The 40 most popular 1920s romance movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.
Dark Skies
Dark Skies
1929 · US
No overview available


Broadway Rose
1922 · 1h · US
Rosalie Lawrence, a dancing star on Broadway, falls for rich Hugh Thompson. His parents disapprove and want him to marry Barbara Royce, so he and Rosalie marry secretly. However, Hugh isn't quite the man he seems, as Rosalie is soon to find out.


Bad Company
1925 · 50m · US
When young Gloria Waring's wealthy father dies, she discovers that her brother--who is heir to the family fortune--is about to marry a well-known golddigger named Teddy Lamont. Gloria steals the will from her father's attorney, James Hamilton, so Teddy won't find out how much money her future husband will inherit. Hamilton finds out about her theft but is unexpectedly sympathetic to Gloria about it. It turns out that Hamilton has reasons for his behavior, and when Gloria discovers why, complications ensue.


Mother Hummingbird
1929 · 2h · FR
A neglected Baroness falls in love with her oldest son's military officer friend, their adulterous romance leading the two to flee to Algeria.
The Honeypot
The Honeypot
1920 · 1h 36m · UK
A Lord who intervenes to save the mistress of a notorious playboy from a suicide attempt. After rescuing her, he eventually marries her, leading to a dramatic shift in her social standing and life.
Her Man
Her Man
1924 · 1h 10m · US
Silent Western about a gal fighting the elements and villains for her man!
Das Liebesnest
Das Liebesnest
1922 · DE
No overview available
Wind
Wind
1920 · 1h 23m · DE
A winter land romance as disaster strikes.


The Thoroughbred
1925 · 1h 3m · US
Bob Beemis comes to New York City hoping to get his family entrenched in the high-society circuit, but only succeeds in making friends with one person in the social whirl, Archie de Rennsaler. They party with a couple of chorus girls and Bob falls in love with one of them. His uncle arrives from the West to check out his progress, finds there has been none, and closes out his bank account. What's a poor rich-boy do do? Well, he could enter his horse in a really, really Big Race.


Fox Farm
1922 · 1h 34m · UK
A gypsy loves a married farmer who is blinded blowing up a tree.


Tommy Atkins
1928 · 1h 20m · UK
A cleric enlists on learning he loves his brother's sweetheart, saves his life, and finds he is really an Earl.


The General
1926 · 1h 19m · US
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnnie Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.


Days of Youth
1929 · 1h 39m · JP
University friends Ben and Shūichi unknowingly vie for the attention of the beautiful Chieko while on a skiing trip.


Show People
1928 · 1h 19m · US
Hollywood hopeful Peggy Pepper arrives at a major studio, from Georgia, to become a great dramatic star. Things don't go entirely according to plan.
Villa Destin
Villa Destin
1921 · FR
No overview available


Wings
1927 · 2h 24m · US
Two young men, one rich, one middle class, both in love with the same woman, become US Air Corps fighter pilots and, eventually, heroic flying aces during World War I. Devoted best friends, their mutual love of the girl eventually threatens their bond. Meanwhile, a hometown girl who's the lovestruck lifelong next door neighbor of one of them pines away.


Border Vengeance
1925 · 48m · US
After Wes Channing's partner, the feckless Buck Littleton, loses his half-interest in their ranch to gambler Flash Denby, Wes stands up against the sheriff's men when they try to seize the ranch-- land that has a gold mine on it. Denby tries to trick Mary Sims, granddaughter of Wes's neighbor Rufe Sims, into signing over the rights to the land. Denby's machinations are all set in order-- but Wes's right hook may prove to be a hell of a monkey wrench!


The Navigator
1924 · 1h 5m · US
The wealthy and impulsive Rollo Treadway decides to propose to his beautiful socialite neighbor, Betsy O'Brien. Although Betsy turns Rollo down, he still opts to go on the cruise that he intended as their honeymoon. When circumstances find both Rollo and Betsy on the wrong ship, they end up having adventures on the high seas.


Kissed
1922 · 50m
Constance Keener, who is betrothed to young millionaire Merton Torrey, confesses to him her desire for romance such as he does not give her. On the occasion of a masquerade ball, Torrey is unable to escort her; and while she is alone on the balcony, someone suddenly seizes and kisses her, then disappears. She attempts to discover her assailant's identity.


Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
1927 · 1h 34m · US
A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.


The Cameraman
1928 · 1h 14m · US
A photographer takes up newsreel shooting to impress a secretary.
Roman Candles
Roman Candles
1922 · 50m · US
Sent by his fireworks manufacturer father to South America to peddle the pyrotechnics, John Arnold, Jr., has his last chance to make good. He finds in Santa Maria a just-completed revolution, the celebration for which provides a ready market for his products. Adventure beckons him further, however, when John falls in love with Zorra Gamorra, the daughter of the deposed president. With the aid of his fireworks, John engineers another revolution that re-installs Zorra's father in the presidency. The celebration that follows requires a large order of fireworks from Arnold, Sr. - thus reinstating Arnold, Jr., in his father's good graces.


Don Mike
1927 · 1h · US
Following the "no good deed goes unpunished" idiom, when after rescuing a group of settlers, hero Don Miguel Arguella is double-crossed by the group leader who files a claim on his land and makes a move towards his girlfriend. Sadly, this is a lost film.


Bright Eyes
1929 · 1h 25m · AT
Jenny, a cheerful kitchen maid at the Paris-style Palais de Luxe, is hopelessly in love with charming head waiter Jean—only to be stood up when he forgets their planned tryst in favor of the hotel’s glamorous dancer, Lola. Humiliated and on the verge of arrest for “stealing” champagne, Jenny hides backstage where she’s mistaken for a performer, wows the crowd with an impromptu dance, and finally wins Jean’s heart.


