Like all romance movies, romantic comedies are there to capture out hearts. Romantic comedies do so in a light-hearted and seemingly funny way. They often contain characters who meet in an unusual or spontaneous way and are sometimes set up to be “just friends” or to not initially like one another. However or wherever these timeless characters meet, the witty stories of how they fall in love become forever classics in our eyes. Here's a list of the top 20 romantic comedies based upon viewers like yourselves. Browse through these romantic comedy films and and give us your opinions. We welcome all comments and suggestions, please comment intelligently. If you think other romantic comedies belong on this list, please list and describe those movies. To see the more serious romance drama movies, you can check out this list: best romantic movies.
20 Ways How Laughter Makes Love Last
1. The Philadelphia Story (1940) starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, is the story of a well off woman who is forced to choose between her old love, her present love and a new love. On the eve of her second wedding, the bride-to-be finds herself face to face with her first husband, who works for Spy Magazine, who she believes is there to help her deal with a family controversy involving her father, but finds out that he has some alterer motives. This clever movie is a classic and with such an all-star cast, it is easy to see how it is considered the number one romantic comedy of all time.
2. It Happened One Night (1943) starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, is the story of a woman tired of her rich family telling her what to do, who decides to jump off the side of her father's yacht in Miami and make her way back up to New York to see the man that her parents have swept her away from. On the bus ride back to her love, she is helped out by a newspaper writer, who is looking for a story. The two reluctantly fall in love on this long, funny journey, but are too afraid to admit it to one another. They arrive in NY and decide to go their separate ways, each going to what they originally intended, but for how long? To find out, watch this wonderfully funny and romantic classic.
3. City Lights (1931) is the story of a poor Tramp who falls in love with a blind girl who sells flowers in the city and who believes that the Tramp is a wealthy Duke. After the Tramp learns of a surgery that may give her the ability to see again, he sets off on a serious of comedic journeys to earn enough money for her to be able to have the surgery. He is successful in his quest, however, he goes to jail for a while because of something he did. While he is in jail, the flower girl has the surgery and her sight is restored, but she is anxious to meet the man who made it possible. What will happen when she find out that the rich Duke is a poor Tramp?
4. Roman Holiday (1953), starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, is the story of a princess who decides to escape the pressures of royalty while on a diplomatic visit to Rome. There she meets a charming man, who actually turns out to be a newspaper man looking for a story that will earn him enough money to settle his large gambling debt. They spend a day in Rome together, each hiding who they really are and end up falling for one another. When her duty as a princess forces her to leave him, he must decide whether he can publish his exclusive story about the “real princess”. Will he be able to?
5. Some Like it Hot (1959) starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, is the story of two musicians that, after witnessing a mob hit, go into hiding disguised as two females and join an all woman band. After joining this band, they each end up with another problem, one falls for a fellow band mate who he can't be with because he can't tell her his gender, while the other gets caught up with a wealthy benefactor who wants him (her) and will not take 'No' for an answer. This is a funny movie about how each person try to be with or far away from the people that want them.
6. Annie Hall (1977) starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, is the story of the relationship between a neurotic stand-up comedian and the ditsy Annie Hall, with whom he is in love. The film traces the relationship of the two from his point of view while he tries to figure out why he broke up with her. It is a witty movie that tells their love story from first meeting to dramatic end.
7. When Harry Met Sally (1989) starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, is the story of how two people fall in love over the course of ten years. It starts with them first meeting and him telling her that men and women can never really be just friends. They part ways then several years later meet again on an airplane and each are in a serious relationship. Then another few years after that, they meet for a third time and become best friends. They realize that they love one another after having a huge argument and go there separate ways for a while. How will they meet again?
8. The Princess Bride (1987) starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright Penn, is a fairly tale story about how “nothing can stop true love, not even death”. It is a story about a farm boy, Wesley and the daughter of his employer, Buttercup, who fall madly in love, before he is sent off to war. She later learns that he has died (or so she thinks) and is heartbroken, but agrees to marry a prince, who is planning on killing her the night of their wedding. When Wesley is finally able to return from war, he hears of the marriage and to save the woman he loves, he battles giants, Spanish swordsman and the evil prince.
