It’s like the old Casablanca song says: “You must remember this.A kiss is just a kiss. A sigh is just a sigh.”
That movie had the best kissing scene that I’ve seen, hands down. There are a lot of movies that have great kisses, but for me, that scene is the standard to set all others by. The movie has everything you can ask for in a romance. It has the handsome man with a past. It has the woman who can’t seem to forget him. It has stylish suits and smart hats. And it’s set in the exotic location of Morocco. But most importantly, it has Bogart and Bergman. The moment Ilsa confesses that she is still in love with Rick is filled with tension and heat. The dramatic kiss that follows, with the two of them set in a sexy silhouette, ranks right up there with the famous scene from Gone With The Wind when Rhett gathers Scarlett in his arms and takes her up the stairs to their room. You can let your imagination wander from there. It follows closely ahead of the beach scene out of From Here to Eternity (who doesn’t fantasize about being kissed passionately while rolling around in the sand?) and the first kiss between George Bailey and Mary Hatch in It’s A Wonderful Life (not only sweet but filled with longing).
Who doesn’t love a kissing scene? Whether it’s out of a book or a movie, that kiss is my favorite part of any romance. And it’s not just the kiss that really holds my interest, but the build-up leading to that kiss. It’s the anticipation and the tension between both characters who, as you know, are attracted to each other, but have been fighting it every step of the way, either because of impossible circumstances thrown at them or on account of their own sheer stubbornness. The best part is not the kiss itself, but the waiting. The “will they or won’t they?”
And, you do know it’s coming from the moment the opening credits roll down the screen or from the first page of the book, don’t you? It’s only a matter of time. From the first scene when the two lovers meet, we know it’s… inevitable. Romantic movies or novels are nothing if not predictable. We patiently wait for it to happen because… the waiting is the best part. Because when it happens, it’s simply magical. There’s no other explanation for it. It’s why all of us who are commonly diagnosed as hopeless romantics (yes, I am a card carrying member) pick up that book or pay the price of admission to see that movie. It’s to wait, with bated breath, for that perfect ending. It defines the “happily ever after” we all need. It’s why the greatest love stories end with the kiss because, let’s face it, it doesn’t get any hotter than that!
Erin Brady