Action movies often have a secondary romance plot (like Die Hard) and romance films sometimes have some action going on (see: fistfight in Pretty Woman.)
But for this list, we’re sticking with films that have solid action sequences and a swoon-worthy romance, if not in perfect balance, then at least in perfect enough balance to enough to satisfy fans of both genres.
“You know how to whistle, Steve?” This is Lauren Bacall’s first film appearance; she was only 20 years old, but the poise, the husky voice, and the dry intelligence are all already in place.
She plays Slim, a thief and singer passing through Vichey-controlled Martinique when she’s pulled into the magnetic orbit of Humphrey Bogart’s fishing boat captain Harry Morgan. At first, Harry doesn’t want to get involved (shades of Casablanca.)
On the surface, the conflict is between saloon keeper Vienna (Joan Crawford) who wants to sell her property to the railway, and the rest of the townspeople who want to keep farmers off their ranch-land.
Emma (Mercedes McCambridge) wears a gunbelt over her dress, while Vienna is all eyes, cheekbones, trousers, and bright blouses. The men—Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden) and the Dancin’ Kid (Scott Brady)—are just prizes as the women draw their guns and aim for the heart.
Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller has a drunken car chase, a knife in the back, an assault by a crop duster, and a midnight flight down the face(s) of Mt. Rushmore.