9. Manhattan (1971) starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, is the story of an unhappy writer of TV shows from Manhattan, who was left by his wife for another woman. While his ex-wife writes a book about their relationship, the writer decides to date a 17 year old high school student that falls for him, but that he doesn't really care for. When he meets his best friend's mistress, he develops a crush on her and decides to go for her instead. By making this choice, he changes the lives of all of the people in his life, especially his own.
10. Harold and Maude (1971) starring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort, is the story of a 20 year old man who hates life and is obsessed with death who pretends to commit suicide in front of his mother to get attention from her while she tries to set him up to marry women and tries to enlist him in the army. While attending a funeral, which was a hobby of his, he meets a 79 year old woman who has a zest for life and who shows him things about the world that changes his perspective on life and the world. He plans to marry her and asks her on her 80th birthday, but what he doesn't expect to happen is for her to surprise him with one more thing that changes his life forever.
11. Charade (1963) starring Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Walter Matthau, is the story of a woman who returns home from a ski trip and discovers that her husband has been murdered and that she may be the next target. She spends a few days running through Paris trying to save her own life by finding what the murders are looking for, the money that he stole with them from the US government during WWII. She meets a man (Cary Grant) who is also after the money and says he will help her, but who changes his name and reason for wanting it every time he gets caught in whatever lie he is telling. The movie becomes even more intense when the men after her start getting killed themselves. Who can a girl in Paris trust?
12. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, is the story of two people who decide to have their memories of one another erased by surgical means. They don't realize that by doing so that they are actually helping themselves realize what they had together to begin with.
13. Groundhog Day (1993) starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, is the story of a weatherman who discovers that he is living the same day over and over again, Groundhog Day. He at first uses this to his advantage, but then he realizes that he will never again do anything new, see anything new, meet anyone new, and this frustrates him and he doesn't know what to do or how this living the same day over and over again could ever help him. He doesn't realize that it will help him be with the one he loves.
14. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, is the story of Holly Golightly, who in public is a sexy sophisticated New York socialite. But when alone with her new neighbor, who she thinks resembles her brother and who is a writer that is intrigued by her, shows her vulnerable, and slight neurotic side, she begins to rethink her life. This movie shows how the two eventually fall in love, even through all of the frustrating situations that she ends up putting him through.
15. Shakespeare in Love (1998) starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, is the story of young Shakespeare, who suffers from writers block until he meets his ideal woman, Viola, who helps to inspire one of his most famous plays. She is promised to another man, but she also dreams of being an actress, and disguised as a man, she is able to do this and earns the part of Romeo in Shakespeare's play. While working together on the play, William and Viola start a passionate love affair that helps to inspire the rest of the play.
16. Pretty Woman (1990) starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, is the story of the love that develops between a wealthy businessman and a hooker he hires to be his “beck-and-call” girl for the week he is staying at a Beverly Hills hotel. This unlikely romance develops when she helps him realize the things that he didn't even know that he was missing and when he shows her that she is capable of so much more than life on the streets.
17. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) is the story of a widower (Tom Hanks) in Seattle, who, because of his son, speaks on a late night radio show about true love. A beautiful woman (Meg Ryan), although lives across the country in New York, falls in love with him when she was listening to the radio. The man's young son decides that the two should be together, and with the classic romance movie An Affair to Remember as inspiration, tries to get them to meet on the top of the Empire State Building.
18. Beauty and the Beast (1991) is an animated film that includes a young girl who, in order to save the life of her father, decides to live in a castle forever with a “beast”. With only the beast and his enchanted furniture as company, the young girl helps to break the spell on the household by seeing the real man behind the beast and by falling in love with him in spite of his appearance.
19. Adam’s Rib (1949) starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, is the story of a married couple who work on opposites of a lawsuit about a woman shooting her husband. The two lawyers' perfect marriage starts to have its own troubles because neither are willing to drop the case and they each willing to do whatever it takes to win for their clients. They begin to quarrel and even the smallest arguments turn into big fights between these two. Can their marriage survive this case?
20. Moonstruck (1987) starring Cher and Nicholas Cage, is a story about a woman who doesn't know how to choose between her fiancee or his brother. A few years after her husband dies, a book-keeper decides that she wants to be married again. She meets a nice dependable man and they are soon engaged, though she doesn't really love him. She thinks she can handle a loveless marriage,but after meeting her fiancee's younger, passionate brother, she is not sure if she can go through with it.
What other romantic comedy movies need to be on the most romantic comedies of all time list? List your favorite romantic comedies and tell us why you think they are good. We all have differences of opinions and there is no right or wrong when choosing a movie. The movies on this list were voted and chosen by viewers who love to watch romantic comedies because they get to laugh and see people fall in love at the same.
I havent see any of these movies, i wasnt born yet.. we are in 2009.. when you people were born.. upps i dont now, but you nid to change of year..
Seriously…. I was born in 89 and a lot of these movies I have seen and they are good movies. Maybe you should try watching them??? Not everything is about you, or what you like. If you didn’t like the list there’s this little x in your upper right hand corner… click it!
this list is great… i was born in ‘91 and i saw almost all of these except for maybe 2 and i love all of them. Great List!
WHAT ABOUT WALEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the two robots that fall in LOVE and its FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
saw 19 of the 20 loved everyone of it. My favourite will always be moon struck Loved it to bits.I believe Behind red lips is one to see as well Youll just love it.
ok .. the first person is RIDICULOUS.
LOSER
let me guess, the only one you’ve seen is … BEAUTY AND THE BEAST???
HAHAHAHAHA
mo………..re……………..
i love them all! and i was born in 92
1. City Lights
2. it happens one night
3. a walk in the clouds ( may not be a romantic ‘comedy’, but still…)
4. nine months
5. breakfast at tiffany’s
6. My fair lady
7. some like it hot
Good list. Doesn’t matter when you were born, a good movie is timeless. Hence the term “classic.”
…and to those leaving comments:
Not to be antagonistic, but learn how to spell. Seriously, you have no excuse when your browser does automatic spell check for you. Not cute, just shows your ignorance, and makes people less likely to take any of your comments seriously.
these are really great movies.
gotta love the classics!!!
eliminate sleepless in seatle and replace it with what it was trying to emulate: An Affair to Remember — no. that isn’t a comedy.
Others that deserve to be on the list:
The Trouble with Harry – Alfred Hitchcock can really be funny; introducing Shirley MacLaine
There’s Something About Mary – gross but hilarious
My Man Godfrey – Carole Lombard and William Powell – one of the greatest screwball comedies
Lover Come Back – funniest 60’s romantic comedy
How to Steal a Million – Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole, therefore sophisticated, romantic, and funny
It could happen to you
You’ve Got Mail
Hey, add WALLEEEE
The Notebook, it’s my all-time favourite romantic movie, love it to bits!
I believe Moonstruck should be among the top 5, but there’s
two very deep and passionated ones you’ve left out…
“The Mirror has two faces” and my all time favorite
“The Apartment”
theres something about mary i assure ull laugh so much that ur tummy aches
very nice listing, nice addition of english classics
they remain immortal, i have seen the most,
i’ll make sure i see the rest, thanx brother, good link
mail me if you have some more good english classics at sid.nick@gmail.com
you must include 50 first date!! awsome movie!!!
The first person is a freakin idiot. i was born in 93 and have seen all but 4. jeez what do you watch disney and thats it? educate yourself.
If a man answers.
love the list but might i add …..
Forrest Gump (no list is complete without it)
You’ve got mail
As good as it gets.
I just watched when harry met sally like last week. its my new fav movie!
I think you all must watch a lot like love. It is one movie, which makes you believe that at the end there is one person you want to spend your life with truly. Till you find him/her its all foolish unpredictable relationships you fall into.
