The 15 Best Historical Romance Movies Ranked

The realism of a specific environment is very important in historical romances. Filmmaker John Ford was a novelty in the industry because he made the authenticity of his films a priority. Ford shot many of his classic Westerns such as "Stagecoach," "The Searchers," "Rio Grande," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" on practical locations. However, it was completely unprecedented when Ford chose to shoot his 1952 romantic epic "The Quiet Man" on location in a small Irish town. The lush natural imagery and authenticity of the Irish community made the film even more charming.

"The Quiet Man" tells the story of former boxer Sean Thornton (John Wayne) as he moves from the United States to Ireland. Despite winning many matches in America, Thornton was born in Ireland and wants to reconnect with his family legacy. Thornton falls in love with the strong-willed Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara) but must elude her temperamental brother Will (Victor McLaglen).

James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel "The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757" is an important historical document. Cooper's romantic epic gave insight into the French-Indian War in colonial America and the relationship between white settlers and indigenous people. While the book is important as a learning tool, Cooper uses many outdated stereotypes. That made a cinematic adaptation challenging, as the film would need to address the fundamental issues with the story's main character. Hollywood has tried many times to modernize the novel, dating back to the eleven-minute 1909 adaptation "Leather Stocking" from director D.W. Griffith.

Michael Mann took on the material with his 1992 adaptation "The Last of the Mohicans" and focused heavily on the action set pieces. While Mann's version is still deeply problematic with its white savior tropes, it does spotlight the indigenous perspective more sensitively than previous iterations. The story focuses on Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe (Daniel Day-Lewis), a white man raised by a Mohawk community. Hawkeye and his fellow fur trappers protect a traveling British company as they try to avoid the war. However, things become even more complicated when Hawkeye falls in love with Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe), a wealthy Colonel's daughter.

There are few historical events that challenge romance like a war. Ian McEwan's 2001 novel "Atonement" tells a heartbreaking story of a forbidden relationship during World War II, and Joe Wright's 2007 adaptation captures the same emotional gut punch. The gorgeous cinematography by Seamus McGarvey captures both the epic action sequences and quiet moments of reserved longing.

Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) lives with her wealthy family in England at a luxurious palace in 1935. She begins a secret relationship with the housekeeper's son, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), even though she's expected to marry a man from high society. Cecilia and Robbie share a passionate affair, but Cecilia's younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan) is deeply jealous. Briony accidentally reads a graphic love letter that Robbie wrote to Cecilia and walks in on them making love. She assumes that Robbie is assaulting her sister and reports him as a criminal. In order to escape prosecution, Robbie must join the war effort overseas.

There's no better way to express romance than through song. The 2001 musical "Moulin Rouge!" is set in Paris during the beginning of the 20th century, but it does not feature the French burlesque music that would have been used during the era. Instead, director Baz Luhrmann chose to use a jukebox soundtrack consisting of modern artists like Madonna, Elton John, Queen, and The Police among others. Although there was a risk that the contemporary hits would not fit within the historical setting, "Moulin Rouge!" succeeds as an untraditional and enchanting romantic musical.

Christian (Ewan McGregor), a poor writer, joins the production of a new stage show called "Spectacular Spectacular." The elaborate musical is being performed by an idiosyncratic group of bohemian artists led by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo). As Christian grows involved in the artistic scene, he meets the dancer Satine (Nicole Kidman) and falls in love with her. Satine is caught in an arranged relationship with the Duke (Richard Roxburgh), a cruel bureaucrat, but works on the show to get closer to Christian.

Jane Austen's 1811 romantic novel "Sense and Sensibility" is one of the greatest works of literature ever written and perhaps the crowning achievement of Austen's career. In "Sense and Sensibility," Austen captures the purity of romance and the affectionate bonds that siblings have for each other. A big-screen adaptation of a novel of such acclaim faces high expectations from fans. Thankfully, Ang Lee's 1995 film brings Austen's words to life in immaculate detail.

"Sense and Sensibility" follows the Dashwood sisters, Elinor (Emma Thompson), Marianne (Kate Winslet), and Margaret (Emilie François), who all live together at a cottage in the English countryside. Although their brother John (Greg) promises their father (Tom Wilkinson) that he will share the family wealth between the four children, John's wife Fanny (Harriet Walter) pushes him to cut his sisters out of their inheritance. They live with their kind relative, Sir John Middleton (Robert Hardy), and watch over each other. Soon, each girl is courted by a different series of lovers.

Terrence Malick's 1978 classic "Days of Heaven" examines how one mistake can create a heartbreaking scenario. Despite the tragic events of its plot, "Days of Heaven" is one of the most beautiful movies ever made.

The film is set in 1916 during the end of the Second Industrial Revolution. A  steelworker named Bill (Richard Gere) works a challenging job in a Chicago factory to provide for his girlfriend Abby (Brooke Adams). Bill plans to save money so he can propose. Tragedy strikes when he's blamed for the death of a coworker during a workplace accident. Bill and Abby are forced to go on the run, and they flee to the plains of Texas in order to hide their identities. Bill takes his young sister Linda (Linda Manz) with them.

Fearing that they will be recognized and turned in to the authorities, Bill and Abby pretend to be siblings. A farmer (Sam Shepard) hires them to help manage his fields. Bill learns that the soft-spoken farmer is dying of an unknown disease and will die within a year. He conceives a plan: Abby will marry the farmer in order to attain his wealth and take over his land when he dies. Unfortunately for the couple, the farmer survives and falls in love with Abby.

Romantic films inspired by history have the opportunity to spotlight underrepresented voices whose stories deserve to be told. Films have a checkered history of representing LGBTQ characters, but 2005's "Brokeback Mountain" was a breakthrough moment in cinematic representation. Ang Lee's gorgeous film is filled with both beauty and heartbreak.

The film follows two cowboys, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal). The men are both searching for work in 1960s Wyoming. They're hired by foreman Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid) to herd his sheep on the fields of Brokeback Mountain for several months. The job requires the two men to live and work within close proximity to each other. As they converse over their grueling job, they begin to grow closer and learn about each other's past.

Eventually, Jack breaks the tension and embraces Ennis in his tent one night when the two sleep together to stay warm. Ennis accepts his advances, and the two begin an intimate romance. Societal discrimination prevents them from announcing their relationship, so they keep it a secret. They steal moments of joy by escaping back to Brokeback Mountain.

The greatest historical romantic film ever made was conceived as history was unfolding. The United States had just entered World War II in 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Warner Brothers was eager to tell a story that would inspire American audiences with heroes that stood up to the rise of the Nazis. Producer Hal B. Wallis discovered the unproduced play "Everybody Comes to Rick's," and a team of scribes adapted the narrative to reflect current events.

"Casablanca" was put into production after the Allied forces began their invasion of North Africa. Director Michael Curtiz of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" fame was tapped to direct the film. "Casablanca" is set during the final days of 1941 and centers on American expatriate Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart). Rick owns the nightclub Rick's Café Américain in the Morrocan port city of Casablanca. Once a soldier and gun runner, Rick helps refugees escape to the United States.

Rick's world is rocked when his old lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), enters his establishment. Rick has not seen Ilsa in years, and she is now married to Czech resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Rick has a serious choice to make: He can either help transport Victor to safety and aid the war effort, or he can try to reignite his relationship with the only woman he ever truly loved.