Diehl 40's Top 25 Romantic Comedies

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Cameron Crowes
Singles.

A group of singles living in the same apartment block seek to find romance as they live out there mid to late twenties in Seattle. Not in my top 25 rom coms. Seemed like the pitch would have been good, but not up to some of his better movies such as Almost Famous. He could have developed the characters better, and he could have worked more of the bands fromthe seattle grunge scene into the story a bit more.






Stranger than Fiction
Marc Forester
A writer who likes to kill of her main characters is confronted by Harold Crick, the main character of her newest novel. I like this one because it is a good mix of romantic comedy and a hint of dark comedy. I've wathed this movie several times, and I have always enjoyed it. A good solid romantic comedy. .






It Happened One Night
Capra


A rich "spoiled" bankers daughter (Claudette Colbert) runs away to elope with a man her father cannot stand. She meets a reporter (Clark Gable) on the way to New York who helps her stay clear of the bounty hunters her father has sent to find her. In exchange for his help he wants her story to help him make things right with his boss. They find things hard on the road, having little money, and they have to live by their wits. Being thrown together leads to them reluctantly falling in love. I liked the movie a great deal, and I was glad to get a Capra movie on my list, however I am not sure I agree that it is the best rom-com ever as suggested by its place on several of the lists that rank romantic comedies. It is not just because it is a little dated because a couple of the movies I plan to rank higher are also older movies. "The Awful Truth" and "His Girl Friday" to name two older movies and some of the Woody Allen's I like. I still want to recommend it for Rom-Com's and I anticipate it will remain on the list when I am finished.



It Happened One Night is an all-time favorite of mine. It's also my favorite Capra film by a pretty decent margin. Glad you also liked it!
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Annie Hall 5/5
Dir. Woody Allen
Written Woody Allen/ Marshall Brickman
Principal Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Paul Simon, Shelly Duvall,



5/5
Writing in 2002 Roger Ebert claimed that, "Annie Hall contains more intellectual wit and cultural references than any other movie ever to win the best picture Oscar. To show how much things have changed since 1977 many might be surprised that the film it edged out to win the Oscar was Star Wars. I could not see that happening today. Annie hall grossed about 40 million dollars which is less than the budget for many of the "blockbusters" of today.
This film was a watershed moment for Allen. Before then he was principally viewed as a "comedy writer". Annie Hall is a comedy, but is so much more. There are dozens of references to cultural and intellectual trends of the films date. He made popular the Groucho Marx Quote "I would not want to be in a club that would have me as a member". There are references to Marshall McLulan and the films of Fredrico Fellini to name but two.

Alvy Singer follows Allen's Jewish Male neurotic template for his main characters both before and after this film. Keaton also follows a template of many of the love interest in Woody's movies: Pretty,smart, scatterbrained, with genuine affection fading that eventually trails into frustration and exasperation with Woody's characters.
I've mentioned in other reviews that Woody has had his share of genuine inspirations in some of his movies. some of those moments in Annie Hall include a lot of Woody addressing his audience directly through the camera, a sudden departure from the script to quiz local passerby's about his love life. He also interrupts a scene to bring Marshall Mcluhan on screen to directly reply to criticisms from a blowhard pseudo-intellectual pontificating about Fellini's film and McLuhan's book.
One of the funniest scenes involves Woody as a child taking his hostility out in the Bumper card ride and then translating that into a scene where Woody, as an adult, is required to drive in New York without much driving experience. Even if these scenes are derivative of other film makers work, it still comes across fresh for me. Annie Hall is not my favorite Allen film, but there is no denying that it is probably his most successful movies and perhaps his most influential film.

For my money, possibly the most overrated movie of all time.



