Movie Kisses We Can't Forget
From sweeping love stories to superhero blockbusters, the kiss has become one of cinema’s most powerful storytelling tools. These are the intimate moments that romantics remember best. Here are some of the most memorable and iconic movie kisses.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
In Gone with the Wind, Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler pulls Scarlett O’Hara into a forceful kiss that epitomizes both the romance and turbulence of their relationship. Though controversial by today’s standards, the embrace reflects the fiery, tempestuous dynamic between the two characters. It's no wonder that it is still regarded as one of the first great Hollywood kisses.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Gone with the Wind (1939)
Casablanca (1942)
Bogart’s Rick and Bergman’s Ilsa share tender, desperate kisses throughout, but none resonates more than their final airport embrace. Tinged with longing and sacrifice, their kiss is less about a happy ending than the painful acceptance of love lost—a moment that solidified Casablanca as one of the greatest love stories ever told.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Casablanca (1942)
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr’s passionate kiss on a Hawaiian beach while waves crash around them is pure cinematic poetry. Their forbidden affair made the image of their entangled bodies in the surf one of Hollywood's most passionate kissing scenes.
Columbia Pictures, From Here to Eternity (1953)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly finally lets love in with George Peppard’s Paul Varjak during a rain-drenched kiss on a New York street. The tender embrace is elevated by the pouring rain and the release of Holly’s fear of intimacy, perfectly tying together the movie’s glamorous yet vulnerable tone.
Paramount Pictures, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Julie Andrews’s Maria and Christopher Plummer’s Captain von Trapp finally kiss in the moonlight after dancing in the gazebo. The moment captures both a restrained passion and a turning point in both of their lives: The once stern Captain surrenders to love, and Maria embraces a future she never imagined.
20th Century Fox, The Sound of Music (1965)
The Graduate (1967)
After a chaotic wedding escape, Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin and Katharine Ross’s Elaine kiss in a mixture of triumph and uncertainty. Their embrace isn’t polished—it’s messy, impulsive, and real, symbolizing both youthful rebellion and the thrilling unpredictability of new beginnings.
Embassy Pictures, The Graduate (1967)
Superman (1978)
Christopher Reeve’s Superman carries Lois Lane over Metropolis, and their kiss in the sky feels like pure magic. It’s a fusion of fantasy and romance, giving audiences a superhero who isn’t just powerful but deeply human in his love, making this scene one of cinema’s most whimsical kisses.
Warner Bros. Pictures, Superman (1978)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
In a sweet parallel to the alien’s telepathic bond, young Elliott kisses a classmate while E.T. inspires him from afar. It’s innocent and playful, blending childhood wonder with cinematic magic.
Universal Pictures, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Amid the chaos of intergalactic war, Han Solo and Princess Leia share a heated kiss aboard the Millennium Falcon. After so much bickering and rising tension between these two, their passionate kiss is enough to have viewers' feet kicking in delight.
Lucasfilm Ltd., The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
In one of the most triumphant romantic endings, Richard Gere sweeps Debra Winger into his arms and kisses her as the factory floor erupts in applause. The kiss is more than passion—it’s victory, redemption, and the symbolic payoff of a hard-fought love story.
Paramount Pictures, An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
After a disastrous birthday, Molly Ringwald’s Samantha finally gets her fairy-tale ending when she kisses Jake Ryan over a glowing birthday cake. The scene is intimate, simple, and deeply relatable, cementing itself as one of the most enduring teen romance moments of the ’80s.
Universal Pictures, Sixteen Candles (1984)
Top Gun (1986)
Set to the sultry ballad “Take My Breath Away,” Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis’s slow-motion kiss oozes style and intensity. The steamy embrace embodies both the romance and bravado of ’80s cinema, making it one of the decade’s most iconic love scenes.
Paramount Pictures, Top Gun (1986)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Framed by the narrator as “the most passionate, the most pure” kiss ever, Westley and Buttercup’s embrace is fairy-tale perfection. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright deliver a kiss that balances romance and whimsy, perfectly capturing the timeless magic of the beloved adventure.
20th Century Fox, The Princess Bride (1987)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
After their forbidden romance climaxes in the iconic dance lift, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey share a triumphant kiss. It’s passionate, joyful—and downright rebellious.
Vestron Pictures, Dirty Dancing (1987)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Harry runs to Sally on New Year’s Eve to comfort her after she finds out an ex is getting married. This is the moment their romantic tension finally bubbles over and they wind up kissing. But not long after, Harry begins to have his doubts. Can friendship really evolve into romance? (The answer is yes.)
