Movies Guys Find Romantic

They're called “chick flicks”, romantic themed movies the ladies gravitate to.  What do you call movies guys consider romantic?  It can’t be “guy flicks” because the connotation would never include romantic themes.  Yet, guys do appreciate romance on the big screen, just a bit different than the ladies do.  I dealt with this issue in a past post entitled Women are From Venus, Men Are From Sparta.   That one produced a little bit of marital tension, so I must be glutton for punishment to revisit this issue.  Yet, I intend to delineate that line of demarcation a bit more with a list of movies I think are romantic, even if they don’t seem like obvious choices,  and I’m willing to bet a lot of guys will agree with me.  You might be amazed at just how differently guys and gals think.  Here’s my top five:

5. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy is chock full of sub-plots, and a major one is the love affair between Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gongor, and Arwen, Daughter of the Elvin lord Elrond (that’s a lot of weird names!).  Aragorn can’t ask  Arwen to give up her immortality for him and she is grief-stricken without him.  Much to Aragorn’s surprise Arwen shows up at his coronation looking like a Liv Tyler glamour shot.  The look on his face tells the audience that all the preceding carnage and decapitations were all worth it!  There's nothing like reclaiming love you think you’ve lost. 

4. Gladiator

Wait a minute you say, Maximus’ wife dies at the beginning of the movie.  How can this be considered romantic by anyone?  Well, nothing warms the cockles of a man’s heart more than sweet revenge for the one’s he loves.  After the murder of his wife and son, ordered by Commodus, the emperor-in-waiting,  Maximus unleashes hell to avenge their deaths.  It's quite moving how Maximus talks about his wife and his desire to be with her again.  As he laid dying after smiting Commodus his thoughts were of his wife and son waiting for him in Elysium.  Mm, mm. That’s love eternal, baby! 

3. 300

You’ll never see a more suited couple than Leonidas, King of Sparta, and his queen, Gorgo.  Only Hollywood could come up with a couple this complementary of each other.  The love and admiration they have for each other is palpable and intense.  I still think one of the hottest lines uttered by anyone on the silver screen is uttered by Gorgo when she  calls to Leonidas as he’s marching off to his demise; “Spartan, come back with your shield, or came back on it.”  Dang!  She really understood her man.  As the Persian Army was making a pin cushion out of Leonidas at the end of the movie, his last thoughts were of his queen.  Brings a tear to my eye.  And guys, did you notice Gorgo didn’t mind Leonidas’ facial hair when he was up oh so close.  Smokin’!

2. The Last of the Mohicans

Beautiful panoramic shots of the Smoky Mountains.  Daniel Day-Lewis and a commanding performance.  Madeleine Stowe before lip augmentation.  What’s not to like.  Actually, I bet the ladies would consider this one a romantic flick.  The romance between Hawkeye and Cora builds throughout the movie and climaxes with Hawkeye and his Mohican Father and brother dispatching Huron on their way to rescuing Cora and her sister.  Except for the Romeo and Juliet-esque  swan dive Cora’s sister takes over a cliff after her lover’s death, It’s just about pitch perfect for the guy romantic.

1. Casablanca

Wait, you say, now you’ve gone too far!  That is a chick flick!  You couldn’t be more wrong!  This movie has everything that makes for a great movie, including one of the great silver screen romances.  Bogart and Bergman simply sizzle.  Bogey’s character Rick has to deal with the return of the love that walked out on him.  Torn between his love for Ilsa and a cause greater than himself, Rick has to make one of the toughest decisions a man will ever have to make; letting his love go.  Besides, this is one of mine and my wife’s favorite movies of all time.  We pop the corn, snuggle up on the couch and hit play.  By the time Bogey says, “We’ll always have Paris”, amour is in the air (I hope)!  It doesn’t get any better than that!

That’s my list.  I’m sure you might have some differing opinions, so share.  I’m sure someone will mention The Notebook and all I can do is refer you to Women are From Venus, Men Are From Sparta again.  Just remember, guys and gals brains simply work different.  I think this list is some proof of that.

Hm, I might see if my sweetie might like to watch Casablanca. Oh Yeah!