These are some of my favorite romantic comedies:

It Happened One Night (1934)
The Awful Truth (1937)

His Girl Friday (1940)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)
One Touch of Venus (1948)

Tea for Two (1950)
Roman Holiday (1953)
It Should Happen to You (1954)
Desk Set (1957)
Indiscreet (1958)
Pillow Talk (1959)

If a Man Answers (1962)
That Touch of Mink (1962)
Sunday in New York (1963)
The Thrill of It All (1963)
Irma la Douce (1963)
Move Over, Darling (1963)
Send Me No Flowers (1964)
What a Way to Go! (1964)
Do Not Disturb (1965)
That Funny Feeling (1965)
Marriage on the Rocks (1965)
The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
Barefoot in the Park (1967)

Goodbye Girl (1977)
California Suite (1978)
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Same Time, Next Year (1978)
Love at First Bite (1979)

Seems Like Old Times (1980)
Kiss Me Goodbye (1982)
The Princess Bride (1987)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
I.Q. (1994)
Only You (1994)
The American President (1995)
Sabrina (1995)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
You've Got Mail (1998)
Notting Hill (1999)

Return to Me (2000)
Serendipity (2001)
Kate & Leopold (2001)
Just Like Heaven (2005)
P.S. I Love You (2007)
Love Is All You Need (2013)
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Nice to see some love for The Shop Around the Corner and Desk Set




Mighty Aphrodite


As I was looking at some reviews as I was trying to place this movie on my list, and I was surprised to see that many did not like the Greek Chorus. That is one of the reasons I like the movie so much. I thought it was a fresh idea. I'd be interested to see what others on the site think about the Greek Chorus.






Hannah and Her Sisters
I'm thinking that this film will end up in my top 5, but I'll have to see if I can find enough new films to push it down the list. There is a thread on Movie forums that ask what film turned you on to movies. This is the film that did it for me. I remember I was impressed with the fact that it was a great blend of comedy and drama with great performances by Caine and Hershey as well as the other cast members. It is organized into separate vignettes which when combined give you the whole story.
The movie occurs over a period of two years. (From Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving) Elliot is married to Hannah but he is attracted to Lee One of Hannah's sisters. He seduces Lee by telling her that he is going to leave Hannah, but he never carries through with leaving. Lee is dating a college professor who is isolated from the world to the point that he tells Lee that she is his only connection between him and the world.

Lee and Hannah have a third sister who is a cokehead who makes up three parts of a whole. Hannah is the competent one, Lee is the emotional, sensuous one, and Holly is the bundle of tics and insecurities. Woody handed off the lead male character is Michael Caine who plays a Woody Allen style of character (Neurotic, insecure, etc.)

The movie is not an outright comedy, but has many comedic moments mainly centered around Woody Allen's character, Micky (Hannah's ex-husband). This was my first Woody Allen film and I truly v=believe it was his best. I am not alone in that assessment according to reviews I consulted.

Hands down, my favorite Woody Allen film...enormous re-watch appeal



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.



I really like this movie, but to me it is more of a guilty pleasure than anything I would not call it a top 25 rom com

I didn't know that Wedding Crashers is a rom-com. I thought it was just a comedy, so I haven't seen it yet, but I'll have to check it out when I get a chance.
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I didn't know that Wedding Crashers is a rom-com. I thought it was just a comedy, so I haven't seen it yet, but I'll have to check it out when I get a chance.

It is on several rom com list, but I agree it is more of a straight comedy. I call this type of comedy a "How low can you go comedy" another film that might be considered a how low can you go comedy is Sideways. Either way I like Wedding Crashers a lot, but it really doesn't belong on a top 25 list.



Other movies I am adding to my list
xSilver Linings Playbook
Indiscreet
The Apartment
Enough Said
Holiday 1938
xThe Artist
Mr and Mrs Smith
One Touch of Venus
xWhen harry met Sally
xChocalot
xAbout Time
Don Jon
Italian for Beginners
La Fee
2 Days in Paris
The Importance of Being Ernest 52
500 Days of Summer
Breakfast at tiffany's
xWaitress
xHigh Fide;lity
Stolen Kisses
Say Anything



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
I didn't know that Wedding Crashers is a rom-com. I thought it was just a comedy, so I haven't seen it yet, but I'll have to check it out when I get a chance.
Your probably right. My mistake
.
It is on several rom com list, but I agree it is more of a straight comedy. I call this type of comedy a "How low can you go comedy" another film that might be considered a how low can you go comedy is Sideways. Either way I like Wedding Crashers a lot, but it really doesn't belong on a top 25 list.