Please do watch it, speacially if one likes Ashton Kutcher’s innocent yet so naughty looks.
Aw, I love all the old movies that are listed here!! And, who could resist the Princess Bride???
The old movies may be just that, OLD, but they’re a part of our culture, and our history. So give ‘em a try! I was raised on this kind of stuff, and Some Like It Hot is so funny! If you like it, try Opperation Petticoat with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. And if you want to mix it up, you can get Houseboat. It’s an oldie, but it’s got Sophia Lauren and Cary Grant. It’s a little like Pretty Woman, Moonstruck and Sleepless in Seattle all mixed together, only not as racy, and a lot more dignified and hillarious. I show it to my baby cousin, and she loves it, she’s 10.
If a Man Answers! I totally forgot about that one
Sandra Dee and Bobby Daren. They were so great together, for as long as it lasted. If I remember correctly, they did a lot together, and it was always cute. Come September has them and Gina Lolobrigida (I can never spell her name right, and I’m Italian!!) along with Rock Hudson.
Great movie, and I was born in late 1990.
This list is incomplete w/out the Quiet Man. It has Maureen O’hara, John Wayne (I know I know, but it was a really good movie despite him), Barry Fitzgerald, and Ward Bond. It’s about an American (John Wayne) who goes back to his native land of Ireland. There he meets a fiery lady (Maureen O’Hara) whom he falls in love with. The adventure they take you on id romantic, and too funny for words
what about ‘one fine day’ ?
How about Serendipity?
…Chances Are (1989) not in this list… I think this movie is better than others.. try watch it…
what about Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts???
While you were sleeping
Truth about cats and dogs
Music and Lyrics
The Holiday, The Ugly Truth, Love in the Afternoon, Love Actually, Bridget Jone’s Diary (1), Before Sunshine/Before Sunset,
i love the list. i think though music and lyrics should have been in the list. i liked 4 weddings and a funeral also it can also figure in this list. anyway the list is awesome and given i had been through all the new movies it is good to find such a data base
thx dude
OK….so i was born in ‘95 and the country i live in doesn’t really have a lot of video shops with these movies so i haven’t seen any except beauty and the beast. And a movie that i think should really be on this list is ‘P.S. I Love You’ with Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank. Its HILARIOUS and sad and romantic, its the kind of movie that has you laughing AND crying at the same time!! AND I ALSO REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE MOVIE ‘TITANIC’ SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST!!! i know its a bit long but come on, jack and rose basically gave life to each other!! and since beauty and the beast is there why not the little mermaid!
My favorite romantic comedies are while you were sleeping and look whos talking mystic pizza 13 going on 30 my big fat greek wedding all really good!
OMG i am so happy right now.
Beauty and the beast is on
its my favourite disney movie!!!
i love it hahaha
okay saw a ton of these thins an dI was born in 99. i am know as the famous movie person in class haha
I agree with whoever said ´50 first dates´ should be added… its like the #1 romantic comedy… whoever hasnt seen should DEFINATELY watch it….
And the first person is an IDIOT.. sry i just had to say it lol
cc
totally blew it by leaving off…
NOTTING HILL
SERENDIPITY
and
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
where is 50 first dates and you’ve got mail…………
1.ugly truth
2.marriage proposal
3.harry met sally
4.what happened in vegas
whoever put this list did a gr8 job coz all of them are nice movies of all time and i watched them all…how about hitch?? did people forget about that??
i think you should put twilight cuz eveyone is like that movie alot just an i dea btw great job on the web site i saw you put a few old movies and i thought you might want to put on the love letter or youve got mail think about it byee
omg. i can’t believe no one has mentioned SAY ANYTHING john cusack 1989 classic
What about…
50 first dates
Lars and the real girl
Juno
or
Hitch.
I loved your list though anyway.I LOVE The Princess Bride and Some like it hot.
