An Affair to Remember

Recently we were at a dinner party and after a few drinks the hosts asked us to play Top Ten. The hostess would throw out a topic and we’d have to negotiate who or what was worthy of a top ten spot. For instance, top ten bands who revolutionized music, top ten indulgent foods, top ten starlets, etc.

So here I sit, on my perfectly worn leather couch, a mini-drumstick wrapper on the floor and the kids fast asleep, watching a movie. Since my husband is working late, I have free-run of the remotes and I intend to make the most of the situation and choose something that I know would only induce an eyeball roll from him.

Since I live in a house with all males, sometimes I need to indulge the ultra-feminine in me and so I present to you my ultimate Top Ten Girlie Movie List.

10 – Cinderella

Yes, it perpetuates stereotypes. Yes, I know that most feminists around the world cringe to hear the name. Yes, I know that I am not going to marry Prince Charming (damn you, Kate Middleton). But come on! How good does it feel to see Cinderella fade into happily-ever-after while those ugly stepsisters are left in her dust? Ooooh, snap!

9 – The Graduate

Like fine wine, I am growing to appreciate Mrs. Robinson the older that I get. Mostly, because I can only pray to look that good when I am her age. Not to mention leopard print trench, black stilettos, and martinis, martinis, martinis!

8 – An Affair to Remember

What a classic romantic tale. Two social climbing moochers meet on a ship while vacationing with their partners. The clandestine lovers agree to meet once they have ended their relationships (and collected some coin to build a life together) when back on solid ground. They plan to meet at the top of the Empire State Building but sadly a New York City taxi hits her en route to meet him. Their plans fall by the wayside, until the old granny’s spirit, in the form of a hideous painting, brings them back together. Okay, so maybe not so classic a tale but it definitely gets points for creativity!

7 – Annie Hall

This is on my list because I am married to my own “Alvy”.

6 – Any movie ever made by Audrey Hepburn

Two For The Road should be mandatory viewing for all couples.

5 –The Way We Were

The chemistry between Redford and Streisand is palpable. The way she caresses his cheek and brushes the hair from his brow with those red nails. If you don’t shed a tear watching this movie, you have a heart of stone.

4 – The Sound of Music

This movie is a home remedy for curing excessive crabbiness. It’s impossible to watch Julie Andrews frolicking down tree-lined Salzburg streets and not feel like singing along.

3 – When Harry Met Sally

The clips where the older couples talk about how they met and married are priceless. I particularly enjoy the one where they re-met at Jerry Calicki’s funeral. I also love that Sally never tells Harry that she loves him, even after Harry professes his love for her, Sally says: “I hate you, Harry. I really hate you.”

2 – Pretty Woman

Basically, Cinderella for grown-ups, but the fashion montage makes me smile into my bowl of ice cream every time.

1 – Dirty Dancing

It’s my all time favourite movie! I can recite every single line. Every. Single. Line.

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner!”

“ We are supposed to do the show in two days. You won’t show me lifts, I am not sure of turns. I am doing all of this to save your ass! What I really want to do is drop you on it!”

“You wouldn’t care if I humped the entire army, as long as they were on the right side of the Ho Chi Minh trail.”

“I carried a watermelon!?”

“But most of all, I am afraid of walking out of this room and never feeling again, the rest of my whole life, the way I do when I am with you.”

Let’s not forget the soundtrack! It was one of my first cassette tapes and I played it on my walk-man until every lyric and a love for Otis Redding and Carol King was burned onto my brain.

And I won’t even go into all of the hours spent dancing with friends in front of the T.V. with the V.C.R. rewinding and fast forwarding until we felt worthy enough to perform at The Sheldrake.

But the dancing and music aside, is there a hotter sex scene than the one between Baby and Johnny when she comes to his cabin after their dance performance? Whoa!

Agree with the list? Any glaring omissions?

Thank you for the photo credits: