Personal Countdown of Best Love Stories on Film – Part IV of IV

Continuing from part III or four posts...

(#3) A Lot Like Love (2005). This is an unusual story of protagonists who wrestle with hit-or-miss romantic currents that rile a kind of slapstick friendship they develop…more or less by accident. The gist of the friendship is that each leans on the other when some third party has jilted them in love. Amanda Peet plays the female lead and it’s her stellar performance that makes this film so memorable. Ashton Kutcher plays the male lead, and he puts in a fine performance as well—though his acting is a subtle counterpoint to Peet’s. And that is probably the key. The chemistry between these two is marvelous, and for that the director deserves a lot of credit.

This feature would probably be in the top spot were it not for two flaws. The first is the early airplane scene. It has Peet sexually throwing herself at Kutcher in an airline restroom (can you imagine the smell?) and before they have even met. It's so ridiculously unbelievable, and so insulting to viewers' intelligence that I nearly turned the movie off the first time I saw it on pay-per-view. The good news is that it's worth suffering through one execrable scene to get on with a fine drama. The other weakness is that the screenwriter could have done so much more with the final scene. It's satisfying but lame. Kutcher's dialogue here is cliched when it needs to rise to something memorable, something with emotional gravity. But still, this is one you won’t want to miss.

(#2) Persuasion (2009). Many will be comparing this to the 1995 version starring Amanda Root—which has long been one of my favorite Austen movies. In that context, it's a bit of shock to watch this newer version because the casting is so different and, for the most part, inferior. That is, except for the two lead roles. Rupert Penry-Jones is perfectly cast, and he puts in an excellent performance throughout. But Sally Hawkin's performance is just breathtaking. She carries the whole movie to something infinitely better than what we have a right to expect from these production values. Indeed, this is one of those rare instances when an actress gives a performance so stellar, and so riveting, that it's hard to see how anyone could improve upon it. 

 As an interesting aside, this version generated much consternation among Austen purists because of a climactic running scene that is not in the book and contrary to Regency norms. But wait a minute. Shouldn’t any filmmaker try to improve upon the original book? Would anyone really want him to do less? This production actually does succeed in improving upon the Austen novel. That the running scene mildly breaks with social norms is the very point of it. This is a woman who, eight years after making a bad choice, one that has put her on the verge of spinsterhood, is being given a second chance. And it turbocharges her actions to grasping the opportunity she never thought she'd have. Her turbulent, action-oriented closing on triumph satisfies in a way the novel does not. It is the running scene that catapults this adaptation to one of the best love stories ever committed to film.

 (#1) Notting Hill (1999). The irony of this as the top choice is that I didn't expect anything of significance from this film. In fact, I put off watching it for years because of low expectations. So I was shocked how good it turned out to be. Hugh Grant is superb, probably his best performance ever. Julia Roberts plays her role oddly, with a certain forbidding remoteness: detached with an air that's almost condescending. But she turns out to be the master of her craft here because her demeanor sets us up for the pivotal scene where her character frankly offers love in some of the best lines, brilliantly delivered, that you’ll find in any love story. And in that film instant, she also convinces us of what she’s willing to sacrifice for the love she is reaching out for. But as good as the acting is, the reason this film tops the list is the screenplay. This is a very interesting, intricate, and excellently nuanced love story. Very realistic, believable, and in the end, satisfying. The movie features much humor, some well done, but quite a bit that's downright poor. But this is a minor distraction, easy to overlook. In the end, this is a memorable love story, one that stays with you long after the credits have played through.

Personal Countdown of Best Love Stories on Film – Part III of IV

Continuing from part II of four posts...

(#5) Pride and Prejudice (2005). Keira Knightly gives a breathtaking performance to distinguish this version from the five or six (dating from 1940) we have to choose from. Plus she gets help from others. Matthew MacFadyen delivers the performance of a lifetime in portraying the enigmatic Mr. Darcy. And Joe Wright needs to be congratulated for his brilliant directing. Indeed, the scene creation, which is truly unforgettable, is one of the best aspects of this film. This version is unlikely to be surpassed for its artistic credits any time soon.

(#4) The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). This is another one you won’t find on any of the IMDb lists. Stars Jim Caviezel. We all know the story. Edmund Dantes is betrayed by “friends” and spends umpteen years unjustly imprisoned. His fiancée, Mercedes, marries his arch-betrayer within a month. Edmund eventually escapes, recovers a huge fortune, and uses it to exact revenge. The setting is post Napoleonic France.

The first bonus of this film is that its romance is far superior to that of the original novel. So if you’ve read the book, you’re in for a pleasant surprise the first time you see this movie. 

 The other bonus is that it features one of the most poignant moments of romantic drama you’ll find in any production. Let me try to set you up for this without acting the spoiler. Edmund has staged the rescue of his archenemy’s son and that gets him an invitation to the son’s birthday party, held in the family’s Paris mansion. The whole movie’s drama thus far has built up to the tension of this scene. Edmund enters the palatial home as the Count of Monte Cristo, is greeted warmly by the son, who then introduces him to his father, Edmund’s archenemy, Count Mondego, who of course doesn’t recognize him; no one does after his imprisonment. The two chat with amiable formality, Edmund speaking in coded, ironic phrases. The archenemy turns. “May I present the Countess Mondego.” Mercedes turns and…that’s as far as I can take you. Needless to say, what follows, as filmmaking goes, is the perfect cinematic moment, with the players and the director turning in peak performances. And in the scenes that follow, you have something romantically unique because of the clash between vengeful intent—an intent we sympathize with—and love struggling to revive despite all that should have killed it forever.

