Romance in the air and at the movies

Howdy, dear Posse folks! Well, love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day week has rolled around again. But I realized something else: it’s also Academy Awards time.

Not that it’s that big a deal, but it sure used to be for me. In my previous life as a newspaper features editor, it was one of the busiest times of the year. I remember many a Sunday night scrambling to edit and update the stories as the various winners were announced. My favorite part, though, was our fashion sidebar on what everyone was wearing. In later years, as I became a perfumista, I wished we could know what fragrances the actresses and actors were wearing too. As that life ended, however, I kind of lost interest in the films, the nominations, etc., and only watched the later fashion recap.

But it got me thinking about movies in general, and romantic ones in particular.

My all-time favorite romantic movie has got to be the Merchant-Ivory classic “A Room With a View.” Great acting, scenery and music all around. I tend to go weak in the knees when viewing the scene in which Julian Sands’ character strides forth and passionately kisses Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) in a field of flowers outside of Florence. Now if only DH and I could get to Italy and experience that for ourselves. In fact, thinking on it, many moons ago CB I Hate Perfume had a scent entitled “A Room With a View.” But I couldn’t put my hands on my sample of it to refresh my memory.

Anyhoo, what are your favorite romantic movies and / or scenes from films?

  • Musette says:

    My favorite romantic movie is 1940s ‘Pride & Prejudice’ but for all the non-romantic reasons! Edna May Oliver (Lady Catherine) is comedic genius, as is Mary Boland (Mrs Bennet) and Melville Cooper (Mr Collins).

    and I hate Valentine’s Day – always have. There. I said it! xoxoxoxoA

  • Portia says:

    FANTASTIC question Ann.
    LOVED Room With A View. We had it on DVD and it was a regular rewatch. Maggie Smith steals the movie with bare hands. I bet they were wearing Santa Maria Novella fragrances.
    The movies that get me all loved up are the superhero ones. When the hero rescues the distressed and gets the kiss, AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
    Also, those movies where people love animals. Guaranteed to cry.
    Portia xx

  • Maya says:

    I have two and I love them both. Ladyhawk with Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer, and Matthew Broderick. Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

  • March says:

    I love, love love that movie — I re-watch it periodically. Another fantastic option (with a completely different vibe) is Only Lovers Left Alive, with Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as a vampire couple — hugely atmospheric, great soundtrack.

  • Tara C says:

    My favourite movie is Out of Africa. But I don’t know that I have a perfume association with it…

    • Neva says:

      Out of Africa was going to be my answer too. I love the scene where Denys washes Karen’s hair out in the African bush.

  • EB says:

    My comment was marked as ‘spam’ – gremlins again?

  • Gina Tabasso says:

    That is a terrific movie. Helena Bonham Carter was always one of my favorite actresses until she got a little wonky and Deppish. She was amazing in her early career with all the indie films she did.