Best Romantic Movie Double Features for Valentine's Day -- Part 2 Review

PART 2 Some of you Asked for it,  so here are 5 more double features.. actually I've thrown in a triple feature suggestion and I mention a worthy substitute too so we cover 12 movies in all  this time. 

Plan on creating one of these double features?     Got any ideas of your own worth sharing?    Let me know. 

Again, I've tried to make sure these have Universal kind of appeal. 

What do I mean? Males-might admit to ALL of these movies.  I doubt there will be any serious ‘but that's such a chic flick' whining going on with these.'   And if there is... well that's some uptight macho guy . Besides it's the right time of year for romance and romantic movies isn't it? 

Here goes:  

DOUBLE FEATURE #1 

THE DARKER SIDE OF ROMANCE  Hitchcock style 

Notorious (1946) directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Notorious is a dark thriller and one of the most romantic films Hitchcock ever made. The cliché's are avoided and many erotic, classical greek and roman themes are explored.You have to pay close attention to every frame of this one. 

 Notice how in under two minutes the main characters are introduced as a trial in Miami ends:  Ingrid Bergman as Alicia, Cary Grant as Devlin and some important information is told to us.    Devlin works for an intelligence agency trying to track down a group of Nazi's in Argentina.  Alicia's father has just been convicted of treason and Nazi Leader Claude Rains has invited her to a meeting.  Perhaps she would work for Devlin to seduce, perhaps marry Rains.  It's obvious however that Devlin has feelings for Alicia, but his devotion to duty prevents him from acting on this.  

The suspense builds, the emotions get more and more intense and Hitchcock knows exactly how best to slowly turn the screws.  Original script by Ben Hecht. 

AND 

Vertigo   (1958)  Directed by Alfred Hitchcock 

Love as a dark obsession is explored to the point where viewers aren't sure what is real, OR what is fantasy in Alfred Hitchcock's disturbing romantic obsessive thriller.

James Stewart is the detective who observes what his old friend's wife is doing which lapses into personal memories.   Unique, daring, dark, suspenseful and for many Vertigo is Hitchcock' very best.   

DOUBLE ( would you believe Triple?) FEATURE # 2 

SWASHBUCKLE  ROMANCE  TRIPLE FEATURE 

First we'll get into the mood by watching the classic: 

Adventures of Robin  Hood  (1938) Directed by Michael Curtiz

 Rob from the rich to give to the poor?  Sure.. but it was because of Robin's love of Maid Marian doncha know?   It's amazing how entertaining and fun this old three stip Technicolor swashbuckling rollicking movie still is. 

 Erroll Flyn at his most derring-do and acrobatic best is the justice-minded Saxon named  Robin,  Basil Rathbone is the conniving Sir Guy, Claude Rain's is the evil Prince John, Olivia de Havilland is the initially icy and tough Maid Marian.

Lots of Oscars were won by this crowd pleaser now available on a beautiful restored DVD.

AND

Robin and Marian  (1976) directed by Richard Lester 

The perfect second feature to the classic Robin Hood is this gem of romantic cinema.  It's slow and quiet compared to Robin Hood.  20 years after Robin & Marian are separated Robin returns to Sherwood Forest only to find out that Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn) is in a nunnery. 

Robin (Sean Connery) has been fighting King Richard (Richard Harris) with Little John (Nicole Williamson). Now he finds his merry men are getting old, Friar Tuck is an outlaw, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) still does the evil bidding of King John (Ian Holm).  Hepburn is grace personified.  Connery is subdued and this movie needs to be rediscovered and embraced as the minor gem it is. Give it some love soon. 

AND  OUR  THIRD FEATURE. . .

The Princess Bride (1987)  Directed by Rob Reiner  

A gentle satire of a classic swashbuckling adventure that features some fun cameos (Carol Kane, Billy Crystal) some very funny lines by  screenwriter William Goldman(based on his novel), and a not too corny romance between Cary Elwes and Robin Wright. Also staring Andre the Giant, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Peter Falk and ChrisSarandon. It's inventive, funny AND romantic.   

Honorable Mention or Acceptable Substitute:  

TARZAN AND HIS MATE  1934  Directed by Jack Conway 

Me Tarzan, You Jane?   Ah but you probably have forgotten what a wonderful vine swinging romance this adventure movie actually was. You'll find  Johnny Weissmuller's best performance right here  and an entrancing beautiful Mareen O' Sullivan  as Jane, the girl from New York that falls in love with the primitive man.

This was released just as Hollywood's Hays Code went into force, so if you want to see the sexy NUDE swimming scene... yes I said nude... they check out the restored DVD that's available. The first 3 or 4 Tarzan movies were not made for kids.. later the series went juvenile and then Weissmuller left and created the cheaper silly Jungle Jim movies. Romance, bounty hunters, hungry lions and naked breasts too!!! This one is a real treat and highly recommended. 

