Nancy Meyers names her favourite rom-coms of all time
There are a few filmmakers and screenwriters who are inextricably tied to the genres that made them famous. Sergio Leone will forever be known for his western movies, John Carpenter for his sci-fi flicks and Martin Scorsese for his contributions to gangster cinema. Yet, although the artistry of its existence is often questioned, there’s no denying the pioneering efforts of Nancy Meyers in the realm of the rom-com.
Perfecting the rom-com takes a certain set of skills and thematic requirements that are most certainly different to making a gripping thriller, for example. Saccharine love stories are permitted no matter the sweetness, and Meyers seemed to find the perfect recipe in the late 1990s, making such beloved classics as The Parent Trap, starring Lindsay Lohan and The Holiday, with Cameron Diaz and Jack Black.
Gathering quite the following thanks to her sheer consistency, Meyers treated her fans to a list of her favourite ever romantic comedies when sitting down with Sharp Magazine.
Taking notes from the very best, Meyers first picks out James L. Brooks’ Broadcast News, a classic of the late 1980s that was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including ‘Best Picture’. Also helming such celebrated films as Spanglish and As Good as it Gets later in his career, Brooks is often recognised as a master of Hollywood drama, with Broadcast News telling the story of a group of television reporters who form a love triangle.
Next, Meyers takes things back to the very dawn of Hollywood cinema, picking out Frank Capra’s classic It Happened One Night, for, as she claims, “At its heart, it’s a romantic comedy”. With Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, the ‘Best Picture’ winner tells the story of a reporter tailing an heiress, with the pair eventually falling in love after being mistakenly forced together.
On the opposite end of the spectrum entirely, Meyers takes things to the present day, opting for David O. Russell’s 2013 film Silver Linings Playbook as her third favourite. “It’s a newer one, but it fits the mould. Real characters. Real heart. And funny,” the rom-com auteur says of the movie starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, which sees love blossom between two bipolar sufferers.
Elsewhere, Meyers prefers to simply name some of her favourite filmmakers rather than picking out specific films, calling Billy Wilder “A movie god. He’s the greatest. His movies are the ones I go to time and again”. In the same vein, she underlines her love for duo Samson Raphaelson and directed by Ernst Lubitsch, stating: “If I ever see them on there’s no chance I’m going to turn them off”.
Explore the list of Meyers’ favourite rom-coms below and dive into an unconnected trilogy of films that you can be sure will warm the heart.
Nancy Meyers’ favourite rom-coms:
- Broadcast News (James L. Brooks, 1987)
- It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934)
- Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell, 2012)
