeat approximately $3.9 billion. That’s $500 million more than the next contender on the list: 2019’sAvatar. The film also dominated the Academy Awards. Out of 13 nominations, it had eight wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Victor Fleming, and Best Actress for newcomer Vivian Leigh. Hattie McDaniel also won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of the hard but beloved Mammy, making cinematic history as the first African-American to claim an Oscar.
Related:Gone with the Wind Still Beats Avengers: Endgame at the Box Office When Adjusted for Inflation
3From Here to Eternity (1953)
From Here to Eternityis another WWII romance that swept audience goers off their feet. It features a love affair that takes place just days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It received 13 Academy Award nominations and won eight major ones, including Best Picture, Best Director for Fred Zinnemann, and Best Supporting Actor to legendary musician Frank Sinatra. Legend has it that Frank Sinatra and his role in this movie waswhat inspired Mario Puzo for the character of Johnny Fontanein another cinematic classic,The Godfather.
2Shakespeare In Love (1998)
What’s a list of romance films without William Shakespeare?Shakespeare In Lovecaptures a fictional love story between Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Shakespeare himself (Joseph Fiennes) while he’s penning his magnum opus,Romeo & Juliet.Can you get more romantic than that?Shakespeare in Lovereceived 13 Oscar nods and claimed an impressive seven of them, including Best Picture over Steven Spielberg’sSaving Private Ryan. However, its Best Picture win remains controversial to this day, considered by many to beone of the biggest snubs in Oscar history.
1It Happened One Night (1934)
It Happened One Nightis another romantic classic featuring the legendary Clark Gable. It’s a screwball comedy about a spoiled, runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) who gets left behind at a bus stop with an unemployed journalist (Gable). You can probably guess what happens next. Upon its release,It Happened One Nightreceived critical acclaim and isconsidered to be one of the greatest films ever made. It received Oscar nominations for what’s referred to as the Big Five: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.It Happened One Nightswept all five categories and is one of only three films to do so, along withOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestandThe Silence of the Lambs.
