1. Casablanca
Casablanca (1942) is the ultimate Hollywood romance. Set in Morocco in WW II, the ex-patriot owner of a bar, Rick, has to choose between Ilsa, the love of his life, or helping her husband in the Czech resistance against the Nazis. He’s never stopped loving her, but he never expected to see her again. When she walks into his place, it’s obvious she feels the same way, but her devotion to her husband’s cause drives her most of all. European exiles and refugees from the ongoing war were extras or played minor roles. In a special moment of “dueling anthems” many of the actors were crying and someone observed that he realized they were real refugees.
The film has classic moments that are part of the English language: “Play it again, Sam,” “Here’s looking at you, kid,” “We’ll always have Paris,” “Round up the usual suspects,” “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” The film won three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. It’s become iconic and rated as one of the best films ever, but what gives it this power is the tension and chemistry between Rick, played by Humphrey Bogart, and Ilsa, played by Ingrid Bergman. It hasn’t lost any of its power.
2. The Princess Bride
A delight of a movie, a “fairy tale” about a sweet and beautiful young woman, Buttercup, and the one true love of her life, Westley. He must find her after they have been apart a long time and save her from evil events in the kingdom of Florin. It is partly tongue-in-cheek, with a frame story of Peter Falk reading it all as a story to his grandson, played by Fred Savage. Robin Wright is Buttercup, and Cary Elwes her great love, who always says to her “As you wish.” Their love has to face Westley’s capture by pirates and the abduction of Buttercup. A masked man in black figures in the movie, along with Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) who seeks revenge for his father’s death and is famous for saying: “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father; prepare to die!”
The film has a fantastical element set in a rural landscape filled with enemies and unexpected friends. Cameos by Billy Crystal, Wallace Shawn, Carol Kane, and Peter Cook bring great comedy. Rob Reiner directed it and it has become a cult classic, a joy to watch from start to finish.
3. Sleepless In Seattle
This Nora Ephron comedy stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The story focuses on Sam’s (Tom Hanks) inability to get over grieving when his wife passes away. He moves to Seattle to escape memories. On Christmas Eve his young son Jonah, without Sam’s knowledge, explains his dad’s problem on a national radio talk show that is listened to by Annie (Meg Ryan). Annie is a journalist in Baltimore, already engaged to a man (Bill Pullman), but suddenly she finds herself falling in love with Sam, sight unseen. She writes to him proposing they meet, but their efforts keep running amuck and they don’t seem able to get together at all. A pivotal and famous scene occurs at the Empire State Building. When the movie ends you want to watch it all over again…
Other actors include David Hyde Pierce of Frasier fame, Rosie O’Donnell, and Victor Garber from the TV show Alien. Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks’ wife in real life, has a cameo role as Sam’s good friend. A marvelous score is the undercurrent, including songs like “As Time Goes By” (from Casablanca!), “Stardust” by Nat King Cole, “Stand By Your Man” with Tammy Wynette, and “When I fall in love” with Celine Dion.
4. Amélie
Amélie is a romantic comedy about a girl (Audrey Tautou) who is fragile in health, at first, and lives most of the time in her imagination. She sees very little of other people and the outside world, but she dreams of love. As a young woman she ventures out to be a waitress in the center of Paris. When she finds a small box filled with someone’s childhood mementos, she seeks to return it to its owner, who she must find. With an innate mischievous spirit, she begins to involve herself in the lives of people around her, befriending a shut-in, a hypochondriac, an unsuccessful writer, and others who cross her path. She becomes attached to the people she meets and falls in love with life. In time, she begins to discover that she can claim love for herself.
The film met with critical acclaim and many awards in Europe. It was nominated for five Academy Awards.
5. A Walk in the Clouds
A Walk in the Clouds stars Keanu Reeves, Debra Messing, Giancarlo Giannini, and Anthony Quinn. More stunning scenery shows up in this romantic, warmhearted fantasy—this time in the wine country of the Napa Valley and Sonoma in Northern California. As a soldier returning from the war, Paul (Keanu) meets a young woman (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) who is returning home from college and is very fearful of encountering her domineering father. She is pregnant and terrified. Paul offers to pretend to be her husband, and he goes with her to the vineyards her father owns, where the grape harvest has begun. In time, they fall in love, which threatens the family in a new way, but their passion gives them courage to forge a way together.
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