Classicromancemovies often transcend generational barriers with audiences and have an enduring appeal, featuring memorable plots and dialogues that can stand the test of time and relate to younger adults. It’s also a well-known fact that mature content sells, so when these kinds of successful movies also boast their fair share of sexiness, it usually makes for a winning combination with viewers.
Not every romantic movie has an adult element to it, and not everyone that does is considered a classic; classic romance movies without sex appeal can be a bit lifeless, and R-rated, mature romance movies without class or cinematic skill is often labeled trashy. But when a film gets a mix of romance and mature content just right, it often becomes a timeless classic for romantic individuals and couples — or at the very least, a cult favorite. Here are a few of the classic romance movies that balance elements of intense, profound love and steamy raciness to perfection.
15’Atonement' (2007)
Equally sensuous and heartbreaking, the romantic war dramaAtonementdepicts the steamy forbidden relationship between Cecilia (Kiera Knightley) and Robbie (James McAvoy) during World War II in England, as their blossoming romance is jeopardized when Cecilia’s younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan) makes a horrific accusation against the young man that forever alters all three of their lives.
A Red Hot Adaptation of a Literary Hit
Robbie’s explicit and fervent love letter proclaiming his feelings for Cecilia, paired with their passionate love-making against the library wall helped make the adaptation of the Ian McEwan novel a knockout with infatuated moviegoers. The electrifying chemistry between Knightley and McAvoy was red hot and left fans praying for a happy ending for the pair, even ifAtonementtakes a tragic turn by the final act.
14’Y Tu Mamá También' (2001)
Y Tu Mamá También
The endlessly sexy and intimate road dramaY tu mamá tambiénfeatures dazzlingappearances by Diego Lunaand Gael García Bernal as teenage best friends Tenoch and Julio, who find themselves embarking upon a cross-country adventure with the vivacious older woman Luisa (Maribel Verdú) during which they experience an eye-opening sexual awakening that forever alters the way they view one another and the world.
A Lustful Love Triangle Unfolds
Featuring breathtaking visuals of Mexico’s culture and countryside,Y tu mamá tambiénis both wistful and racy, as the two longtime friends become completely enamored by the experienced Luisa and fight for her affection. Though it is technically a coming-of-age drama, the acclaimed film nonetheless has a slew of provocative and extremely erotic scenes as Luisa teaches the young men about sex while encouraging them to embrace their lustful fantasies.
13’Brokeback Mountain' (2005)
Brokeback Mountain
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal delivered powerhouse performances as two cowboys who share an illicit, decades-spanning love affair in the trailblazing neo-Western filmBrokeback Mountain.Not only didthe Ang Lee masterpiecepoignantly showcase that love knows no bounds regardless of a person’s circumstances and sexuality, but it also featured some pretty off the charts romantic scenes between the conflicted cowboys.
A Classic Full of Sweet & Sensual Moments
The chemistry between Ledger and Gyllenhaal was truly explosive, as were the many tender and fiery moments the pair shared throughout the course of the film. From their life-changing gentle dalliance in the tent to their passionate, white hot kiss after being reunited after years apart, the unwavering forbidden love between characters Ennis and Jack left audiences equally smitten and devastated by the time the credits rolled.
12’Vicky Cristina Barcelona' (2008)
Touting a stacked cast of gorgeous and talented actorsled by Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall, Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning romantic dramedyVicky Cristina Barcelonafocuses on the complicated love triangle between Spanish couple Juan Antonio and María Elena, who bring the free-spirited American Cristina (Johansson) into their tumultuous relationship in hopes of bringing new, arousing energy to the fold.
Woody Allen’s Titillating Romantic Dramedy
The smooth-talking lothario Juan Antonio seduces Cristina and her more level-headed friend Vicky (Hall) into some seriously steamy exploits, as Cristina and his volatile ex-wife María Elena end up developing a surprising connection during their hot and heavyménage à trois.The beguiling film winningly explores human relationships and features brilliant performances by its ensemble cast, leaving viewers yearning for their own rousing European excursion.
11’The Notebook' (2004)
The Notebook
Author Nicholas Sparksis often hailed as one of the kings of romance novels, with many of his most famous books going on to become favorites among romance movie audiences too. While his work would certainly not fall into the category of erotica, they often include sexy scenes that have made their way into their movie counterparts too.The Notebookwas definitely one of those.
