Love is universal – it’s one of the emotions that connects us all, and perhaps that’s why romance remains the heartbeat of cinema. Whether it’s a comedy, thriller, or sci-fi, most stories somehow circle back to love.
From grand gestures to stolen glances, the magic of two souls falling for each other on screen is simply irresistible. That’s what makes curating the list of top 10 romantic movies Hollywood has ever given us such a special challenge. After all, what isn’t a love story?
In this handpicked list, we dive into the Greatest Romantic Movies of All Time, focusing on films that deliver not just chemistry and passion, but that unexplainable “Swoon Factor” – the feeling that pulls you into the moment and doesn’t let go.
These are the best romantic movies English cinema has gifted to the world. Whether you are revisiting or discovering iconic Romantic Hollywood Movies for the first time, prepare for the stories that touch your heart and stay with you long after the credits roll.
List of Top 10 Romantic Hollywood Movies
Here is the list of iconic love story movies along with their director’s names.
| S.No. | Movie Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casablanca | 1942 | Michael Curtiz |
| 2 | Titanic | 1997 | James Cameron |
| 3 | To Catch a Thief | 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock |
| 4 | Moulin Rouge! | 2001 | Baz Luhrmann |
| 5 | A Star Is Born | 2018 | Bradley Cooper |
| 6 | Brief Encounter | 1945 | David Lean |
| 7 | Ghost | 1990 | Jerry Zucker |
| 8 | Brokeback Mountain | 2005 | Ang Lee |
| 9 | The Umbrellas of Cherbourg | 1964 | Jacques Demy |
| 10 | Gone with the Wind | 1939 | Victor Fleming |
1. Casablanca
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis, featuring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Filmed and set during World War II.
The film focuses on an American expatriate who must choose between his love for a woman and helping her husband, a Czechoslovak resistance leader, escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.
2. Titanic
Written and directed by James Cameron, Titanic is an American epic romantic drama film. Blending historical facts with fictional elements, the film is inspired by the 1912 sinking of RMS Titanic. It features Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love during the ship’s maiden voyage.
The film also features an ensemble cast of Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, and Bill Paxton.
3. To Catch a Thief
To Catch a Thief is a 1955 American romantic thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. The film is based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge.
The film stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burglar who has to save his reformed reputation by catching an imposter preying on wealthy tourists on the French Riviera. It was released in Agust 3,1955 with a running time of 106 minutes.
4. Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-written, and produced by Baz Luhrmann, with Martin Brown also serving as a producer. The story centers on Christian, an English poet who falls in love with Satine, the star courtesan and cabaret actress of the Moulin Rouge.
It was released on 9 May 2001, in Cannes, 25 May 2001 in Australia, and 1 on June 2001 in the United States with a running time of 128 minutes.
5. A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born is an American musical drama film directed and produced by Bradley Cooper in his directorial debut on August 31, 2018. It stars Cooper and Lady Gaga in lead roles, along with Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay, and Sam Elliott in supporting roles.
The film follows an alcoholic musician who discovers and falls in love with a young singer. It is the fourth American movie made of the story, after the original 1937 romantic drama and its 1954 and 1976 remakes.
6. Brief Encounter
Brief Encounter is a British romantic drama film released in 1945, directed by David Lean, with a screenplay by Noël Coward, adapted from his 1936 one-act play Still Life. The lead roles are played by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard alongside Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond, Everley Gregg, and Margaret Barton.
Brief Encounter showcases the story of two strangers living in pre-World War II England, whose chance meeting at a railway station leads to a brief yet intense drama affair disrupting their otherwise conventional lives.
7. Ghost
Ghost is a supernatural ghost romance film directed by Jerry Zucker and produced by Lisa Weinstein. The movie features Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tony Goldwyn.
The film focuses on Sam Wheat, a murdered banker, whose ghost sets out to save his girlfriend, Molly Jensen, from the person who killed him with the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown.
Ghost was theatrically released on July 13, 1990, to commercial success, grossing $505 million and emerging as the highest-grossing film of 1990.
8. Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is an American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Based on Annie Proulx 1997 short story, the screenplay was penned by Ossana and Larry McMurtry.
The movie stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams, alongside Randy Quaid, Anna Faris, and Linda Cardellini.
It portrays the intricate romantic bond between two American cowboys, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, set in the American West between 1963 to 1983. It was released in September 2, 2025 with a runtime of 134 minutes.
9. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a musical romantic drama film directed and written by Jacques Demy, and is produced by Mag Bodard. It features Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo as two young lovers in the French city of Cherbourg who separated by circumstances.
The movie also features Anne Vernon and Marc Michel is supporting roles. The film won Palme d’Or at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for five Academy Awards in United States. Released on 19 February 1964 with a runtime of 91 minutes.
10. Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind is an epic historical romance film directed by Victor Fleming, adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell. The film is produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures.
Set in the American South during the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, the film follows Scarlett O’Hara, the determined daughter of a plantation owner in Georgia, as she pursues a romantic relationship with Ashley Wilkes, who is married to his cousin Melanie Hamilton, and later marries Rhett Butler.
The film features Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, and Olivia de Havilland. It was released on December 15, 1939, with a running time of 221 minutes.
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