American Film Institute (AFI) top 10 Romantic Comedies:
1.City Lights 1931
Charlie Chaplin in his classic duck step falling for a blind flower girl.
2.Annie Hall 1977
The nervous romance directed by Woody Allen with his significant other while they define their relationship.
3.It Happened One Night 1934
A banker’s spoiled daughter runs from home to meet the reporter she’s destined to be with.
4.Roman Holiday 1953
A princess runs away from her constricted life and enjoys her day off exploring Rome with her future love.
5.The Philadelphia Story 1941
Katharine Hepburn’s character, Tracy Lord, has her lavish life shaken up by a love triangle of two other men.
6.When Harry Met Sally 1989
From the basis of logic that men and women can’t be friends comes a friendship and a romance of cunning wit.
7.Adam’s Rib 1949
Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy’s characters struggle with the battle of the sexes in 1949.
8.Moonstruck 1987
A young Italian woman falls for her fiance’s brother instead of the man to whom she was engaged.
9.Harold and Maude 1971
A man and woman with a 20 year age difference begin a romance before the woman dies.
10.Sleepless in Seattle 1993
Director Nora Ephron defines true romance, even if it is someone you have never met.
Our Generation:
1. The Princess Bride 1987
2.Love Actually 2003
3.Made of Honor 2008
4.The Proposal 2009
5.500 Days of Summer 2009
6.50 First Dates 2004
7.27 Dresses 2008
8.How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 2003
9.She’s the Man 2006
10.Legally Blonde 2001
Romantic comedies have changed as our society has changed. The American Film Institute (AFI) looks into great depth of the romantic comedies they hold to their standards. Awards and societal influence typically are involved.
However, lists are just lists and many of our generation’s most beloved romantic comedies hardly make any splash in the pool of the “critic world.” The AFI list represents the artistic side of romantic comedies.This is compared to the cheesy movie we all crave from time to time, found on our generation’s list.
A major difference in our generation’s list, in comparison, is our female characters have steady jobs and clear heads. The only thing that is not clear is their love life, and, without that, no one would have a romantic story in the first place.
AFI’s list does not include many strong female characters. The films that do are unique for their time- giving them more reason to be on the list. Our views of relationships have changed right along side our movie choices.
Our generation’s romantic comedies will have a place among teens’ favorites, as the AFI list holds a standard of romantic comedies in past generations.
Mr. Larson • Mar 1, 2013 at 7:17 am
Cool lists! Minor correction, though: The age difference in Harold and Maude was more than 20 years (it’s almost 60).