Top 10 Movie Couples Who Defined Cinema
#10: Westley & Buttercup “The Princess Bride” (1987)
Since 1987 onward, one phrase has defined the art of romance - “The Princess Bride” manages the difficult trick of poking fun at the swashbuckling genre while still delivering one of the great on screen romances. From the moment you first see them together, Westley and Buttercup have some of the greatest chemistry in cinematic history. The tension between them is almost tangible, all the yearning and desire completely unspoken yet utterly clear. When they share one of the three most pure kisses of all time at the end, you believe in their love completely.
#9: Frances “Baby” Houseman & Johnny Castle “Dirty Dancing” (1987)
When it comes to dancing movies, “Dirty Dancing” is one of the most iconic. The tales about the offscreen feud between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey are about as storied as the romance itself. But that tension onset led to a palpable tension on screen, filled with passion and fervor. Despite the film’s fairytale feel, the relationship between Baby and Johnny develops quite realistically. Their chemistry moves from adversarial to romantic in a believable way. By the time the fantastic final dance at the end gives you that almost out of body feeling, you’re completely swept up in the magic of it all.
#8: Jack Twist & Ennis Del Mar “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)
Top 10 Jack Black Roles
Queer cinema has been developing and changing for decades, though often out of the mainstream film world. But in 2005, “Brokeback Mountain” served as a sort of turning point. A lot of that has to do with the stellar performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as Jack and Ennis. The specificity in the characters and the relationship helps elevate the couple beyond a regular romance. That specificity, instead of making it harder to understand the love between them, makes the feelings all that more potent. The universality of the feelings between these two men is perfectly rendered.
#7: Princess Leia & Han Solo “Star Wars” original trilogy (1977-83)
Top 10 Best Disney Princess Monologues
The “Star Wars” movies make up what is perhaps the best known fantasy movie series in the world. So almost by default, Han Solo and Princess Leia are one of the most famous cinematic couples in history. But the chemistry between actors Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher elevates the relationship beyond what is present in the script. Both performers bring a feistiness to their characters that creates the perfect mix of antagonism and sparks flying. That chemistry even helps us forgive Han for saying “I know” the first time Leia told him she loved him. At least he says it for real in “Return of the Jedi.”
#6: Jack Dawson & Rose DeWitt Bukater “Titanic” (1997)
Top 10 Movie and TV Characters Named Jack
We’ll never let go of this cinematic couple. 1997 was a great year for cinema, not the least because “Titanic” became a sensation, along with its central couple Jack and Rose. Leo-mania was the name of the game that winter, and there’s a reason. But focusing just on DiCaprio ignores how key Kate Winslet is to the film’s success. “Titanic” is a true romantic epic, and both actors play up the passion with the exaggerated nature necessary for that genre perfectly. Their chemistry is matchless, and Jack and Rose will always constitute one of the essential romances of cinema history.
#5: Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967)
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker have been capturing the hearts and minds of Americans since the early 1930s. Something about a couple of bank-robbing bandits in love was irresistible then, and still was in the 1960s. “Bonnie and Clyde” solidified the couple’s place in the American lexicon, and made them a part of cinema history as well. As the titular duo, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are almost unbelievably gorgeous, lending a sort of glamourization to the pair’s spree that turned off some critics at the time. But however you feel about “Bonnie and Clyde,” you can’t ignore its importance in the history of film.
#4: Scarlett O’Hara & Rhett Butler “Gone with the Wind” (1939)
Top 10 Movies That Could Have Starred Scarlett Johansson
One of the first couples you think of when you think of movie romances is Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler. Funnily enough, this romance is one that doesn’t end up so well. Maybe that says something about our taste for romance lost. At the time of its release, “Gone With the Wind” was the highest grossing film of all time. Audiences flocked to see the ultimately doomed relationship between Scarlett and Rhett, and more specifically, the performances of Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. Due to their chemistry in the film, Gable and Leigh are now cemented in film history as one of the most memorable couples to hit the screen.
#3: Harry Burns & Sally Albright “When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)
Top 10 Harry Potter Movie Mistakes Spotted By the Fans
The romantic comedy genre has evolved over the course of the last several decades, but there’s one thing we can all pretty much agree on. The blueprint for the modern rom-com started in 1989 with “When Harry Met Sally…” The movie centers around the question of whether men and women can really just be friends. While that might sound like an outdated premise, there’s something effortlessly modern about the film. As Harry Burns and Sally Albright, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have a neurotic, daffy sort of chemistry, lightning in a bottle that can’t be replicated. Harry and Sally are the duo that every romantic comedy has been chasing since.
#2: Tony & Maria “West Side Story” (1961)
Bruce Wayne Vs Tony Stark
Yes, yes, we know. But while “West Side Story” might be based on “Romeo and Juliet,” those star-crossed lovers are more of a literary couple than a cinematic one. In 1961, however, “West Side Story” moved from stage to screen and in the process became one of the best movie musicals of all time. As a result, Tony and Maria are the movie musical couple of the century. The way Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins capture the naive, wide-eyed energy between Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer with dance and song is something beautiful to behold. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Sam Wheat & Molly Jensen, “Ghost” (1990) Who Knew Pottery Could Be This Cinematic? Maria & Captain von Trapp, “The Sound of Music” (1965) They Must Have Done Something Good Peter Warne & Ellie Andrews, “It Happened One Night” (1934) One Of the Original Romantic Comedy Couples Peter Parker & Mary Jane Watson, “Spider-Man” (2002) The Upside Down Kiss Was Era-Defining Carmen Jones & Joe, “Carmen Jones” (1954) Harry Belafonte & Dorothy Dandridge’s Chemistry Leaps Off the Screen
#1: Rick Blaine & Ilsa Lund “Casablanca” (1942)
Top 10 Things We Want to See in the Rick Grimes Movies
When you think of romance in the movies, there’s definitely one line that comes to mind. “Casablanca” is a war movie, with plenty of scheming and intrigue. But more than anything else, it’s about the lost romance between Rick and Ilsa. From the moment we see Ingrid Bergman onscreen, along with Humphrey Bogart’s reaction to her, we know we’re in for something special. The yearning and magnetism between these two has defined romance on screen for more than 50 years. The movie’s ending is iconic, offering up the perfect mixture of longing, sadness, and hope. If we missed any of your favorite cinematic pairings, let us know in the comments below.
