The 1980s were an extra special decade filled with new music, heated political discussions and (of course) some of the best movies ever produced. From high school stereotypes to the golden age of the slasher film, '80s movies gave us some of the most memorable plots and memorable characters. And these characters had love stories that you wouldn't believe ... by which we mean they were totally unrealistic storylines, but we loved them anyway, and we still love them. While it wasn't necessarily the right message, the 1980s taught us that love was always right in front of our eyes, and you could get the girl (or the guy) of your dreams if you were just persistent enough and convinced them that it worked. These days, there is a fine line between persistence and creepiness, but back then, persistence was fruitful.Â
While many think of 1980s couples as those in John Hughes films, every genre gave us a couple that we loved to see interact with each other. From horror to comedy to science fiction, the couples of the 1980s were mainly wholesome with a dash of real, and when they argued, we laughed. If you're an '80s movie buff, take this quiz to see if you can name these 40 movie couples from the decade.
If you're looking for a girl who will hop in your friend's car and go to the future with you without question, Jessica is the one you are looking for. Luckily, Marty McFly found her and life was good in the "Back to the Future" world.
In "Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), we learn quickly that Han Solo and Leia are in the middle of something more than a screaming match. Though they are constantly bickering, the audience can clearly see that they have feelings for each other.
They say opposites attract. Can you name these two animated opposites?
Bugs and Tweety
Barry and Whitney
Angie and Robert
Roger and Jessica
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"Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) was a pretty intense movie if you knew what you were watching. It was fun for the kids, but there was a lot of adult humor involved. Remember a PG rating in the '80s was closer to an R rating these days.
Everyone loves "The Karate Kid" (1984), but can you name the romantic duo?
Johnny and Marissa
Angie and Tye
Craig and Jordan
Daniel and Ali
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Though we have yet to see her in "Cobra Kai" (2018), Ali was an excellent character. She was strong-willed and did what she pleased. She was caring and ready to help. Her relationship with Daniel led to a lot of problems.
This couple's love is threatened in "Coming to America" (1988). Do you recognize them?
Semmi and Lisa
Marissa and Jones
Cheryl and Roger
Prince Akeem and Lisa
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"Coming to America" (1988) showed the range of comedian Eddie Murphy. He played multiple characters and delivered an interesting performance that was both hilarious and dramatic, and the forbidden love story completed the movie.
The movie is about when they met. Can you name this couple?
Liah and Robbie
Harry and Sally
Duckie and Andie
Allison and Maverick
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In a memorable scene that has been parodied time and again, Meg Ryan orders a salad. This movie is about love and loss and change and realizing that no one is perfect, but there is someone out there who is perfect for you.
Do you recognize these lovebirds from "Beetlejuice" (1988)?
Barbara and Adam
Jenny and Roman
Michael and Kelly
Sharon and Sam
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Though "Beetlejuice" (1988) isn't technically a love story, we can see Barbara and Adam as a happily married couple through life and death. They have to work together to understand how to be dead and what to do from there.
Can you remember the name of this couple who gets together at the end of "Sixteen Candles" (1984)?
Claire and John
Lloyd and Diane
Jake and Samantha
Ricky and Simone
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When everyone you know forgets what you consider your most important birthday, what are you to do? Simply fantasizing about the hunk in your class won't do it. Andie does what she can and is pretty strong throughout the entire situation.
This one's easy, but we can't have a couple's quiz without these two dirty dancers. Who are they?
Baby and Johnny
Sarah and Joey
Phoebe and McMahan
Trevor and Lucky
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"Dirty Dancing" (1987) is thought to be one of the greatest love stories of all time, but when you really break it down to what it is, it's about a summer fling between two people from opposite sides of the tracks. It's still amazing, of course.
Can you name this couple who ended up together in "The Breakfast Club" (1985)?
Brian and Jessie
Mark and Allison
Steve and Jane
Claire and John
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"The Breakfast Club" (1985) had a character for everyone. It even went so far as to separate the nerds from the basket cases. While we love to watch this movie, we can't help but wonder what is going to happen at school the next day.
This animated couple had some trouble with communication. Can you name them?
Ariel and Patrick
Anna and George
Anna and Triton
Ariel and Eric
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Alright, we all know that it's kind of stupid to sell your soul to get some legs so you can attract a dude, but "The Little Mermaid" (1989) still holds up in the Disney Classic category. She tries to get Eric to fall in love without talking, which is possible, but a little more difficult.
Do you remember the couple in this story about a man and his mermaid?
Walter and Michelle
Augie and Ms. Stein
Jenny and Jerry
Madison and Allen
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"Splash" (1984) is the story of a young boy who almost drowns, but is saved by a mermaid. Some years later, he meets that mermaid (who now has legs), and falls in love with her (not knowing that she's the same mermaid).
