1890-1927 The Silent Era

Romance was a natural theme for the first narrative films owing to the long history of romance films. The May Irwin Kiss, 1896, was the first on screen kiss by Thomas Edison. Other early examples include: - Camille, 1915; Intolerance, 1916; Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 1921 and The Big Parade, 1925 (wartime, young love); The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1923; For Heaven’s Sake, 1926 (family ties, young love)[3][4]

1927- 1950s

The age of Film Noir saw a shift from happily-ever-after perfect love, to destructive, dangerous love. The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946 and Double Indemnity, 1944 both revolved around dangerous, obsessive love between a femmes fatales and an entrapped male character.[5]

Casablanca, 1942

Generally considered one of the best and most famous Romance films, Casablanca is, like most romantic films of its time, set against a back drop of war and destruction that inevitably affects and disturbs what would otherwise be a fairy tale romance. In Casablanca, Rick (Bogart) and Ilsa (Bergman) meet again after Ilsa ran out on Rick in Paris and attempt to escape Casablanca. However, the Nazi influence in otherwise unoccupied Casablanca proves difficult to circumvent. The graveness of the situation creates tension and makes it great.[6]

1950s 

The 50s saw Romantic Comedies bloom with films such as Pillow Talk, 1959; Lover Come Back, 1961; Send Me No Flowers, 1964 grossing at the box office. These contrasted to the gritty Noirs of the Hollywood Golden Age, with a squeaky clean feel and formulaic, feel good plots.  

1960s and 70s 

Saw a movement to more avant garde cinema and bizarre on screen coupling. West Side Story, 1961- a modern day adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, with Natalie Wood playing a Puerto Rican woman and white American, Tony stuck in the middle of their rival family gangs’ feud in New York.[7] Lolita 1962- Kubrick’s adaptation of Nabokov’s controversial novel is an example of dynamic and experimental cinema with its portrayal of paedophilic, obsessive love.

1980s

The 80s saw an increase in film adaptations from famous novels or plays such as Room with a View, 1986 and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. 

The 90s and 00s 

From the 90s through to current day, Rom-coms have flooded the market. Films such as Love Actually, 2003; The Holiday, 2006 and Notting Hill, 1999 are all famous for their focus on comedy and romance equally. Richard Curtis is a major writer, director and producer in the British Rom-com genre. There is a greater diversity of Romance movies than ever currently- whether it be in an unusual narrative structure, such as (500) Days of Summer, 2009 or an unusual coupling such as Brokeback Mountain, 2005, with its portrayal of pure homosexual love.