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It’s essential for the characters in film to be likable and easy to relate to and decent acting usually helps. You can have two great looking actors who are able to perform adequately but they lack the connection needed to make the love story believable.

I was listening to the radio this morning when they were announcing the most liked on-screen couples and asking the listeners which couple they would choose as their favorite. The first couple I thought of, as far as recent movies go, is Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds as they have the competition beat hands down. The Proposal would still be a decent movie without the two actors because the story was good enough to float the boat but I can’t think of anyone (with possibly the exception of Richard Gere and Diane Lane) that would make it half as lovable. You would swear that these two were a real couple and you adore them together so much that when you see them with their significant others in real life, it just doesn’t look right. They’re both gorgeous and mesh so well together that you can’t imagine them with anyone but each other. The connection is what I look for in the best on-screen couple.

I haven’t watched enough movies before the 80’s to really say whom my favorite couple “of all time” would be and it would be unfair of me to guess. At a glance, it seems that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were a very popular on-screen couple and from the clips I’ve seen had a great connection. Richard Gere and Diane Lane are quite possibly my favorite on-screen couple out of all the films I’ve seen. People in their 30’s and older can certainly relate to the characters that they’ve played on film and their natural good looks are too shabby either. They took my breath away in Nights in Rodanthe as they stole the hearts of audiences everywhere and they broke our hearts in Unfaithful. The two-some was also in the movie The Cotton Club as a stunning couple in the 1930’s. Richard Gere and Diane Lane are another pair that you just can’t imagine being in a relationship with anyone other than each other.

I must mention Gena Rowlands and James Garner in the The Notebook. It was so refreshing to see two older people depicted in a romantic setting. They brought class back to romance and made the audience accept the idea that people can still have flair in their relationships after being together for many years. They had a genuine quality about their relationship and acted like they knew each other forever. These are actors that go beyond what they need to do to make the film work. They take us beyond the surface of the story and they make their way into our hearts reminding us what it really means to care about someone again.

Romance can be included in films of every genre- not just romantic comedies and dramas. Even horror and action films can include great on-screen couples. I’m obsessed with horror movies but I think Twilight is targeted toward the younger generation rather than appealing to a general audience. I never read the book but many people were talking about the new famous on-screen couple. Even though so many people think these two characters have a great connection, I just couldn’t grasp it and maybe I’m getting old but the movie was dull in my book. Yes, I’m in the minority on this one! If I had to pick a pair of actors that made a great on-screen couple in a horror film, I’d have to go with Micah Sloat and Katie Featherstone in Paranormal Activity. The fact that they were your average every day couple conquering a major obstacle together made their relationship believable. They were hired for 500.00 a piece to make this low-budget film that would not have existed if they didn’t deliver a performance that was practically perfect.

Who will the next hottest on-screen couple be? Some upcoming films including dynamic duos are Dear John starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried on February 5th and Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson and Emelie De Ravin on March 12th. Here is the list for the most popular on-screen couples on Hollywood.com. I would only agree from first hand experience on numbers 10, 9, 7, 3 and 2 and I would place them in different order but here goes...

“Top 10 Favorite On-Screen Couples”

10. Richard Gere and Diane Lane

9. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts

8. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock

7. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore

6. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson

5. Woody Allen and Kate Keaton

4. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman

3. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan

2. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

1. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn

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By: Frank Bilotta

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