A Timeless Love Story For the Ages
The story itself is a heart-wrenching love tale about a rich girl and mill worker who are separated by war but find their back to each other against enormous odds. The passionate manner in which Gosling’s character takes McAdams' on a romp after being drenched in the rain together got more than a few hearts racing among fans of them both. Given Spark’s status as a romance god andThe Notebook’s fame among fans, this was definitely one classic love story that delivered on both romance and sexiness.
10’Secretary' (2002)
Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader star inSecretary, a 2002 flick about Mr. Grey, a dominant and eccentric lawyer, and Lee Holloway, his sensitive and submissive employee, who was staying in a mental hospital for self-mutilation. Their emotional dominant-submissive journey will eventually take them to the altar, and their subsequent marriage is both gentle and sexually charged.
A Quirky & Profound Exploration of Romance
On top of a love that is playful but tender, this film explores mental health and social awkwardness and how a broken home can affect one’s relationships until one meets a soulmate who fits their needs, however peculiar. Romance isn’t always about chocolate hearts and relaxing walks on the beach, after all.
9’Love & Other Drugs' (2010)
Love & Other Drugs
Love & Other Drugsis a 2010 romantic dramedy directed, produced, and co-written by Edward Zwick, based on Jamie Reidy’s bookHard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman. Set in 1996, it stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Jamie, a pharmaceutical sales representative who is a serial womanizer, and Anne Hathaway as Maggie, who displays early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and thus doesn’t want to be in a serious relationship. What starts as a casual fling between them would soon turn into a deeper bond as Jamie desperately tries to find Maggie a cure.
Hathaway & Gyllenhaal’s Effortless Chemistry
The movie not only features passionate nude scenes between the two leads but has an openness to its discussion of sex that is aimed at a mature audience. Hathaway and Gyllenhaal had already played romantic partners inBrokeback Mountain, and the two have a natural chemistry to them in this film.
8’Unfaithful' (2002)
Unfaithful
What’s sexier than forbidden desire? This was the main dilemma when Olivier Martinez’s younger character seduced an older, married woman,played by Diane Lane, in the 2002 erotic hit,Unfaithful. The characters share intimate and racy scenes, while the movie takes suspenseful turns between the physical passion she shares with him and the deeper, enduring love she shares with her husband.
A Sensual & Dark Romantic Thriller
WhileUnfaithfulmay depart from the more traditional romance flicks, it certainly can be considered a sexy title, which likely got under the skin of many married women who may have harbored fantasies with a similar scenario. In the end, love and romance still shone through all the prurient angles, andUnfaithfulremains one of the most sensual and thought-provoking films of its type.
10 Best Movies About Forbidden Love, Ranked
Whether it’s race, gender, class, or ancestry, society is always getting in the way of romance, as seen in these great movies about forbidden love.
7’Basic Instinct' (1992)
Basic Instinct
Admittedly, there aren’t many people who would describeBasic Instinctas a romance film. What can’t be denied is that it took sexiness and steamy scenes in the film to new heights and that it’s at least a romance film from one twisted, psychotic perspective. For this reason, it cemented itself as an erotic classic. In many ways, Sharon Stonebecame a living screen legend because of this title.
Stone’s Legendary Performance
Her iconic leg-crossing scene may have been subjected to more than its fair share of criticism, but it also pushed the boundaries for erotic stories at the time, and her performance was widely praised because of it. The raunchy relationship her character shared with Michael Douglas' in the film also worked as a surreal but intense relationship of sorts, which went down in cinematic history as one of the sexiest of its time.
6’Pretty Woman' (1990)
Pretty Woman
Forever anicon among romance films,Pretty Womanwas a modern retelling of a classical storyline. Since it features a rags-to-riches tale of a serially disempowered woman who, as unlikely as it sounds, finds and wins over a modern version of a Prince Charming, the film had all the elements necessary to woo lovers of the genre.
Gere & Roberts' Unforgettable Portrayals
With iconic performances from both Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, the chemistry between the two was underscored by a raunchy subplot stemming from Roberts playing a sex worker in the film. Fun and ironic fact: it’s a Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture.
