5 Romantic Movies To Put Alongside Pride & Prejudice

Paramount Pictures

Confession: I love romantic movies. I really do. As long the movie is clean, I’m all in. Regency, rom-com, contemporary romance — I love them all. My mother and I watch movies with happily-ever-afters as a special mother-daughter activity. Sometimes we just reach for our Pride and Prejudice DVD, but there comes a point in time when we want something else, just to mix things up.

Over the years I’ve discovered many movies with strong romantic plots that are worth watching time and again. While many of the movies out there are cliché or even downright cringey, many have come out with excellent films that should not be missed.

I will always love Pride and Prejudice, but I’ve found other movies that come close or even rival it (gasp!). And I’d like to share them with you.

01 | Sabrina (1995)

Sabrina Fairchild has had a horrible crush on rich, flirtatious David Larrabee ever since she was little, but he doesn’t look twice at her. After spending two years in Paris working for Vogue, she returns to the Larrabee estate and David falls in love with her, despite his engagement to Elizabeth Tyson and a billion dollar business deal that accompanies the union.

When his successful older brother Linus, called the world’s only living heart donor, finds out, he decides to get Sabrina to fall for him — with the intention of dumping her! But Sabrina might be the only person that gets the businessman to forget about his appointment book.

Starring Harrison Ford and Julia Ormund.

02 | North and South (2004)

Set in the time of the Industrial Revolution, Margaret Hale and her family are forced to move to a town in Northern England called Milton. While struggling to come to terms with her situation she meets John Thornton, a gruff, determined mill owner who seems to care about nothing but his cotton.

Little does she know, Mr. Thornton is falling for her fast, despite their difference of opinion when it comes to mills and workers. But Margaret is not willing to budge on her position and besides, Mr. Thornton is just a grumpy old mill owner… isn’t he?

Starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe.

03 | Ever After (1998)

In this variation of Cinderella, Danielle is nothing more than a servant for her step-mother and two step-sisters. After becoming acquainted with Prince Henry, she pretends to be royalty in the hopes he will choose her as his queen.

But her mother is determined one of her own daughters will be the queen of France and will do whatever it takes to make sure it happens.

Starring Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, and Dougray Scott.

04 | Persuasion (1995)

Before the story, Frederick Wentworth, a sailor in the Navy, proposed to Anne Elliot of Kellynch Hall. Though she wanted to accept him, her mother’s friend Lady Russell persuades her to reject his offer.

Eight years later, Captain Wentworth returns to England after the Napoleonic War with a large fortune, while Anne is single and unattractive with no prospects in sight. After her family is forced to rent out Kellynch to pay off their debts, she’s thrown into his company again and find she’s still in love with him. The question is, does he still love her, or will another woman steal the sailor’s heart?

Starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.

05 | The Young Victoria (2009)

Ever since she was a girl Victoria knew she was destined to be the queen of England. People on all sides fought to control her and the throne, but Victoria is determined to rule as she see fit and to marry whomever she wants.

Prime Minister Lord Melbourne works to ingratiate himself to the new queen, but Prince Albert from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha quietly romances her, even though they live far away from each other. Each fights for the queen's heart, but only one can succeed and Albert decides to do his best to win. A dramatic re-telling of Victoria's marriage and early reign.

Starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend.

In short…

These movies have become some of my favorites in the past few years. I hope you will also enjoy them too. I highly suggest watching with your mother or some friends; it makes the movie even more enjoyable.