The 5 most romantic moments in Garry Marshall's movies

The veteran director, who died yesterday at the age of 81, had an uncanny gift for the sweet stuff.

By Katie Underwood

July 20, 2016

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Photo, Buena Vista Pictures/Everett Collection.

For a woman who is very, very cynical about many, many aspects of modern romance — Tinder, polyamory, canned wine — I am also an unrepentant rom-com junkie. Just put on My Best Friend's Wedding, leave some Smartfood — and then the room. Of course, it's so much cooler to maintain a blasé exterior, but the reality is many of us have pulsating, profoundly sappy centres. Garry Marshall knew this; that's why his movies, many of them standouts in the romantic genre, were box-office gold. Marshall started out in TV, directing classics like Happy Days and Mork & Mindy, but Runaway Bride? Pretty Woman? He directed those, too. (And New Year's Eve and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, but we'll just put those aside for now.) As a tribute to his undeniable gift for reducing us to crying blobs, here are our favourite fairy-tale moments from Marshall's films.

5. Runaway Bride: When the audience is made to think the bride (Julia Roberts) has run away again — but she hasn't!

4. The Other Sister: When Danny surprises Carla by crashing her sister's wedding and asking him to marry her (as an homage to The Graduate, their favourite movie).

3. Overboard: When Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn do anything at all, because they're so cute and also married in real life.

2. Pretty Woman: When Edward stares lovingly at Vivian's tearful face as she is overcome with emotion during her first trip to the opera, a showing of La Traviata. (Ed. note: It's a three-act story about a sex worker who dies of TB, but still.)

1. Pretty Woman again: When Edward rolls up in a white limo and bravely scales a rickety fire escape — despite his admitted fear of heights — to proclaim his love for Vivian, who "rescues him right back."