Jessica McKeown, Film Sub-Editor
Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy - Pride & Prejudice (2005)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Alright technically this couple originates from Jane Austen's 1813 novel but they still count as an iconic film couple in my eyes. There has been numerous adaptations over the years but the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen sticks out the most to me. One of the most famous couples in literature, the 2005 film brings their romance to life amid a beautiful Derbyshire landscape. Quiet pining, stubbornness, and a gut-wrenching love confession in the rain, this romance sprung from a first meeting at an assembly ball and culminates with a proposal at dawn.
Han Solo and Leia Organa - Star Wars franchise
Let's look to a galaxy far, far away for another of cinema's iconic couples. Princess Leia and Han Solo are at the heart of the Rebel Alliance and managed to fall in love whilst fighting the Empire. The iconic "I love you" "I know" line as Han is frozen in carbonite at the end of The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is up there for iconic declarations of love. With Carrie Fisher revealing her affair with Harrison Ford during A New Hope in her final memoir The Princess Diarist, the chemistry between the two is palpable.
Morticia and Gomez Addams - The Addams Family films
Maybe "they're creepy and they're kooky" but Morticia and Gomez Addams are truly one of the most romantic couples in film. Whilst their origins lie in a comic strip and television series, the incarnation of the Addams Family most audiences are familiar with are the 1990 and 1993 films starring Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia as Morticia and Gomez. Created to challenge the depictions of a typical nuclear family, Morticia and Gomez remain passionately in love. Their talk of their "lifeless bodies rotting together for all eternity" in matching side-by-side coffins may sound dark but you have to admit the idea is romantic.
Esther Arnold
Satine and Christian - Moulin Rouge (2001)
Perhaps not an obvious cinematic romance, however Satine and Christian from Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge (2001) defy all odds in the bohemian world of 20th Century Paris. A unique play on the classic tale of forbidden love, the iconic story of these infatuated lovers will get even the coldest hearts pumping. As fantastical songs injected with passion generate unending feeling between the pair, we find the show must go on despite huge bumps in the road. Avoiding any spoilers, after being left teary eyed, one heart-rending line from a dishevelled Christian resonates with viewers the most - the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. Take that as you will.
Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner - Pirates of the Caribbean franchise
A swashbuckling romance that has never ceased to enthral, blacksmith-turned-pirate Will Turner and rebellious elite Elizabeth Swann will certainly not disappoint. With each Pirates of the Caribbean instalment building upon their electrifying chemistry, these two thrill-seekers are the epitome of fictional romance. Being a large focus of the franchise, their turbulent relationship certainly has issues that rock the boat. Encounters with costly betrayal, curses and an extremely slimy looking octopus hybrid, their devotion is clearly pushed to the limits. Though I must say relationships today definitely don't share the same issues, Elizabeth and Will still manage to stick together through everything the ocean spits at them.
Olivia Carter, Film Sub-Editor
Ennis and Jack - Brokeback Mountain (2005)
A revolutionary and tender representation of forbidden love, the rocky relationship between Ennis and Jack never fails to make me feel every emotion simultaneously. A pioneer for queer film in Hollywood, performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger are a poignant reminder of what it means to be gay in an otherwise unforgiving society. The taboo word of "love" is never said, and yet their intimate love affair, grows deep and fierce into a glorious and revelatory experience, safe from the constraints of neo-western America.