What is the longest on-screen kiss in movie history?
On-screen kisses are a notorious business. For the viewer, it often plays out smoothly, showing the chemistry between two characters coming to a head in one perfect moment of romance or passion. For the actors, however, the whole thing is usually a shoddy mess of choreography, cameras, and crew. Still, some of the best moments in film history have been those intimate moments between two characters, like the iconic “I’m flying!” scene in Titanic or the rain-soaked kiss scene enacted by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook. Discussions frequently revolve around the most memorable kisses in cinematic history. However, have you ever encountered anyone asking about the longest kiss ever to happen on-screen?
Of course, cinema did not invent kissing, but it’s easy to imagine the importance it placed on the act itself. Hollywood, in particular, made kisses more visible: it added an inherently glamorous layer to an experience that, in real life, is often much less graceful. At the same time, they can be used for comedic purposes or even a way of showcasing lust without any more profound layers of emotion whatsoever.
Whatever the reason, generally, they exist to serve a purpose. 2005 saw an influx of romantic films across the broader scope of drama or comedy, including the likes of Brokeback Mountain, Pride & Prejudice, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Rumour Has It. While these all seem typically normal romance films with the usual placement of romantic kisses, there exists one other that had a different idea in mind.
Prior to the release of Kids in America, the longest kisses in film history were sparse. Not many directors actively thought about attempting such a thing nor saw the benefit of doing so. However, some, like Andy Warhol’s 1963 film Kiss, which showed a series of three-minute kisses between pairs, decided to dabble in the idea.
However, two of the longest kisses in film history were each longer than Warhol’s contribution, spanning between three and four minutes. You’re in the Army Now, which was released in 1941, features a kiss lasting three minutes and six seconds between Jane Wyman and Regis Tommey. Nicole Conn’s 2010 romance, Elena Undone, also featured a long kiss lasting three minutes and 24 seconds.
None of these holds a candle to Kids in America, however, which knowingly broke the record with the longest screen kiss in film history to date, lasting six minutes and 44 seconds. The kiss took place during the film’s credits between actors Stephanie Sherrin and Gregory Smith. In the scene, the two candidly discuss the longest kiss in cinema history, which Smith’s character, Holden Donovan, claims is “three minutes and five seconds”.
Charlotte Pratt, played by Sherrin, then says, “Are you ready?” to which Donovan appears confused. After she clarifies by saying, “to rewrite a little bit of film history”, the pair divulge in a prolonged kissing session as the camera pans out, towering over them as they continue their six-plus minute endeavour.
To add to this, the whole thing plays out to Brother Love’s ‘Summertime’, a song that’s just about as 2005 rom-com as it gets, but equally the perfect fit for a tongue-in-cheek attempt at making history.
