The Forbidden Loves Of Cinema We’ll Always Be Rooting For

When you think "forbidden love," you probably think of a boy, a girl, and a balcony in Verona, Italy. Romeo and Juliet might be the most easily identifiable example of forbidden love, but it's hardly the first. Forbidden love stories are staples in folklore and mythology. Take Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and the Roman general Marc Antony, who loved each other much that they led their countries into war (or so the legend goes). Or Paolo and Francesca da Rimini, the in-laws who fell in love and were forever trapped in hell in Dante's Inferno.

And now, forbidden love is a staple in films, too. There's an obvious reason why these stories are so common in literature and film: They're ripe with melodrama, and give audiences the chance to experience emotions to the extreme.

None of these loves fit within the boundaries of what is acceptable, or considered "normal." Some pairings break taboos, and can be uncomfortable to watch play out. But whether they verge towards cringe-worthy or towards swoon-worthy, each of these movies will make you reevaluate the cookie-cutter standards we place on romantic relationships.