Columbia Pictures, When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
Ghost (1990)
Few kisses are as sensual as Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze’s pottery-wheel moment, where clay and passion mix in a hauntingly intimate embrace. Equal parts erotic and tender, the scene became one of the most parodied yet revered romantic moments in film history.
Paramount Pictures, Ghost (1990)
Pretty Woman (1990)
Julia Roberts’ Vivian has a “no kissing” rule, but when she and Richard Gere’s Edward finally share a genuine kiss, it symbolizes her shift from guarded independence to real love. It’s tender, transformative, and the true heart of this modern Cinderella story.
Touchstone Pictures, Pretty Woman (1990)
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
This film has so many magical moments, but the scene where Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo first sees Claire Danes's Juliet is unforgettable. Beginning with mirrored movement through a shimmering fish tank and followed by the spinning elevator kiss, Baz Luhrmann’s stylish take on Shakespeare gives the entire sequence a dreamlike quality.
20th Century Fox, Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Tom Cruise’s Jerry bursts into Renée Zellweger’s living room, declaring “You complete me” before their emotional kiss. The scene is both raw and heartfelt, merging romance with personal redemption. It became one of the most quoted and tear-inducing moments of the ’90s.
TriStar Pictures, Jerry Maguire (1996)
Titanic (1997)
On the bow of the Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s kiss as Jack and Rose—arms spread wide, wind in their hair—is the epitome of epic romance. The shot is grand and sweeping... and is very often recreated by fans anytime they get close to a body of water.
20th Century Fox, Titanic (1997)
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman’s first kiss as Christian and Satine, set against a backdrop of music and glitter, embodies the film’s over-the-top passion. The kiss is lush and theatrical, a glowing moment that is later contrasted by the film's deeply tragic end.
20th Century Fox, Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Lost in Translation (2003)
In Tokyo, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson share a quiet, tender kiss before parting ways. Subtle and enigmatic, the embrace feels deeply personal, capturing the fleeting beauty of connection and leaving audiences debating its meaning for years.
Focus Features, Lost in Translation (2003)
The Notebook (2004)
Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’s rain-soaked kiss is pure cinematic electricity. Despite years of separation, the truth remains: Noah and Allie never stopped loving one another. Their pent-up passion explodes in an embrace that embodies the film's timeless romance.
Warner Bros. Pictures, The Notebook (2004)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal’s kiss is urgent, raw, and full of suppressed longing. More than just romance, it broke barriers in mainstream cinema, portraying a love story with profound intensity and redefining LGBTQ+ representation on screen.
Focus Features, Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
After an aggressive showdown, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie collapse into a passionate kiss, blurring the line between desire and danger... not to mention the line between love and hate. The chemistry this pair had was so electric it sparked a real-life romance.
20th Century Fox, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
In a train station filled with chaos, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto’s kiss is tender and hopeful, serving as the payoff to years of struggle. It’s not just a kiss, but a symbol of destiny fulfilled, reinforcing the film’s central theme that love conquers all.
Fox Searchlight Pictures, Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Twilight (2008)
Teen fans could barely contain themselve when Robert Pattinson’s Edward and Kristen Stewart’s Bella shared their first kiss. With tension, restraint, and supernatural stakes, the moment was just one part of the cultural phenomenon that Twilight undoubtedly was (and is).
Summit Entertainment, Twilight (2008)
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper’s kiss outside the dance competition is awkward, messy, and wonderfully real. It’s not the polished Hollywood kiss but a spontaneous release of tension, proving that imperfect moments can carry the deepest emotional weight.
The Weinstein Company, Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
La La Land (2016)
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone float into a kiss under the stars at the Griffith Observatory planetarium. Equal parts fantasy and reality, the moment captures the dreamy, bittersweet tone of the film, reminding viewers of the magic and fragility of love.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer’s kisses radiate intimacy and vulnerability, but it’s their first passionate embrace that captures the intensity of summer love. Tender, fearless, and fleeting, it stands as one of the most affecting cinematic portrayals of first love.
Sony Pictures Classics, Call Me by Your Name (2017)
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Lana Condor’s Lara Jean and Noah Centineo’s Peter finally kiss on the lacrosse field, giving modern teen audiences their own fairy-tale moment. Sweet, genuine, and full of charm, the scene revitalized the rom-com genre for a streaming generation.
Netflix, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Spider-Man (2002)
Tobey Maguire’s upside-down, rain-soaked kiss with Kirsten Dunst was a superhero kiss unlike any other. The moment Mary-Jane pulls down Spider-Man's mask and lays one on him, without revealing his identity, has become one of the most innovative movie kisses ever.
Columbia Pictures, Spider-Man (2002)
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