11 of the best love stories

Casablanca

A classic 1942 film directed by Michael Curtiz. Set during World War II, the story unfolds in the city of Casablanca, Morocco, a meeting point for refugees seeking to flee to the United States.

The main plot follows Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, a cynical American who owns a nightclub. His world turns upside down when Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman, enters his life again.

Ilsa is Rick’s great love who abandoned him without explanation in Paris. She is in Casablanca with her husband, Victor Laszlo, a Czech resistance leader wanted by the Nazis.

Rick finds himself torn between his love for Ilsa and his need to help Victor escape the Nazis, eventually making a personal sacrifice.

Casablanca is celebrated for its moving love story, memorable dialogue, and its lasting cultural impact, exploring themes of honor, sacrifice, and redemption.

Awards

The film won three Oscars in 1944 in the categories of best film, best direction and best adapted screenplay.

• Casablanca is available on HBO MAX streaming.

And the wind took

Released in 1939 and directed by Victor Fleming, the film is a cinematic epic based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell.

The story, set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction, follows Scarlett O’Hara, a headstrong young woman played by Vivien Leigh, who deals with unrequited love, especially with Ashley Wilkes.

During the narrative, she becomes involved with the charming Rhett Butler, played by Clark Gable, whose love for Scarlett persists throughout the film. Fighting the adversities of war to preserve her plantation, Tara, Scarlett goes through an intense personal maturation, dealing with themes of love, pride, and resilience.

The film is known for its grandeur and remains an enduring classic in cinema history.

Gone with the Wind, 1940. Image: Disclosure.

Curiosities and where to watch

It received thirteen Oscar nominations in 1940, winning eight awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay (awarded posthumously to Sidney Howard), Best Actress for Vivien Leigh and Best Supporting Actress.

Hattie McDaniel made history by being the first African-American woman to earn this distinction.

And the wind took is available on HBO MAX streaming.

The young Queen Victoria

Released in 2009 and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, the film is a historical drama that captures the early years of Victoria’s reign in the United Kingdom.

The story unfolds showing her struggle for independence in the face of her mother’s strict supervision and the political manipulations of advisor Sir John Conroy.

She faces the challenges of ascending the throne at a young age, while also chronicling her sincerely affectionate romance with her cousin, Prince Albert, amid the pressures of royal responsibilities.

The film offers an intimate look at Vitória’s personal development as she seeks to be a fair and understanding leader, shaping the constitutional monarchy in an impactful and lasting way.

Fun facts and where to watch

The historical research carried out to produce the film earned the feature film the Oscar award for best costumes. ​​The dresses worn by actress Emily Blunt cost an average of 10 thousand pounds sterling each.

Titanic

Directed by James Cameron and released in 1997, it is a historical and romantic epic that chronicles the tragic maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912.

The central story revolves around the forbidden romance between Jack Dawson, a poor artist played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and Rose DeWitt Bukater, a young woman from high society played by Kate Winslet. They meet on board the ship and fall in love, defying social and family barriers.

The plot progresses as the Titanic collides with an iceberg, leading to the tragic sinking. During this turmoil, Jack and Rose struggle to survive amid the chaos, with Jack sacrificing his life to save Rose.

The film is a moving combination of true story and romantic fiction, highlighting themes of love and sacrifice amid one of the most famous maritime disasters in history.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio in Titanic, 1988. Image: social media reproduction.

Awards

In 1998 Titanic won 11 Oscar awards, in the following categories:

• Best Film;
• Best director;
• Best edition;
• Best photography;
• Best art direction;
• Best costume
• Best dramatic soundtrack;
• Better sound
• Best sound effects;
• Better visual effects;
• Best original song.

Titanic is available on the Disney+ platform.

The Argentine thriller follows the story of Benjamín Espósito, a retired bailiff, as he revisits an unsolved murder case that has haunted him for decades.

While writing a novel based on the events, he revisits memories of the past, unrequited love and corruption.

As he delves into his past, Benjamín dives into a journey of searching for truth and justice, revealing secrets hidden in the shadows of time.

It is a story where romance and mystery intertwine, revealing hidden truths both in the crimes of the past and in the hearts of the protagonists.

Curiosity about the film

Writer Jurandir Gouveia, in his analysis of the film, made the following comment:

“I present this film as a deep love story, surrounded by a police drama or as a crime film surrounded by a deep love story? In other words, which central element of this story, crime or love? and the correct choice was to place this deep love story at the center of this narrative, which makes this work have an even greater scope and meaning.”

Awards received

Em 2010, The Secret in Your Eyes It was nominated for and won the Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category. With this achievement, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to win the award twice.

In addition to the Oscar, the film received the Goya award, considered the most important in Spanish cinema, in the Best Film category.

Life is Beautiful

It is an exciting film that mixes comedy and drama, telling the story of Guido, an Italian Jew with a good heart and an optimistic spirit.

Guido falls madly in love with Dora, a teacher of non-Jewish descent.

Their procession is marked by romantic and unusual gestures that reflect Guido’s charm and creativity, winning Dora’s heart despite social and cultural differences.

During World War II, he and his young son, Giosuè, are taken to a Nazi concentration camp.

To protect his son from the horrors around him, Guido turns his survival into an imaginary game, where challenges are part of a grandiose competition.

With his creativity and unconditional love, he seeks to preserve Giosuè’s innocence while managing a delicate balance between hope and fantasy amid the brutalities of the real world.

The film won three statuettes at the 1999 Oscars, in the categories of best actor, best foreign film and best soundtrack. Life is Beautiful won over 20 awards at various awards shows around the world.

• Life is beautiful is available on Netflix streaming.

The woman makes the man