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Love Outside the Lines: 12 Golden Age Rom-Coms That Broke the Mold
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Excelsior
A list of classic romantic comedies from Hollywood’s Golden Age that challenged traditional relationship roles and defied the expected.
Sections
4
 
Cross-Class Love Stories
 
Love in Disguise
 
Power Couple Dynamics
 
Age, Ambition & Odd Timing

Cross-Class Love Stories

These romances bloom across economic divides, poking fun at class while pulling at the heartstrings.

 
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A wealthy socialite hires a "forgotten man" as her butler, not knowing he has secrets of his own.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
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A chauffeur’s daughter returns from Paris and catches the eye of the rich family’s playboy—and his serious older brother.
Sabrina (1954)
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A con artist targets a naïve millionaire but ends up falling for him (twice).
The Lady Eve (1941)
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Love in Disguise

From mistaken identity to full-blown masquerade, these films find romance through deception and surprise.

 
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Actors in Nazi-occupied Poland use theater—and romantic misdirection—to survive and resist.
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
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A woman is pursued by multiple men claiming to be someone else, all while falling for a charming stranger.
Charade (1963)
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A runaway princess experiences a day of freedom with an American reporter who knows her secret.
Roman Holiday (1953)
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Power Couple Dynamics

These romances feature women who aren’t damsels and men who aren’t threatened by it (well, not for long).

 
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A showgirl is educated to fit into Washington society—and learns to stand up to her corrupt boyfriend.
Born Yesterday (1950)
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A strong-willed Swedish maid runs for Congress and charms a political elite in the process.
The Farmer's Daughter (1947)
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A plumber’s niece who won’t stay in her lane meets a refugee professor in a whimsical class clash.
Cluny Brown (1946)
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Age, Ambition & Odd Timing

Not all love stories happen when—or how—you expect them to.

 
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A young woman pretends to be a femme fatale to catch the interest of an older playboy.
Love in the Afternoon (1957)
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A soldier on leave falls for a stranger in New York City in a whirlwind 48-hour romance.
The Clock (1945)
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A married couple reflects on love and loss, trying to decide if their relationship is worth saving.
Penny Serenade (1941)
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