For (St.) Valentine's Day: My Favorite Romantic Movies

Somewhere along the line, we lost the "Saint" in Saint Valentine's Day; traditionalists visit prisoners (whose patron saint he is) on this day, rather than buy women flowers and chocolate. But, for those who want "warm and fuzzy" [I'm more aloof and hairy], boxed wine, pink Kleenex to cry into and videos to watch with at most one other person and maybe your dog, here's my favorite romantic movies.

Runners up:

Four Weddings and a Funeral

I've seen this movie at least two dozen times, though never intending to see it. While it works as a romantic comedy, my real reason for watching it might be apparent from these photos:

Is it just me? Or is that a spooky resemblance?

Casablanca
Tremendous film, but the romance doesn't end well, unless you're Victor.

The African Queen
Romance and adventure. Farm film report: at the end, it blowed up real good.

Lost in Translation
Yes, I've seen a movie since 2000.

Marty
This can be gut-wrenching, but sometimes you want a more realistic feeling romantic film.

Crossing Delancey
I have a real soft spot for this one. If you don't fall in love with Amy Irving or Peter Riegert, you just might fall in love with New York City.

Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx
As long as we're in NYC... who would expect Gene Wilder, playing a manure salesman, to be so wonderfully loveable?

84 Charing Cross Road
Anne Bancroft is a little over-the-top, but this is a true love story for book-lovers.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Not meant to be a romantic film, Robert Donat and Greer Garson are an inescapably lovely couple.

And, the winner is....


The Quiet Man
This film may be my all-time favorite movie ("Witness for the Prosecution" is right up there as well). There's no excuse now to have not seen it - someone put the entire thing on YouTube! Here's the first part; just try not to go and watch the whole thing!