Personal Countdown of Best Love Stories on Film – Part II of IV

Continuing our countdown from Part I or four posts...

(#8) A Walk to Remember (2002)

If you’re like me, you cringe at the thought of seeing a movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. The plot line is typically as punishing as it predictable: boy meets girl; boy and girl fall in love despite their differences; boy and girl overcome opposition from friends or family; girl tells boy she is fatally ill; boy and girl treasure every moment until girl’s untimely end; boy goes off into the sunset, dolefully energized by memories that will fuel him for the rest of his life. Many if not most critics disdainfully view this formula as emotionally manipulative, and they’ll get no argument from me. On top of that, this film follows the formula exactly. And it has other strikes against it. The directing is merely workmanlike. And Shane West gives us an absolutely underwhelming performance as the male lead. It’s not his fault. Putting West in this role was one of the worst casting blunders of the new century. So how can this movie possibly be on the list? Well the answer is Mandy Moore, starring as the female lead. She gives us a virtuoso performance. In fact, her performance in this film is so many light years beyond anything she has done before or since that it makes you wonder if she has a slimmer, more talented twin sister that starred in this film and made it a memorable viewing experience. Credit must also be given to a screenplay that considerably upgraded the original Nicholas Sparks story.

(#7) Sense and Sensibility (1995). Spectacularly well cast and acted, and featuring two classic stories of frustrated love, this is one that begs to be on any top ten list. And the superb acting extends beyond the stars to some of the supporting roles. Alan Rickman makes the Colonel Brandon role his own. And Greg Wise gives us an excellent performance as the villainous Willoughby.

(#6) Secret Admirer (1985). Here’s one you won’t find on any of the IMDb lists. This is a lighthearted teen love story whose plot has a secret admirer letter getting misplaced to cause an avalanche of unintended consequences, most of them humorous. I think the reason I like this movie so much, why I have seen it at least a dozen times over the years, is its balance. It’s a great comedy. The teen supporting actors are extremely well cast, and they do a terrific job of generating laughs. The parents are well cast too, and their scenes are even funnier. I got a cramp in my stomach the first time I saw the bridge party fight scene. Look for it; it’s truly hilarious.

 But the plot also converges into a good love story. The ending is satisfying because it grows out of a tender, then frustrating tale of unrequited love, love strong enough to offer sacrifices. This is a story of teens growing and learning, finding themselves, and discovering that it can actually be perverse to get what you want. You’ll laugh your way to the end, but you’ll be touched by the closing sequence.

Personal Countdown of Best Love Stories on Film – Part I of IV

If you’re partial to romance, then you probably enjoy a good love story on film. I do; in fact, I think the suspension of disbelief comes easier on film than in print. And the various lists of favorites provided on IMDb are a good way to select movies to take a chance on watching. Plus the lists can be interesting in their own right because of what they say about their authors. Either way, the lists are a helpful service, and for that reason, I thought I’d volunteer a list of my own. So for the next several posts, I’ll do a countdown on a personal top ten.

Having established our basis, I’m going to veer from it briefly to discuss a film that isn’t on the list. It doesn’t fit on the list because, although this is a touching story of love’s dynamics, it’s not a conventional romance. The Girl with the Pearl Earring (2003) is a kind of inverse romance: a story of protagonists who sublimate their mutual attraction for the sake of the artistic ideal they both feel drawn to. I must admit, it took a third viewing to comprehend fully just what the filmmaker was striving for in this story. For me, this film was unexplored territory, and it offers a unique treatise on the forms love can take and the sacrifices it is capable of making. The acting and production values are superb. And the historic setting, the sense of being immersed in 17th century Dutch culture, is top-notch. You won’t want to miss this poignant story of love sacrificed for a chance to produce artistic beauty beyond anything words can express.

Okay, so back to the list. But again, I’m going to stray from convention by listing two films in the number nine spot. No, I just couldn’t decide which to choose and feel there’s value added in describing them both. Plus, there’s no ambiguity in my mind about what title follows them in the number ten spot.

(#10) Electric Dreams (1984). This is an unusual love story. It features a love triangle between a boy, a girl, and a computer. The drama in this one is not particularly high, and the acting is below mid-rate, but what nudges this film into the “special” category is the music. It’s original, composed by Giorgio Moroder, plus others, with some of the songs performed by Culture Club. But it’s perfect for this film, and what the director has done is structure the film as drama plus side scenes that are really music videos. So in a way, the movie is a kind of musical. Whatever it is, it works to produce a great entertainment experience. The music videos are good or better on their own merits, and they nicely complement the love story and the progression of the lead characters’ emotions. This one is a unique viewing experience, a true change of pace love story.

(#9) Jane Eyre (1996). There are many film versions of this story, and most of them fail spectacularly on the story’s most challenging point. Why would a nineteenth century English landed gentleman fall for the unattractive governess of his young ward? It’s a difficult emotional transaction to put across credibly, and only William Hurt manages to do it in masterly fashion in a version that also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg. She is perfectly cast in the way she combines physical plainness with a spunky intellect and personality, a love of what life has to offer despite her underprivileged upbringing.

 (#9) Mansfield Park (1999). Francis O’Connor plays Fanny Price in this ultra-loose adaptation of the Jane Austen novel. Production values are fine, but the acting here is middling at best. But I keep coming back to this one because of how well O’Connor portrays a disadvantaged nineteen century girl’s travails from holding onto a love that’s essentially unattainable. It’s an unspoken, hopeless commitment that nearly breaks her, and the manner of her patient triumph is downright thrilling after all the story has put us through.