Best Tragic Love Story on DVD (1 Viewer)

[Justin_S]

^^ Indeed, Mulholland Dr. was my pick as well.

 

[Dave Hahn]

What's the "Best Tragic Love Story on DVD?"

Only one answer: Casablanca

This all-time classic is the benchmark all others of this genre are ultimately compared too.

A difficult script to use as a blueprint for a school project, but it does boil down to:

Boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy finds girl,(well actually girl finds boy), boy gives up girl for noble cause.

It would be interesting to see this formula adapted to a contemporary setting. You just have to find a noble cause . . .

 

[John Nelson]

How about "Summer of '42"?
I haven't seen this film in a number of years, but the impact of it's ending still remains with me. A coming of age story set on Nantucket in 1942 depicting the loss of innocence faced by both the teenage boy in the story, who has a crush on a young woman who's husband is off at war, and the world in general. Jennifer O'Neill was completely lovely in this film.

 

[Walter Kittel]

To some of the solid titles already mentioned in this thread I'll add another selection. I am uncertain as to whether I'd classify this film as tragic, but it certainly is downbeat. Personally, I find this film to be overwhelmingly poignant and emotionally affecting:

David Lean's Brief Encounter

- Walter

 

[Herb Kane]

Vittorio De Sica's Terminal Station (Indiscretion of an American Wife) - 1953.

 

[Robyn]

Good one!

Some of the following are cheesy, but they did make boo hoo something fierce:

Romeo and Juliet (60's version)
A Walk to Remember
Love Story (70's version)
Cider House Rules
Legends of the Fall
Queen Margot
Margret's Museum
Titanic

 

[PaulaJ]

Juliet in Love (Hong Kong)

Christmas in August (Korea)

And my all-time guilty pleasure:

Untamed Heart (Marisa Tomei, Christian Slater)

 

[Ernest Rister]

Old Yeller.

Love stories don't get any more tragic than that.

 

[Blu]

I forgot about Damage!

Very tragic story.

This has given me a wealth of research material to go over!!

 

[TonyDale]

Nearly forgot - WOMEN IN LOVE.

 

[Citizen87645]

Roman Holiday.

Who doesn't feel Gregory Peck's pain as he takes that long walk away from the woman he's just fallen in love with? Up until the last 15 minutes of the film its your typical 1950s romantic comedy, then BAM!!!


Though not a movie, The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Perfect Mate," which featured Famke Jansen and Patrick Stewart's first work together, also stands out as being particularly bittersweet.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Favorite romance film of all time, Before Sunrise

Jesse and Celine's relationship unfolds so freakin realistically and feels so genuine, the very fact that they have to part ways at the end (i'd drop everything in my life back home to stay with such a gorgeous creature as Celine, there's no way i'd leave her)
makes it tragic.

The worst kind, longing for someone you just can't be with.

And of course, Titanic.

 

[Elinor]

Dark Victory (Bette Davis, George Brent)

Ghost (Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze)

Waterloo Bridge (Vivien Leigh, Robert Taylor) Not on DVD yet

Camille (Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor)

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I second the obvious statement that Casablanca is the all-time classic example. A Place In The Sun is probably the all-time most depressing romantic tragedy though.

Brian's Song is a good platonic twist on the theme -- it's essentially a love story about two best friends.

The anime film Millennium Actress is another classic twist on the theme. It actually revolves around two romantic obsessions. (And if you are into Japanese cinema, it is a MUST SEE.)

 

[ScottCor]

The Sand Pebbles

Dumb and Dumber

 

[Aaron Silverman]

You know, it just hit me that Monster kinda fits the bill, too. Not exactly traditional, though. . .

 

[Bill Huelbig]

I don't think anybody mentioned this one: David Lean's Doctor Zhivago.

 

[John Lloyd]

Days of Wine and Roses -- Great performances from Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.

 

[Ted Todorov]

Elvira Madigan -- I don't know about "best" but it is one of the staples of the tearjerker genre.

Of the stuff mentioned above: Romeo & Juliet (and clones like West Side Story), In The Mood for Love & Before Sunrise are all wonderful films.

 

[Jacob McCraw]

Leaving Las Vegas