The novel I’m currently querying is set in 1941. It’s a young adult mystery wrapped in a love letter to the 1940s, because my parents were teens during that decade. I blame them for my sentimentality. All the movies they raised me on were full of romance. Here’s my totally subjective list of the top five romantic movies of the 1940s, in case you want to indulge in some old-fashioned romance this month.
The Shop around the Corner (1940) Margaret Sullavan and Jimmy Stewart play the enemies-to-lovers trope perfectly.
Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) This is the original that inspired the Heaven Can Wait re-makes. Evelyn Keyes and Robert Montgomery find the right balance of humor and romance.
To Have and Have Not (1944) This is very loosely based on Hemingway’s story. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall practically sizzle on screen!
The Philadelphia Story (1940) Even though a few bits aren’t as funny in contemporary times, the script is still brilliant. Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant are a delightful couple.
Casablanca (1942) This is one of the best movies of all time. If you haven’t seen it, you must ASAP. ‘Nuff said.
Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for over fifty years. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering at her local library. Her young adult historical fiction is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.
8 comments:
Thanks for sharing Lynn! All great movies that I grew up watching on tv with family, and now with my husband as he loves the 'old' movies.
Thanks, Diana. They really are oldies but goodies. ;-)
My own list would include His Girl Friday and The Lady Eve (both candidates for Best Banter of All Time), and Holiday Inn.
Thanks for the post!
LOVE this!!! Great list of movies to watch on this really cold weekend.
Thanks, Eleri--enjoy! And thanks to Susan for adding some great titles. ;-)
Fun post, Lynn. I have not watched the first three on your list but I have watched the other two and the three Susan Chapek added. There's something powerful about watching the original black and white movies.
Yes Judith, sometimes black and white is better.
My husband and I watch Casablanca at least once each year. It is iconic and the filming is absolutely gorgeous. The soft focus makes it that much more romantic. Though I love the filming, for me the story is problematic on both protagonist's parts. Ilsa pursuing Rick knowing her husband is back but not telling him about it. And Rick looking for payback when she walked out on him in the past. Though the end paints Rick as a hero for walking away and leaving her with her husband. I'm not so sure. We never know what SHE really wanted and she isn't really given a choice.
I do agree with Susan about His Girl Friday. Hildy was clearly the brains of the operation, and she and Cary Grant match wits and ambition all the way to the inevitable HEA.
One of my favorite films is still The African Queen. Definitely a film of unplanned romance and opposites attract. Or rather, opposites are two pieces of a puzzle that are great together. As the challenges become seemingly inurmountable, they work together as a team. Charlie (Bogart) never talks down to Rose (hepburn) or treats her like a delicate flower that needs protecting. And she never gives him reason to. Meanwhile, she brings out the best in Charlie, constantly pushing him to his full potential. A portrayal of a strong woman not common at the time and a real character piece. Not that it's perfect, but I think it could stand up to much to today's romantic suspense or adventure tales.
Another great is Mae West in I'm No Angel. Way ahead of it's time in speaking up for herself, and admitting to not being a chaste, virgin who has only met one man and immediately fallen in love. She in charge and when she falls in love at the end it is on her terms having thoroughly vetted the man.
Finally, I have an unlikely favorite (feminists often deride it) because the character of Mary Bailey reflects my own view of feminine power. Yes, It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite--even more than African Queen. I know most people think she was the loving, doting wife and long suffering. But I identify with Mary. I could be her. Rather I hope I am as focused and caring as she was.
She knew what she wanted and went after it. She wanted George Bailey and from childhood, through high school and even during and after college. When they are married and honeymooning in the run down house Mary pictured as the house of her dreams. She doesn't passively move through life, she actively sets goals and achieves them. She is the one who takes the $2,000 for their honeymoon and invests it in their company (that's the equivalent of about $23,000 today.) And she worked at the company while raising the children, ran a branch of the USO during the war. When she learns George is in trouble, she is the one who raises money.
Some people might say she should have given up on George long ago. After all, he was always trouble and never had faith in the future when boulders were put in his path. But she loved him and their family. She knew his value and that he was a good man. She stayed true to her vision, her dream, and her vows. Did she redeem George? No, he had to do that himself but she kept him on the path to redemption and it paid off. Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic in the end.
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