Clark Cable classic It Happened One Night tops St. Valentine's Day romantic comedies poll

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert's 1934 movie It Happened One Night has topped a new list of the best reviewed romantic comedies of all time, released by video streaming service FandangoNOW.

The Frank Capra classic comes in at number one on the pre-Valentine’s Day countdown, compiled by experts at movie review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com, just ahead of 2017 sleeper hit The Big Sick.

Both movies were given a big thumbs up by the critics, landing a 100 per cent 'Fresh' tag on the website, where editors famously tally reviews.

Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn's Philadelphia Story and Roman Holiday, starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, place third and fourth on the list, while 1936's My Man Godfrey completes the top five.

Meanwhile, last year's smash hit Crazy Rich Asians, The Lady Eve, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights, Annie Hall, and His Girl Friday round out the top 10.

With 2018's gay romance movie Love, Simon making the list at 25, Rotten Tomatoes editor-in-chief Joel Meares suggests last year marked "a new era for the rom com".

"With Crazy Rich Asians and Love, Simon taking their place among the best of the genre, it’s clear audiences and critics alike are seeking movies that marry fresh, modern-day perspectives with the rom-com conventions we all know and love," he tells WENN.

Thirteen of the top 50 films were released this century, while the 1990s and 1930s were good decades for romantic comedies, both landing eight mentions apiece. The 1960s was not a great decade for the genre, with only The Apartment making the grade.