Serendipity
Before Sunset
Notting Hill
I love the list. Seen all but 3 and I really think you should add “Sweet home Alabama” its once of my favorites. Also, I agree with the others in saying the first guy is an idiot.
garden state
The movies listed above are wonderful movies…..a walk to remember,notebook are also very good…bt dey r not romantic “comedies” though!!….anyway…I love dem all….the first person(ok) should see d movies n then comment;)
This is a pretty impressive list. I absolutely loved Groundhog Day and Harold and Maude.
Others that may deserve a spot on that list:
Tin Cup – Kevin Costner is a talented golf pro that never had the head to play professionally. Very lighthearted and fun.
Amelie – Quirky and French
Juno – Also quirky. Great soundtrack
Garden State – A great one to watch when you’re blue. Also great soundtrack.
Love Actually – Very lighthearted
The Hustler – Romantic and not funny at all, but I can’t help but recommend it because it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen with spectacular dialogue and characters.
wat abt
ghost
notebook
gone with the wind
i really loved these
scent of a woman with al pacino and the in laws with peter falk are the two best romantic comedies plus annie hall and manhattan by woody allen!
McClintock is another John Wayne/Maureen OHara movie that is g rated and very funny.I highly recommend it.
roman holiday
it happened in one night
the ghost of girl friend past
blast from the past
knocked up
who ever sed walle ROCKS!! Its is sooo cute. If you are looking for a feel good movie walle is just the one.
I was born in 95 but still all thous films are amazing. try watching them before saying there bad.
=]
i think that the list is awesuuum seen all of them and the first is a pompous idiot really i mean …
but i only think roman holiday shud be first and thn breakfast at tiffany’s
i lov all these muvees but i thnk dat da 1st guy is an idiot rlly man wake up
4 da 1st gaaa
please add 50 first dates to the list….
I’m only 16 and i have seen a lot of the movies on here. I love good old movies a lot of times they are more romantic than more modern movies. One movie that really needs to be on here is 10 Things I Hate About You. That movie is a really great romantic comedy and I think anyone who watches it will like it:).
Just cause these are older movies doesnt mean they shouldn’t be on the list! Im 15 and have seen quite afew!
Pretty good choices
And these older rom-coms are ALOT better then the ones that are made today.
Don’t forget Notting Hill, My Best Friends Wedding, No Reservations.
The thing about older movies that are love stories is they prove you don”t have to make movies filthy and cuss every other word for the movie to be good..they are still around and people pay a lot of money to watch them and buy them so they evidently are good. It is like the older songs that are still around from the fifties..people spend hundreds of dollars on them because they were good songs…my younger kids and their friends love those movies and the older songs and they are hip kids..so buy and enjoy or not, it is up to you but don’t cut down what others like because you don’t like it…
My list is
Lord of the Rings
Woman
Hills have eyes
Rambo IV
American Pie
Benhur
Robin Hood
Ya, all these some way or the other love stories.. are not they? and they are greaaaaat movies.. Anyone has a better opinion?
Awesome list..love it especially when harry met sally.@melissa nice comment
My favorite will be always: “Frankie and Johnny” with Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.
These movies would be great if you asked my great grandmom!! I mean seriously these movies may have been great but who was alive to see them!! This list sucks!
I love the list, I have to say though that p.s i love you, and My best friends wedding should be on there. Two of my favourite rom coms that just makes you feel so good after you’ve watched them. I also love Twilight though not sure it should make a rom com list? More horror/ romance maybe… i dunno still great though!!!
Benny and Joon
I was looking for a list of classic rom-coms! This list is great! And to the two who are saying that this list sucks, please go and actually watch these movies yourself. I’m 20 and I’ve seen all but four of these movies.
If I were to add anything in, I would probably put in “You’ve Got Mail” (and if you like You’ve Got Mail I also suggest “Shop Around the Corner” starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan).
I also disagree with “Shakespeare in Love”. It’s a rom-com? Really? And as for the people who are suggesting, I don’t think titles such as “The Notebook”, “Gone With the Wind”, “Lord of the Rings” classify under the ‘romantic-comedy’ category. Sorry. Just Saying.