Celebs' Favorite Romantic Movies
by Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith
In honor of Valentine's Day, we asked some top stars to tell us which romantic movie they love best. Some were expected ('The English Patient' pops up) and some were, oh, let's just say a little unusual (a 1936 classic about a marriage dissolving? OK, then). See what Hollywood films make these Hollywood-types' heartstrings go zing. -- Additional reporting by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster
Jessica Alba
('The Eye')
Fave Romantic Films: 'The Way We Were' and 'Say Anything'; a bittersweet couple of choices from the engaged mom-to-be: in one, the lovers don't end up together, in the other they do. Here's a tip for fiance Cash Warren -- boombox, 'In Your Eyes,' works every time.
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesBrendan Fraser
('The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor')
Fave Romantic Film: 'Dodsworth,' a 1936 Best Picture nominee. Not a very romantic choice, considering that in it, a husband discovers his wife is having an affair ... and then develops feelings for another woman himself. But, you know, to each his own.
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesParis Hilton
('The Hottie & the Nottie')
Fave Romantic Film: 'The Bodyguard' -- the 1992 hit with Whitney Houston as a pop princess bedeviled by a crazed fan, and Kevin Costner as a Secret Service agent-turned-celeb protector. Hmm ... does Paris have secret rescue fantasies?
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesAndy Garcia
('The Air I Breathe')
Fave Romantic Film: "'Lady and the Tramp' has got a beautiful romance in it."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesTed Danson
('Mad Money')
Fave Romantic Film: "'The African Queen.' I have to go with that."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesMargaret Cho
('One Missed Call')
Fave Romantic Film: "'The English Patient' because I love Egypt and the desert and the way it looks, and it's such a good story. I loved it so much I named my dog, Ralph, after Ralph Fiennes. I thought 'I would love to say that name every day,' so I said 'I'm going to name my dog Ralph.'"
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesJavier Bardem
('Vicky Cristina Barcelona')
Fave Romantic Films: "'Cinema Paradiso' and 'Il Postino.' I like them very much."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesJane Seymour
Fave Romantic Films: "'Somewhere in Time' is so meaningful to me because of the friendship [started with co-star Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana]. People stop me even now and tell me how much they love it and that they wear the DVD out. I don't know how it got to be so popular, really, but I guess something just gets you. I also recently saw 'Away From Her,' a very different kind of romantic movie, but very moving. Julie Christie is wonderful."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesDennis Farina
('Bottle Shock')
Fave Romantic Film: "'The Quiet Man.' I just think there's something about Maureen O'Hara running through a field in Ireland and the camera catching her just right -- and there's something romantic about a guy like John Wayne falling apart when he sees her. And, to me, it was a more realistic love story. They argued, they fought, there were cultural differences. But love conquered all."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MovieDiablo Cody
(Writer, 'Juno')
Fave Romantic Film: "I know everyone cites 'Harold & Maude' as an influence, but I'm going to have to say 'The Graduate.' A great film."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesTony Gilroy
(Director, 'Duplicity')
Fave Romantic Film: "'Moonstruck,' because that's a pretty damn good movie."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesChristine Lakin
('The Hottie and the Nottie')
Fave Romantic Films: "'When Harry Met Sally' -- I think I've probably seen it 50 times. And 'Pretty Woman.' I love Garry Marshall, and he's always been one of my favorite directors. It's been a dream come true to work with him. If it's a straight-up romance -- 'An Affair to Remember.' A classic."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesPatricia Arquette
Fave Romantic Films: "'Sunrise,' a 1927 silent movie that earned an Academy Award. It is just wonderful. My other favorite is 'Splendor in the Grass.' There's a lot of sadness; it tells of people not having the strength to follow their hearts. It's the story of a man struggling with his sexuality at a time when women are not supposed to be sexual and can't help him. Her disconnection from herself leads her to have a nervous breakdown. It's a tragedy, and a love story."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesLaura Linney
('City of Your Final Destination')
Fave Romantic Film: "'Notorious,' the 1946 Hitchcock thriller in which Ingrid Bergman must seduce an escaped Nazi (Claude Rains), while she and her "handler" (Cary Grant) fall in love -- as much as he is repulsed by her assignment. Ah, sweet romance."
Celebs' Favorite Romantic MoviesLouis Gossett Jr.
('Cover')
Fave Romantic Films: "One would be 'The Preacher's Wife' with Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston, another would be 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back' with Angela Bassett. And then I have two classics -- 'Love Is a Many Splendored Thing' with William Holden and Jennifer Jones, and 'Sayonara' -- for the love story with Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki, who end up committing suicide together. Their love was so strong that if they couldn't live together, they'd die."
Star Sightings
'Bolt' of Lightning
See Miley Cyrus, John Travolta, Mr. T and the rest of the voices of 'Bolt' at the Disney red carpet premiere.
See 'Bolt' pics
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