I haven't seen Wedding Crashers. I was just going by what I saw in the trailer for the movie, and I didn't think it looked like a rom-com, but I could be wrong. I added it to my watchlist, so I guess I'll find out eventually.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Other movies I am adding to my list
Silver Linings Playbook
Indiscreet
The Apartment
Enough Said
Holiday 1938
The Artist
Mr and Mrs Smith
One Touch of Venus
When harry met Sally
Chocalot
About Time
Don Jon
Italian for Beginners
La Fee
2 Days in Paris
The Importance of Being Ernest 52
500 Days of Summer
Breakfast at tiffany's
Waitress
High Fidelity
Stolen Kisses
Say Anything

It's nice to see some love for One Touch of Venus.

I love the 1941 version of Mr and Mrs Smith, but I haven't seen the 2005 remake. I'm not even sure that the 2005 version is a rom-com. It looks more like an action movie from the trailer.






Waitress


I did not really see this as a romantic comedy. The guys in the movie were both jerks in their own way. The Husband was a jerk, and the Dr. Was ready to destroy what looked like a good relationship to get involved with a woman who is at her wits end. Not on the list



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.


Waitress

I did not really see this as a romantic comedy. The guys in the movie were both jerks in their own way. The Husband was a jerk, and the Dr. Was ready to destroy what looked like a good relationship to get involved with a woman who is at her wits end. Not on the list

I liked Waitress, but I agree that it's not really a rom-com.








Dir Enst Lubitsch, Actors James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan



If you have seen "You've Got Mail" you might be surprised that it is a remake of a 1940 Ernst Lubitsch movie, based on the play called "The Shop ARound the Corner":1940. There was no e-mail in 1940, so the correspondence is through replies to personal adds. Another difference is that although the two principal characters in You've Got Mail are business rivals, the two main characters (James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan) are rival sale clerks in the same small shop. They have been corresponding only a short time before Klara (Margaret Sullivan) comes to work at the same shop as Alfred Kralik (James Stewart). The letters continue to be sweet and almost loving while their real in-person relationship is terrible. When they decide to meet in person for the first time, Kralik sees that he has been corresponding with Klara. Rather than meet her for his date he comes as himself and realizes she really cannot stand him. He changes his attitude toward her in some ways around the shop, but they still have problems getting along. In the end he reveals himself as the writer of the letters she cherishes so.

I have seen four Lubitsch movies:To Be or Not to Be, Trouble in Paradise, Ninotchka, and Trouble in Paradise. He is one of those directors who's movies are timeless. By timeless I mean there is really no need to try to update his movies. they play well even in modern times. That is true of Shop Around the Corner and To Be or not To Be, although I would have to say that You've got mail is better than Mel Brooks attempt to remake "To Be or Not to Be".









About a Boy 2002

Dir The Weitz Brothers principal actors: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, and Nicholas Hoult



Like High Fidelity the book that this movie is based on is written by Nick Hornby. Hornby depicts Will (Grant) as an immature but sincere man who loves Women as a better alternative to loving a Woman. His downfall is caused by mistakenly believing that single mothers will be less demanding and easier to dump than single girls. Of course his strategy is seriously flawed. Will begins the movie as a "how low can you go" character. He enlists Marcus, a young child who has decided that Will would make a good father, to pretend he is Will's son,so Will can seduce these single mothers into thinking he is a great single dad.

The heart of the movie revolves around the relationship between Marcus and Will. Marcus discovers Will's secret which is he has no children. He therefore starts coming to Will's house, uninvited, to watch TV. Although Marcus is cramping Will's style by trying to fix Will up with his depressed mother, and generally being a pain of sorts. Eventually Will feels ties to the young boy and decides to teach him how to dress cool. He also tries to tell Marcus that it would not be a good idea to sing "Killing me Softly" to a group of parents and their kids.

Thus far it might be a film where one of the Culkin children might show up, but this is not that type of movie. The movie succeeds in the acting of Hugh Grant and young Nicholas Hoult. The directors, who also directed American PKIe, show they can make a warm romantic comedy.