HEATHER’S TOP TEN MOVIE COUPLES

So obviously I’m all mushy gushy Header as of late.  To continue my brief moment in time of affection towards romance I compiled this list.  Of course the list wasn’t inspired by a typical romance, but instead that of Queen Gorgo and King Leonidas from 300.  As usual my list may not delve into the realm of what a typical list of this nature may look like, but that’s why it was worth writing, and because I feel it’s necessary to point out that the best interweb hetero life mate couple would go to Kai B. Parker and non other than Dylan Fields.  Though, I’m growing increasingly jealous of Dylan’s influence of Kai.  He was mine first!  Back to the bidness………the rest of this is a compilation of personal taste and what I think represents the greatest couples in cinema.

10. QUEEN GORGO AND KING LEONIDAS

Queen Gorgo: Spartan!
King Leonidas: Yes, my lady?
Queen Gorgo: Come back with your shield, or on it.
King Leonidas: Yes, my lady.

The relationship of the kind and queen wasn’t explored in great depth, but their was no question about each of their loyalty and affection for one another.  Gorgo was one of the few women of ancient Greece who was named by historians. She was the daughter of a king, wife of a king and mother of a king of Sparta.  Having such a strong husband and yet being what seemed to be his equal, there passionate love bore threw each of their tough exteriors.

9. JOHNNY AND BABY

Johnny: [getting up] Fight harder, huh? I don’t see you fighting so hard, Baby. I don’t see you running up to daddy telling him I’m your guy.
Baby: I will. With my father, it’s complicated. I *will* tell him, I…
Johnny: I don’t believe you, Baby! I don’t think that you ever had any intention of telling him. Ever.

Is there ready a better example of the bad boy falling for the good girl?  I think not.  This role was iconic for both Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray who had a kinetic connection.  This movie is still downright entertaining for all it’s faults.  It has one of the best soundtracks (heck, there were so many songs they made a part I and II record.  I had them both on vinyl of course) and some of the best dancing in a movie ever period.

8. ELIZA AND HENRY

Professor Henry Higgins: I… I can’t turn your soul on.
Eliza Doolittle: Ooh, you are a *devil*. You can twist the heart in a girl the same way some fellows twist her arms to hurt her!

The romance seems an impossible prediction at the beginning, but a natural solution by the finale.  We fell in love with Eliza so why shouldn’t Henry as well?  It by all means seems like an impossible relationship, but the unfolding of it was such a natural and slow creation it somehow seemed to make all the sense in the world.  When Henry realized he loved Eliza for not who she had become but for who she was it was the best part of the movie.

7. JOEL AND CLEMENTINE

Clementine: Too many guys think I’m a concept, or I complete them, or I’m gonna make them alive. But I’m just a fucked-up girl who’s lookin’ for my own peace of mind; don’t assign me yours.
Joel: I remember that speech really well.

A twisted tale of romance that is so out there, yet so incredibly tangible it’s mind boggling.  For those who’ve loved and lost, or loved and had hard times, this film written by the magnanimous Charlie Kaufman and Michael Gondry (who also directed it), will hit pressure points in ways you never expected.  Winslet and Carrey together were remarkable.  Their character’s, Joel and Clementine are unique to themselves, but both have qualities and faults that the every man can easily empathize with.  The natural progression and unwinding of their relationship is the nucleus of the story, and while the present time is where chaos ensues, the rewind into their love is so genuine and so intimate it will blow you away.

6. WALL-E AND EVE

EVE: “EVE”! “EVE”!
WALL.E: Eeeee… va?

Who would have thought an animated children’s movie would dish out the best romance of the year and certainly one of the best of all time?  Some may holler that Lady And The Tramp deserve this spot, but I’m more impressed with the love affair of Wall-E and Eve.  There affection bore deep past words or language and their genuine and pure love for one another was beautiful.  By the end the lengths they go threw for each other are no surprise.  It’s clear they loved each other that much.

5. JACK AND ROSE

Jack: No, let me try and get this out. You’re ama- I’m not an idiot, I know how the world works. I’ve got ten bucks in my pocket, I have no-nothing to offer you and I know that. I understand. But I’m too involved now. You jump, I jump remember? I can’t turn away without knowing you’ll be all right… That’s all I want.
Rose: Well, I’m fine… I’ll be fine… really.

The ship and it’s passengers was a secondary story to the romance of Jack and Rose.  The irrationality of their behavior, and the risks taken to share the love they developed in only hours is the kind of romance that just isn’t in movies anymore.  In the most dire of situations, in the most intense way, their love was tested, but never conquered.  In fact, it was only strengthened.  The circumstances were certainly extraordinary, but so was their passion for one another.  It is surely one of the greatest love stories of all time.

4. MICKEY AND MALLORY

Mickey: I love you, Mal.

Mallory: I know you do baby, and I’ve loved you since the day we met.

3. WESTLEY AND BUTTERCUP

Westley: I told you I would always come for you. Why didn’t you wait for me?
Buttercup: Well… you were dead.
Westley: Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.

The Princess Bride is structured around the idea that love conquers all. But in this story of giants, coward princes, men with extra limbs, sword fights, torture, revenge, bandits, pirates, heroes and true love it’s told through a realm of comedy along with it’s epic scope. With a perfectly structured cast and fantastic screenplay it is entirely conceivable. Wesley’s unconditional love for Buttercup enables us to believe that love has no boundaries. And Buttercups conviction that he will rescue her from her fate as Humperdinks wife is unwavering. The final sword fights are meticulously choreographed and are one of the most exciting and technical ever on film. Rob Reiner captures the perfect balance of action with comedy while giving the film it’s overall feel of utter sweetness.

2. RHETT BUTLER AND SCARLETT O’HARA

Scarlett: [pleads with Rhett as he is about to leave to join the Confederate Army] Oh, Rhett! Please, don’t go! You can’t leave me! Please! I’ll never forgive you!
Rhett Butler: I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’ll never understand or forgive myself. And if a bullet gets me, so help me, I’ll laugh at myself for being an idiot. There’s one thing I do know… and that is that I love you, Scarlett. In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you. Because we’re alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names.

When I think of movie couples, I immediately think of Rhett and Scarlett, volatile and passionate but each desperately in love with each other and so hard pressed to admit it!  The back and forth of their relationship, the persistence of Rhett, and the stubbornness of Scarlett.  The realizing of each others affection one too late, and the other having given up, at the end, it’s bittersweet, but I think we know that Rhett and Scarlett will never have just let go of each other.

1. HAN SOLO AND PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA

Princess Leia: I love you.
Han Solo: I know. -Han Solo

That’s right.  The scruffy looking scoundrel and the I’m woman hear me roar princess are my number one choice.  The tension they build up threw A New Hope, and the obvious affection for one another in The Empire Strikes Back and the constant bickering in between was much of that of fantasy but also a realism as the chemistry between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford is simply unmatched by any other couple today.

Honorable Mentions: Jareth and Sarah, Danny and Sandy, Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund, Ringo and Yolanda (Pulp Fiction), Edward Lewis and Vivien Ward, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan, Frank and Rachel (The Bodyguard), AND Shrek and Fiona