2020 was an intense year full of setbacks and disappointments, and it was no different for the entertainment industry. Hollywood was hit hard. Presumed blockbuster hits such as Marvel’s Black Widow were pushed back, still yet to be released, while others debuted solely through Video On Demand. Another part of the industry that was affected was the Oscars. The 2021 Academy Awards were officially moved to April, leaving awards season fans on the edge of their seats.
Romantic films have a long history of being nominated for Best Original Screenplay in the Academy Awards. Though there is no news on whether or not a romance will make it into the running this year, there are plenty of classics to re-watch until then.
Tom, Dick & Harry (1941)
A working woman with dreams of marrying a rich husband finds that not only does she have one marriage proposal - she has three! The object of three, very different men's affections, Janie must make a choice, but will she choose love or money?
Written by Paul Jarrico, this classic 1940's romantic comedy was nominated for Best Original Screenplay in 1942. Unfortunately, it was no match for Orson Welle's compelling drama, Citizen Kane.
Bonnie & Clyde (1967)
Written by Robert Benton & David Newman, and starring the absolute icons Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, Bonnie and Clyde tells the tragically romantic story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as their love and greed results in a wild crime spree throughout America.
Though it was nominated for ten Academy Awards, Bonnie and Clyde did not sweep the Oscars. It did come away with wins for Best Actress and Best Cinematography.
Moonstruck (1987)
Many romantic films revolve around love triangles. Sometimes they are heart-wrenchingly tragic, and other times they are just plain fun. Cher treats us to the latter in Moonstruck. She stars as Loretta Castorini, a book keeper who finds herself falling for her fiancé's brother.
Written by John Patrick Shanley, Moonstruck was nominated for a total of six Oscars. It won three, including Best Original Screenplay.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
There are certain movies that will go down in history as instant classics that stand the test of time. One of them is undoubtedly Nora Ephron's romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally.
Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, it tells the story of enemies turned friends who try their best not to fall in love - and fail miserably. Though the film lost to Dead Poet's Society, decades after its release, it is still a rom-com staple.
Ghost (1990)
Murdered by a corrupt business mogul, a man's spirit struggles to reconnect with his lost love to warn her that she is still in danger. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore lead this sensual and romantic ghost story directed by Jerry Zucker.
Ghost was nominated for five Academy Awards and left the prestigious show with two Oscars. Whoopi Goldberg won for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, while talented screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin won for Best Original Screenplay.
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
Eager for his father to be happy again, a widower's young son calls into a radio show hoping to find someone to love them again. Meanwhile, a newspaper writer finds herself infatuated with a man that she's never met.
Written and directed by the romcom genius, Nora Ephron, this is easily one of the best romantic films of the early 90s. Despite its popularity, it lost out on Best Original Screenplay to The Piano.
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
A historical comedy brimming with romance, this colorful classic delves into the life of a struggling playwright, William Shakespeare. Completely lost for ideas for his next plays, Shakespeare seeks out his muse, and finds it in Viola, a woman in love with theatre but forbidden from acting.
Written by Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard, Shakespeare In Love won seven Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.
Her (2013)
A lonely man with little evidence of a social life finds himself falling for an artificially intelligent operating system that fulfills all of his emotional needs.
One of the more unconventional love stories to make it to the Oscars, Her is an oddly touching romance that tells a unique story, unlike so many others. Written and directed by Spike Jonze, it won Best Original Screenplay against Blue Jasmine and Dallas Buyer's Club.
La La Land (2016)
An homage to old Hollywood and classic musicals, La La Land stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a couple of wandering artists desperate to find love and follow their dreams in the beautiful but dog-eat-dog world of Los Angeles.
Famous for mistakenly being announced as Best Picture, Damien Chazelle's La La Land suffered another blow that night when it lost Best Original Screenplay to Manchester By The Sea.
The Big Sick (2017)
A Pakistani comedian meets an American that just might be the woman of his dreams, but their relationship stops short when she finds out that he lied about his traditional Muslim family and the potential of arranged marriage.
Life takes another shocking turn when Emily falls ill and is put into a medically induced coma. Helpless, Kumail is left to struggle through work, family, and his emotions in this touching and realistic love story, loosely based on the real-life romance between Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani. Nominated for Best Original Screenplay, it lost to Get Out.