Our take
Has there ever been a romance film more iconic than Love Affair? Modern moviegoers might find the plot a tad simple, the scenes too reliant on dialogue, and the pace a bit slow, but this film is a classic for a reason. Love Affair works through good ol’ fashioned chemistry. It’s easy to credit this dynamic through the performances, which, yes, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer deliver. But this dynamic was helped by the writing, with its natural slow build, great structure, and a relaxed demeanor that could only come about on vacation. It’s what makes the initial spark believable, and it’s so satisfying to prove that spark to be worth it when they continue to think the best of each other even when they have reason to believe otherwise. While its remake An Affair to Remember surpassed it in popularity, Love Affair still stands the test of time, setting the standard for all romance films to follow.
What it won
Oscars
6 noms
The story
A French playboy and an American former nightclub singer fall in love aboard a ship. They arrange to reunite six months later, if neither has changed their mind.
After falling in love aboard an ocean liner, French painter Michel Marnet and American singer Terry McKay make a pact to meet six months later at the Empire State Building. Sadly, this reunion was delayed by unforeseen circumstances.
Major spoilers: Because of censorship, Terry gets the accident to give her an equal punishment for adultery, but this accident actually strengthened their reunion, giving a reason strong enough to delay gratification for a more romantic finale.
"It wasn't anyone's fault but my own. I was looking up." And now I'm crying.
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