DOUBLE FEATURE #3  

Big Star Classic Romance 

Quiet Man (1952) Directed by John Ford 

John Wayne delivers one of his finest performances as Irish-American prizefighter Sean Thornton who returns to the small Irish village his family came from.  He's a troubled man looking to heal the guilt he feels for accidentally killing a fighter in a bloody bout.  Unfortunately many in the village are suspicious of why he's come back and there's an old family feud and a clash of cultures that involves the village bully Will Danaher played by Victor McLaglen.  And then there's Will's sister Mary Kate (Maureen O'sullivan, a fiery irish lass that Sean falls in love with.  There's courtship and marriage and treachery rises its ugly head and threatens to destroy what should be a honeymoon of carnal pleasures.  Even though Sean has pledged to live his life peacefully he will have to fight again.. and eventually we will get one of the longest and most famous fist-fights in movie history. Director Ford won an Oscar for this classic.

 AND 

African Queen (1951) directed by John Huston

Humphrey Bogart is the gruff, tough hard drinking owner of a river boat, Katherine Hepburn is the prim proper sister of a missionary (Robert Morley) who is in a remote African village. Germans kill villagers, and burn the church and Hepburn and Bogart go on a suicide mission sending the tiny steamer up river.  

Along the way two complete opposites who bicker and drive each crazy, together find respect and love..   A classic adventure film with a wonderful romance at its core.  Just what cupid ordered on V day !!! By the way Humphrey Bogart won his only Oscar for this movie!!! 

DOUBLE FEATURE #4 

FROM STAGE TO SCREEN:  ROMANCES TO REMEMBER 

GOODBYE GIRL (1977) directed by Herbert Ross  

Sure Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl is another variation on his classic Odd Couple,and of course there's one of those only-in-a-Neil-Simon-play (or romantic comedy movie) kind of set-ups. . .but it works because of the sharp dialogue, the wonderful performances and Ross, a director who know exactly how to give us a sophisticated sit-com on film. 

 What really surprised me when I saw this recently was how well it holds up after more than 30 years. Richard Dreyfus is even better than I remembered and Marsha Mason (Simon's wife for a while) and pre-teen Quinn Cummings are all enjoyable.  The Plot?   Single mom Paula (Mason) has been dumped by another loser of a boy-friend.  He owns the apartment building however but he doesn't properly evict Paula, so when Dreyfus moves into the apartment he's renting, he's got Paula and her daughter already living there. Dreyfuss can't bring himself to kick them out onto the street so they come to an arrangement and of course the hostility and distrust turns into admiration and then to love.   Wonderful hogwash, funny, charming, entertaining.  It's a keeper. And you won't forget Dreyfus' over-the-top rendition of the Shakespear's ‘a horse, a horse my kingdom from a horse,"anytime soon.   

AND

WEST SIDE STORY   directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins 

"Maria....I just met a girl . . ."  Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is turned into a stylistic fantasy musical with superb performances, music and choreography. Street gangs Jets and Sharks duke it out, Puerto-Ricans love/hate America, Officer Krupke tries to keep order in the hood, and our romantic couple, Marie: Natalie Wood, and Tony: Richard Beymer break all the rules. 

The Music is by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen (Sweeney Todd) Sondheim.  The Choreography by co-director Jermoe Robbins, the lead's SINGING voices were dubbed by Marni Nixon and Jimmy Bryant, and the other director was Robert Wise.   It's gotten a little cornier with age of course but great music, dancing and you can lose yourself in the romance...  still a great show!!!  "Tonight. . .Tonight.."  

DOUBLE FEATURE  5.

 TWO  ALL-TIME CLASSICS 

Singin' in the Rain   Directed by Stanley Donen and  Gene Kelly 

One of the very best and most entertaining musicals ever made is also a memorable enjoyable romantic comedy.  One classic scene after another.   Did you know that milk was mixed into the ‘rainwater' so it would show up better when Gene was singin'and dancin' in the rain?  Cast?  Wow..  Gene Kelly Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor and Jean Hagen have never been better and you get Cyd Charisse, Rita Moreno and more.  Written by Adolph Green and Betty Comden.

 AND 

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE   Directed by Frank Capra 

It's become a traditional Christmas movie because a pivotal scene is set at Christmas time. It's sentimental and bit corny, but it is also one of the greatest romantic movies ever made and one of the most beloved of all time. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed make a perfect pair of romantics from courtship to marriage and beyond. Jimmy Stewart creates an incredible performance. Why there wouldn't be a Bedford Falls without him!   

 So what do you think?   Like these?  Got some of your own?  Comment, Good point.

Check out Part 1 and more romantic double features  right here:

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and Part 3 :

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Thanks....