EDITOR’S PICKSMy Top Ten All-Time FavoriteRomantic MoviesBy Susan J. Sherman, EditorWith Valentine’s Day fast approaching, get ready to be besieged by a flutter of hearts,chocolate morsels in every variety, and big stuffed red lips with provocative sayings.Once a year on <strong>February</strong> 14th, Mr. Hallmark rakes in the dough as you scramble around hoping to make thegrade by providing your loved one with the perfect card and gift to say “hey, I care.” Many of you, especially those that may be newly singlelike me, may find this holiday to be an obnoxious reminder of how you’re not winning at the happiness game. But still, if you’re a romantic atheart, certain love stories just send your pulse racing and your eyes tearing like Niagara Falls. Cynical natures aside, these films bring out theromantic in all of us.Through the wonder of the movies, I can still be the hopelessly naïve young girl dreaming about my fairytale wedding in awhite gown and the handsome guy who’ll sweep me off my feet with a promise of “happily ever after” (even though I’ve been married twicebefore!). Ahh, the magic of the movies…Though these are in no particular order, Love Story and Dirty Dancing rank up there as my number one picks. I can hardly catch my breathas I watch sensitive, angel faced Ryan O’Neal cry his peepers out over terminally ill Ali MacGraw as she proclaims, “love means neverhaving to say your sorry,” and when sexy bad boy Patrick Swayze stands up protectively for Baby, “nobody puts Baby in the corner.”Viewer warning: Large box of Puffs Plus Required:LOVE STORY, starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw (1970). HarvardLaw student, rich boy, Oliver Barrett IV meets down to Earth, feminist Radcliffestudent, Jennifer Cavalleri. <strong>The</strong>y enter into an intensely passionate romancefraught with complications at every turn. When they learn that Jenny has aterminal illness, their love for each other suddenly takes on new meaning.DIRTY DANCING, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray (1987).Fantasy summer romance of uptown girl falling in love with a boy from thewrong side of the tracks. Idealistic, innocent teen, Baby falls in love withhunky staff dancer, Johnny at a Pocono’s resort in the 1960’s, much to herparent’s dismay.WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan (1989).When they first meet in college, Harry tells Sally, “Men and women can’t befriends because the sex part always gets in the way.” <strong>The</strong> film goes on toexplore this notion in what is still one of the most humorous, smart andromantic modern comedies of all time.THE ENGLISH PATIENT, starring Ralph Fiennes and Kristin ScottThomas (1996). This romantic film is filled with the joy and anguish of loveand war. It shows that while war may create logistical lines that cannot becrossed, the heart has no boundaries. Anyone who has ever experienced anintense love affair and physical longing will relate to the love of Katherineand Count Almasy.PRETTY WOMAN, starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts (1990).Corporate raider Edward Lewis impulsively picks up a prostitute namedVivian Ward, hiring her for the week as an escort so that he can have a datefor important business dinners. This “fish out of water” Cinderella story is alittle hokey, but with Julia Roberts as a modern day Eliza Doolittle, it works.TITANIC, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Winslet (1997). A classicperiod love story packed with action, adventure and drama. It’s backdrop is thedemise of the Titanic in 1912 and it centers on the lives of two young peoplefrom different social classes, Rose DeWitt, a society girl and Jack Dawson, ayoung artist riding in third class steerage. Against all odds, they fall in love.OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger(1982). Zack joins the Navy to become a fighter pilot but a feisty girl whoworks in the local factory soon complicates his world. An important film aboutthe power of love, the importance of friendship, and the choices we makewhen challenges come our way.OUT OF AFRICA, starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep (1985).Based on a true story, Karen Blixen (who wrote under the name of IsakDinesen), marries a philandering Baron, and gains a title but discovers hehas squandered her money on a coffee plantation in Kenya. Left to run it onher own, she befriends the local residents, falls in love with the country, thepeople and the unattainable local bachelor/hunter, Denis Finch Hatton.THE NOTEBOOK, starring Ryan Goesling and Rachel McAdams (2004). Atrue old-fashioned love story told in flashback during the backdrop of World WarII. Two teenagers, Noah and Allie, fall desperately in love despite their disparatebackgrounds. She’s from a rich, educated family and he from a poor farm family.Separated by impossible circumstances, they find each other again years later.BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, starring George Peppard and AudreyHepburn (1961). Struggling writer and gigolo Paul Varjak moves into aManhattan apartment and befriends neighbor Holly Golightly, a woman wholives off her looks and charm. As Paul learns more about Holly, the friendshipbetween them soon turns romantic. Audrey Hepburn is a dream.<strong>The</strong>se are just my personal favorites. Feel free to email me with your favorite romantic picks: editor@theparklander.com.22 FEBRUARY <strong>2008</strong>
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