The romantic comedy is among the most prolific and beloved movie genres for plenty of good reasons. After all, who doesn't enjoy a good falling-in-love story that's also able to provoke some laughter? Who doesn't love to see two people exploring the turbulence of romantic connections in a story that keeps viewers smiling from ear to ear? Throughout the years, a number of outstanding rom-coms have been made — but the '70s were an especially incredible decade for fans of the genre.

Some would argue that the 1970s were the best decade ever for cinema, and it would be tough to contradict them. Following a period of radical change in the industry and in Hollywood itself, the 1970s saw the rise of New Hollywood, the boom of indie films, and the revolution of many movie genres — including rom-coms. In this new cinematic landscape, rom-coms became smarter, more artistic, more romantic, and funnier. These are the best rom-coms of the 1970s, gems that have become bonafide classics.

10 'Play It Again, Sam' (1972)

Directed by Hebert Ross

The only 1970s movie starring Woody Allen that wasn't also directed by him—Herbert Ross directed from a screenplay by Allen, based on one of his plays—Play it Again, Sam is one of the auteur's most underrated movies. Allen plays Allan, a film critic obsessed with Michael Curtiz's Casablanca, who seeks to get over his wife leaving him by dating again with the help of a married couple and his imaginary friend, Humphrey Bogart.

Play it Again, Sam feels like a Woody Allen film through and through, as commendable as Herbert Ross's energetic direction is. Though its story isn't as strong as that of Allen's more popular movies, the absurdity of its premise and strong psychological exploration of its protagonist more than makes up for that. The central gag doesn't get old for a single second, making for one of the most rewatchable comedies of the decade.

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9 'The Goodbye Girl' (1977)

Directed by Herbert Ross

Starring a delightful Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss—the latter of whom won an Oscar for his performance, a slightly controversial Best Actor pick—The Goodbye Girl is arguably not only Herbert Ross's best '70s rom-com but his best movie in general. In it, Paula McFadden, an unemployed dancer, gets dumped by her boyfriend. Reluctant, she and her 10-year-old daughter have to move in with a struggling off-Broadway actor.

The Goodbye Girl balances humor and pathos the way only the best in the genre do, making it a must-see for rom-com fans.

Mason and Dreyfuss's performances are the beating heart of the movie, giving it much of its hilarity and emotional power. Meanwhile, Quinn Cummings is flawless as Paula's precocious daughter in a role that made her one of the youngest Oscar nominees in the awards' history. Even aside from the terrific cast, The Goodbye Girl is a legitimately great romantic comedy. It balances humor and pathos the way only the best in the genre do, making it a must-see for rom-com fans.

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8 'What's Up, Doc?' (1972)

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich

The screwball comedy genre that characterized almost every rom-com made during the early days of Hollywood's Classical period had been long dead by 1972. However, Peter Bogdanovich effortlessly breathed new life into it with What's Up, Doc? The movie chronicles the accidental mix-up of four identical overnight bags, leading to a series of increasingly wild and wacky shenanigans.

Back in the golden age of screwballs, it was precisely goofy premises like this one that often resulted in the funniest, cleverest movies, and What's Up, Doc? is no exception. With a smart script and Barbra Streisand at the top of her charming, hilarious game, Bogdanovich delivered an instant classic, flexing his comedic muscles and producing some of the most brilliantly restrained chaos in any '70s comedy.

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7 'Grease' (1978)

Directed by Randal Kleiser

Queen among teen musicals of the '70s, Grease remains as big a cultural phenomenon as it was back in its day. It's about a good girl and a greaser who fall in love over the summer. After discovering they're now unexpectedly in the same high school, Danny and Sandy will have to see if they can rekindle their romance while facing the scrutiny of their classmates.

Catchy rock songs, a simple yet delightful story, and John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John's off-the-charts chemistry make Grease deserve its title as one of the most iconic movies of the '70s, even if not all its content has aged super well. Sure, it has some corny dialogue and sappy moments, but don't all the best rom-coms? As far as the genre goes, it doesn't get much more fun than this.

6 'Harold and Maude' (1971)

Directed by Hal Ashby

From its premise alone, Harold and Maude is one of the most singular rom-coms of all time, and that's putting it lightly. It's about Harold, a rich young man obsessed with death, who finds his life changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral. Though a flop in 1971, Harold and Maude has since acquired surprising cult status, becoming one of cinephiles' favorite '70s comedies.

Just like Maude invites Harold to live life to its fullest, the movie invites viewers to look past societal norms and embrace its dark sense of humor. It should certainly be a bit too much for some viewers, but those willing to bear with the film's twisted jokes will be treated to an incredible tale of self-expression and self-realization. Harold and Maude is no ordinary rom-com, but its weirdness frankly just makes it more enjoyable.

5 'Manhattan' (1979)

Directed by Woody Allen

Fresh off of Oscar gold, Woody Allen made what's still remembered as one of his best and funniest films: Manhattan. Although Allen's stained legacy has rendered the story a fair bit creepy, the movie is still insanely enjoyable in a vacuum. Manhattan is about a divorced TV writer dating a teenage girl whose life is complicated when he falls in love with his best friend's mistress.

Featuring an outstanding cast (including one of Meryl Streep's most underrated performances), Manhattan is as hopelessly romantic as it is irresistibly funny and charmingly neurotic. Allen has always had an incomparable level of ease in making New York City a whole other character in his movies, but nowhere as prominently as in Manhattan. Here, the metropolis serves as the perfect backdrop to a story about the smallness and fragility of human nature.

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4 'That Obscure Object of Desire' (1977)

Directed by Luis Buñuel

Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel, who also worked in France and Mexico throughout his trajectory, is perhaps the most important director who has ever defined cinematic surrealism. After all, he arguably introduced the artistic movement to cinema. He kept working with it until the end of his career, including in later works like the French rom-com That Obscure Object of Desire. Recounted in flashbacks, it tells the romantic tale of a middle-aged man as he falls for his 19-year-old former chambermaid, Conchita.

"As brilliantly satirical as many of Buñuel's best films, That Obscure Object of Desire is a nuanced examination of unrestrained libido and the male psyche."

Outrageous yet sophisticated, enveloping yet alienatingly weird, and as brilliantly satirical as many of Buñuel's best films, That Obscure Object of Desire is a nuanced examination of unrestrained libido and the male psyche. Incapable of making a movie that was anything less than genius, the famously unrestrained Buñuel made this exquisitely idiosyncratic rom-com one of the best works of his illustrious career.

That Obscure Object of Desire is currently not available to stream, rent, or purchase in the U.S.

3 'Phantom of the Paradise' (1974)

Directed by Brian De Palma

Brian De Palma was among the spearheading authorities of the New Hollywood Wave, one of the most revolutionary film movements of all time. He achieved this status through films as terrific as Phantom of the Paradise, a brilliant rock opera that oozes creativity and unbridled energy. Inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, the film sees a disfigured composer sell his soul so that the woman he loves will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon steals his work to open his new rock palace.

Ironically, the best adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera is perhaps Phantom of the Paradise, a film that certainly has no intention of being a faithful retelling of the classic tale. But how could it be any other way? No other film is as delightful a blend of rock, horror, comedy, and romance as this one, which De Palma uses as his vehicle to convey a powerful critique of the music and entertainment industries.

2 'Day for Night' (1973)

Directed by François Truffaut