The Most Romantic Gestures In History

Many feel that romance is lacking in our modern world, with dating apps taking over the way couples meet, traditional over the top romantic gestures being seen as cheesy, and chivalry being seen as old fashioned. With that in mind, the average person still has a romantic side to them just waiting to be brought out, even if they sometimes have to search for it in old movies and books rather than in real life.

History itself is full of romance, and back in the day, going way over the top to show your love was not just accepted, it was also expected. Reading historical tales of wildly romantic gestures reminds us of a bygone world, but it also gives us inspiration for a world we can one day inhabit again, with the caveat that we shouldn’t try these at home. Read on for four stories of history’s greatest romantic gestures.

Joe DiMaggio’s Roses For Marilyn Monroe

No woman in the 20th century is as widely renowned for her beauty and sex appeal as Marilyn Monroe, and she had countless famous and important men swooning at her feet, including the iconic playwright Arthur Miller, who was her third husband, and President John F. Kennedy, who had an affair with her. Her second husband was Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees center fielder who is often considered to be one of the all time greatest baseball players. Their marriage was short lived, lasting only nine months, but his love for Monroe was eternal. 

Even after they were divorced, Joe made sure to be with her at the hospital through her illnesses, and he was the only person there for her in 1961 after she was institutionalized. She referred to him as her “hero” as he took her into his own care, getting her released, and as her health declined they became increasingly close, so much so that he wished for them to remarry. She died of a drug overdose before it could happen, but DiMaggio was there for her even in death. He organized her funeral, and for 20 years, he made it so that freshly plucked roses would be delivered to her grave thrice a week.                                                                                       

Carole Lombard’s Custom Car For Clark Gable

While many romantic gestures tend to be from men to women, when it comes to winning the heart of Hollywood superstar Clark Gable, a little extra effort must be put in to woo him. When actress Carole Lombard wanted to do something to get Gable’s attention on Valentine’s Day in 1936, she had a Model T Ford painted with large red hearts put in his garage. On the steering wheel was an unsigned note which read, “You’re driving me crazy.”

Though the two had been flirting with one another beforehand, this took things to the next level, and they became one of Hollywood’s greatest power couples and were known for never leaving each others’ sides. They were great for each other, with her being young and exuberant and him being more mature and secure, while still having a playful side. It became widely known that they would send silly gifts to one another and also openly call each other by pet names. They got married in 1939, but sadly their marriage would only last until 1942 as Lombard died in a plane crash. He loved her for the rest of his life, and even though he had five wives total (two before and two after her) as well as numerous lovers, he chose to be buried with Lombard after his death.

How Lucy Kept Desi By Her Side 

Long distance relationships are hard even in this day and age when we can video call people with our phones. Back when even long distance phone calls were difficult to manage, long distance relationships must have hardly been fathomable. That’s why Lucille Ball schemed into keeping Desi Arnaz from traveling too much. Ball fell in love with Arnaz when they worked together on the musical “Too Many Girls” in 1940, but and though Arnaz was engaged, Ball managed to win him over. Ball and Arnaz got married that year, and they admittedly had a rocky relationship, despite it being full of love. They nearly got divorced after a few years, but they were able to reconcile and stay together. 

Ball wished that Arnaz didn’t travel so much, so when the show “I Love Lucy” was created in 1951, she had a bright idea. Why not have her real life husband play her husband on screen as well? There were doubts from the execs giving Arnaz’ Cuban accent, but these doubts were totally unfounded, and audiences fell in love with the couple and the show became one of the biggest hits of the era. As much as the couple loved each other, and as much as Ball did everything for her husband, it ultimately couldn’t work out, and the two got divorced in 1960.

Richard Burton’s 68-Carat Gift For Elizabeth Taylor

When it comes to iconic Hollywood couples, few have the stature of RIchard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. As mega stars, their relationship was bound to get everybody talking, but the on-again, off-again nature of it made the press even more obsessed with it. They had two marriages and two divorces, and the stories of their fiery relationship are the stuff of Hollywood legend. There were good times and bad times, and in the good times there was plenty of romance. One standout moment was in 1969 when Burton gave a 68-carat diamond to Taylor. Taylor made a diary entry about the gift, and she stated that while it was “incomparably lovely,” she noted that “It should be on the loveliest woman in the world.” 

The diamond garnered much attention, and prior to its shipment to Taylor, it spent a week on display at the Cartier Fifth Avenue Mansion where thousands of people lined up every day just to see it. Taylor made good use of the diamond, wearing it to events such as the 42nd Oscar ceremony and the 40th birthday party of Grace Kelly, the Princess of Monaco. Because it was so heavy, it couldn’t be worn as a ring, so they had it put into an $80,000 diamond necklace. After their divorce, Taylor ended up selling the diamond, and she is said to have made $3-5 million off the sale. It ultimately went to a good cause, as a portion of the money went to building a hospital in Botswana, which is where she and Burton had their second (and very short lived) marriage.