Fazil
1928 · 1h 28m · US
An Arab prince born and raised in the desert and a beautiful Frenchwoman from Paris fall in love and marry, but the tremendous differences in their backgrounds and the cultural differences between their two different societies put strains on their marriage that may well prove irreparable.


First Love
1921 · 50m · US
The O'Donnells are a typical, everyday family -- Tad (George Hernandez) is a sensible working man, his wife (Fannie Midgely) is a good mother and their daughter Kathleen (Constance Binney) is pretty and innocent to the point of naiveté. Kathleen works in a factory and its owner, Donald Holiday (Warner Baxter), has taken a shine to her. But instead she falls for slick cab driver Harry Stanton (George Webb), who insists, "Honest, kid, you're the only girl I ever loved." Kathleen falls for this, and when her perceptive father makes clear he doesn't approve of Stanton, she moves out on her own.


Memory Lane
1926 · 1h 18m · US
Mary is marrying Jimmie, from whom she has kept a secret; Mary remains in love with another man. Problems ensue, jeopardizing the tranquility of their relationship.


The Bigamist
1921 · 1h 40m · UK
Pamela (Duke) and Herbert Arnott (Royce) have been happily married for five years and have had two children. On the day of their wedding anniversary, Pamela receives a letter from another woman signed Lucy Arnott which states that she is the legal wife of Herbert.


Kid Boots
1926 · 1h 11m · US
A salesman is helped out of a jam with an angry customer by a wealthy playboy. In return, he agrees to help the playboy get a divorce from his wife, only to find himself falling for the girlfriend of the customer who got him in trouble in the first place.


Camille
1921 · 1h 10m · US
Camille is a courtesan in Paris. She falls deeply in love with a young man of promise, Armand Duval. When Armand's father begs her not to ruin his hope of a career and position by marrying Armand, she acquiesces and leaves her lover. However, when poverty and terminal illness overwhelm her, Camille discovers that Armand has not lost his love for her.


Romance Ranch
1924 · 50m · US
Carlos Brent's grandfather informs him that he is rightful owner of a ranch in the possession of the Hendley family. A belated letter establishes his claim, but Carlos is reluctant to evict the usurpers because he loves Carmen, Hendley's daughter. He solves his problem by abducting and marrying Carmen, thus becoming the ranch's legal owner.
Hanba
Hanba
1929
No overview available


The Marriage of Figaro
1920 · DE
No overview available
A Double Life
A Double Life
1924 · 1h 41m
The village girl Žofka goes to work in Prague, where she is seduced by the reckless Rudolf Slaba. Rudolf is fired from his job for drunkenness and Žofka leaves him after the birth of her child. On the advice of an old beggar, she starts begging for a living, but is imprisoned, although she is innocent. After her release, she wants to drown herself with the child, but faints and then believes that the child has drowned. Mrs. Robová takes in the poor Žofka. After her death, Žofka inherits the money. With a guilty conscience, she returns to the village of Dubová, where she marries Jan Rokyta. However, the marriage is childless. The son of a landowner, Jaroslav Beneš, meets the charming Jitřenka in Prague. She is expecting a child with Jaroslav, but his parents prevent the wedding. Jaroslav's confidante Žofka learns from Jitřenka's parents that Jitřenka was found in a boat on the river, and recognizes her as her daughter. (Filmový přehled)


Ragtime
1927 · 1h 10m · US
Club pianist Ted Mason writes a love song for Beth Barton. A rival named Goldie steals the song for her husband, Steve, to publish. Beth faces unfair blame from her friends and teacher because of the popular song. Ted proves he wrote it by creating an even better song, exposing the theft, and winning Beth back.


Soiled
1925 · 56m · US
Chorus girl Mary Brown promises to give herself to playboy cad John Duane in exchange for $2500 so she can pay back a theft her brother made from his employers. Her sweetheart, race-car driver Jimmie, learns about it and gives her a check for $2500, but the check is worthless unless he can win the Big Race that afternoon. He leads through every lap but blows a tire on the last lap and finishes fourth. It appears that Duane will soon be hugging sweet Mary, unless Jimmie can find a buyer for a race-car with a flat tire.


Miss Venus
1921 · 1h 6m · DE
Maud Goodin is the daughter of a millionaire, content with her present life, but she is an interesting conquest for those wants to get on the social ladder.


Broken Chains
1922
No overview available


Mauprat
1926 · 1h 28m · FR
Romantic novelist George Sand's Mauprat as adapted by cinema visionary Jean Epstein. As a child, orphan Bernard de Mauprat was adopted by Tristan, a brigand who brought him up with his biological sons to hate, kill and pillage. Hubert de Mauprat, the elder brother of Tristan, the very incarnation of nobility, and his daughter, the beautiful and intrepid Edmée, undertake to tear wild-eyed Bernard away from his uncle. Still uncouth and rough, Bernard endeavors to wrest the love of Edmée away from her betrothed.


Nana
1926 · 2h 48m · FR
Count Moffat becomes infatuated with Nana, a presumptuous stage actress, vulgar, hypocritical and promiscuous, willing to do anything to succeed.
The 1920s were silent cinema's artistic peak, when directors had perfected a purely visual storytelling language just as sound arrived to displace it. German Expressionism and Soviet montage both date from here.
Romance is the genre most shaped by its era's ideas about intimacy, which makes watching across decades a genuine education. It spans the screwball comedies, the sweeping melodramas, and the modern indie two-hander.