Are you a sucker for grand love stories? Then you can’t sleep on the power of a classic romance movie for Valentine's Day library programming. By this, we mean the full-on experience: tear-jerking, swoon-worthy scenes, sweeping soundtracks, and soul-stirring lines that have you clutching your chest and whispering to your spouse, “They don’t make ’em like this anymore, babe,” while snuggled up in their arms.
Movies of such caliber embody cinematic love, having stood the test of time and defining what it truly means to love and be loved. And trust us, there are quite a ton of them to choose from. But to make it easy for you, we’ve narrowed the list down to seven couple-approved picks guaranteed to hit your patrons right in the feels.
The Notebook
Coming in at number one, The Notebook is the ultimate gut-punch for romance (a love story that spans a lifetime). It centers on Noah and Allie, whose whirlwind affair kicks off in the hazy summer of 1940s North Carolina and unfolds into a tale packed with undeniable passion, heartbreak, and sacrifices that cut deep.
Each scene, from the iconic kiss at the dock near Noah’s house after a boat ride in the rain to the final moments of an elderly Noah reading to Allie who suffers from dementia, is a stark reminder that love withstands everything, even time and memory loss. If you’re big on emotions, this 2004 movie will have you feeling all mushy inside when the credits roll.
Casablanca
Here’s a 1943 classic set against the turbulent backdrop of World War II that tells of American expatriate Rick Blaine who runs a nightclub in Vichy-controlled Casablanca. Everything is business as usual until his old flame, Ilsa, now married to a Resistance leader, walks in looking like a dream. Talk about a punch to the gut. As events unravel, the tension between Rick, Ilsa, and her husband snowballs into a heart-wrenching love triangle plagued by choices no one wants to make.
Props to Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman for bringing such intensity and complexity to their roles. Their impressive performance, paired with some of the most thought-provoking dialogues, reinforces the summed belief that, sometimes, the greatest act of love is letting go, even when every fiber of our being says otherwise.
Read our essay for the Casablanca 80th anniversary.
When Harry Met Sally
No movie serves a more perfect blend of humor, chemistry, and life’s big questions than this rom-com right here. It begins with Harry and Sally meeting by chance and crossing paths several times over the years, during which they develop a deep friendship with a slow-burn romance you can’t help but root for. Their love story tackles the age-old question: Can men and women truly just be friends? The answer is in the sharp banter and those striking moments that add up to prove that the strongest relationships are often built on the best friendships.
What makes this movie a must-watch is its deep dive into what makes a relationship work for the long haul—the connection, the trust, the undeniable bond—all of which are a sine qua non for anyone ready to commit.
Read our review of When Harry Met Sally
Titanic
We can all agree that Titanic is the pièce de résistance of epic love stories, a movie that doesn’t just tug at your heartstrings, but rips them out and plays a full-on symphony as monumental as the R.M.S. Titanic itself. At its heart is the ill-fated romance between Jack, the charming artist from steerage, and Rose, the high-society beauty trapped in a gilded cage. Their passionate, forbidden love burns bright against the opulence of the ship, only to collide with the iceberg of tragedy.
Jack’s triumphant cry of “I’m the king of the world!” layers up the movie’s enchanting moments. That, paired with the gut-wrenching final scenes and famous melodic chords of “My Heart Will Go On,” sparks an intense romantic saga that is sure to leave you with waterworks and feelings that last a lifetime.
Pride and Prejudice
What happens when sharp wit meets smoldering stares? You get Pride and Prejudice, where love is anything but straightforward. Elizabeth Bennet, the queen of sass and sharp comebacks, locks horns with the ultimate brooder, Mr. Darcy. Their first encounters? All shade and no sugar—full of misjudgments and cutting remarks. But beneath the sparring lies a companionable romance so rich and intricate, it could put most modern love stories to shame.
Set in the early 1800s, the adaptation captures the bucolic charm of the English countryside juxtaposed against the suffocating constraints of Regency-era propriety, with each lingering glance and clipped remarks leading us to the realization that true love, like the finest of wines, matures with patience, self-awareness, and an unflinching willingness to confront one’s flaws.
Notting Hill
If you haven’t seen this rom-com (released in 1999), do yourself a favor and add it to your watchlist. It stars William Thacker (Hugh Grant), a laid-back bookshop owner, who gets blindsided when he bumps into Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), a massive American movie star. From there, it’s all sparks and awkward encounters as they try to navigate their separate, contrasting worlds in the heart of London’s Notting Hill.
What makes it special is the fusion of the ordinary and the extraordinary. Here’s a guy living a quiet life, suddenly caught up in the whirlwind of fame and love. But somehow, it’s still relatable, considering that it involves real people (not just star-crossed lovers) figuring out how to juggle their lives and insecurities, and—let’s be real—how to make love work in the face of crazy odds.
Read our review of Notting Hill
Before Sunrise
We can’t help but thank director Richard Linklater and co-writer Kim Krizan for bringing this drama film to life in the most romantic way possible. Any free-spirited individual who appreciates deep conversations and real connections can't pass up on this classic, which begins with Jesse (Ethan Hawke), an American college student, who meets Celine (Julie Delpy), a French student, on a Viennese train.
Both travelers end up talking for hours over the course of the night and eventually decide to spend a perfect day together in Vienna with their love story playing out over 24 hours. Their heartfelt conversations reveal the honesty, openness, vulnerability, and tenderness of two strangers with no expectations (just pure connection) even as they traverse the cobblestones of Vienna. It’s a beautiful exploration of the idea that sometimes, a single night with someone can change everything.
Read our review of Before Sunrise
Conclusion
And there you have it—seven classic romance films that are bound to make your patrons' heart race and remind them what love is all about. Now, all that’s left for you is to put them on your shelves for patrons to get cozy on the couch, and enjoy a night full of nostalgia, memories, and all things romance.