27 Classic Movies to Watch this Valentine’s Day

The odd thing about this form of communication is that you’re more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings. – You’ve Got Mail

A few months ago, my husband and I were lamenting about the fact that there just aren’t any sweet, adorable romantic movies coming out any more. Okay, he didn’t say adorable. That was me. Still, he agreed we’re lacking for great, well-written, romantic films these days.

What happened to movies like You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle? What happened to movies that move you? That stir things in your heart? That make you believe in love? What happened to wholesome, I-want-a-love-like-that, happily-ever-after love stories?! Have we lowered love to it’s lowest level to only portray hardness, betrayal and brokenness? Are we so callous to the idea of true, light-hearted love that we can’t bear to watch it, let alone create it on screen?

Later, we continued the conversation with my father-in-law, a {real} classic movie lover who instilled in my husband his love for Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. He agreed that they just don’t make romantic movies like they used to so we began to list the classics {new and old} we’d have to watch over and over again instead of jetting off to the theater for the season’s latest flick.

27 Classic Movies To Watch this Valentine’s Day

Old Classics {Prior to 1960}

The Philadelphia Story
Bringing Up Baby
The Quiet Man
Random Harvest
The Enchanted Cottage
Casablanca
The Talk of the Town
Roman Holiday
Three Coins In the Fountain
How To Marry A Millionaire
Gone with the Wind
It Happened One Night

New Classics {Post 1980}

The Princess Bride
Sleepless in Seattle
You’ve Got Mail
Return to Me
While You Were Sleeping
Notting Hill
Serendipity
My Best Friend’s Wedding
The American President
Bed of Roses
Say Anything…
Sabrina {or the old version, both are wonderful}
The Wedding Planner
Groundhog Day
Pride & Prejudice {the Kiera Knightley movie, not the BBC mini-series – though it is fabulous, I doubt you could get a man to watch the whole thing with you}

Since our first Valentine’s Day together, my husband and I have avoided high priced meals and crowds to enjoy a quiet night at home with take out and a romantic movie. Now that we have kids, this makes for a very simple date night. We put them to bed, he runs out to grab food while I start the fire, light the candles, pour the wine and turn on the blu-ray. With no new, wholesome, cute, moving, romantic films hitting the box office since I don’t know when, we’ll have to keep returning to our list for this and many more Valentine’s and other at home date nights for years to come.

What are some of your favorite classics both new and old? What romantic movies can you watch over and over again?

{Photo Credit}