The Griswalds graced the big screen several times over the years, and to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo play Clark and Ellen is always a delight. They are an honest couple who doesn't mind telling each other what's on their minds.
Do you know this couple that has to work together to make ends meet?
Margaret and Jack
Jack and Caroline
Jerry and Micha
Jerry and Claire
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Desperate times call for desperate measures as an out-of-work engineer takes on the role of househusband in the classic movie "Mr. Mom" (1983). These days, the movie would just be called "Jack," because gender stereotypes are heading out the window.
Who are these lovebirds from this '80s cult classic?
Alan and Jennifer
Cameron and Sloan
Grace and Tom
Ferris and Sloane
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Ferris Bueller will do anything to skip school. However, he can't really enjoy his day off without getting his girlfriend and best friend involved. Of course, he gets her out of school in the most terrifying way possible.
If you blink, you might miss which couple getting together?
Ted and Caroline
Andie and Ted
Alex and Andie
Caroline and Andie
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While it is an odd scene about a drunk girl and a teenage boy, it is clear that these two end up together at the end of "Sixteen Candles" (1984). Caroline even thanks Ted for treating her so gently.
This is one of the most beloved movie couples of all time. What are their names?
Rhoda and James
Carl and Ren
Zack and Paula
Charlie and Maverick
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"An Officer and a Gentleman" was a love story that attracted both men and women. It was a tough military story, but an interesting love story. You'd never know that the actors involved did not like each other at all.
Can you name this couple that includes one supernatural person?
Jonathan and Emmy
Rick and Mary
Sharon and Steve
John and Jamie
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"Mannequin" (1987) was a movie that got a little weird, but it knew it. A man meets a store mannequin who comes to life. He promptly falls in love with her, but no one else can see her in motion.
"Flashdance" (1983) was a huge hit, but do you know the names of these characters who made a great couple?
Alex and Victoria
Nick and Alex
Samantha and Nick
Roxanne and Gerry
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We always want our loved ones to support us, and when Nick supports Alex, our hearts are just happier. "Flashdance" (1983) was a wildly popular film that mixed everything the '80s needed: dancing, love and drama.
Can you name this couple from "Pretty in Pink" (1986)?
Andie and Blane
Blake and Randi
Carol and Scott
Rachel and Ross
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Think back to the first time you saw "Pretty in Pink" (1986). You may have thought that Andie and Ducky were destined for each other because it fit the formula. However, in the end, Andie and Blane end up together, even though they're from opposite ends of the social spectrum.
This "Romance" included this couple. Can you name them?
Melissa and Robert
Rob and Joan
Jack and Melissa
Joan and Jack
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What happens when a romance writer and a mercenary get together to save a woman (the writer's sister). Love happens, and "Romancing the Stone" (1984) delivers an interesting relationship between the two.
Who are the two characters in this adventurous couple?
Indiana and Marion
Billy and Billie
Indiana and Rocky
Billy and Marion
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In "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), we see some steamy moments between Marion and Indiana Jones. While we generally watch any "Indiana Jones" movie for the fun and adventure, we'll take a few hot and heavy moments with this one.
Can you name this married couple who just wanted a vacation?
Roman and Kate
Sarah and Michael
Chet and Connie
Veronica and Marshall
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"The Great Outdoors" (1988) is one of those movies that you just want to watch over and over. While it doesn't have a deep plotline, it does give scene after scene of entertainment, and as you watch, you see that Chet and Connie are deeply in love.
This moonstruck couple came to the big screen in 1987. Do you know who they are?
Robert and Lola
Lorraine and Michael
Loretta and Ronny
Charlie and Stephanie
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"Moonstruck" (1987) is a story with a love triangle that involves two brothers and the woman who loves them both. This movie is all about choosing love over duty ... and the weird conversations that come with that.
Not only do these two have minor arguments that every couple would understand, they work as a team to survive until the end. In this epic slasher film, there might not be much love to share, but when you really think about it, love always comes from chaos.
What are the names of these high school sweethearts who were married?
Jake and Kristy
Jaime and Jamie
Rachel and Mike
Stephanie and Newton
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While "She's Having a Baby" (1988) wasn't a box office smash, it did bring up some important topics that many John Hughes movies in the past completely denied: What happens after the happily ever after feeling disappears?
Which characters make up this couple from "Top Gun" (1986)?
Maverick and Angela
Maverick and Charlie
Maverick and Goose
Maverick and Rachel
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Though it's not the best love story, we do get one of the most passionate love scenes in '80s movie history. Not only do people love "Top Gun" (1986), they can't help but re-watch it time and again to see the love story.
Can you name this romantic duo from "Ghostbusters" (1984)?
Ray and Steve
Ray and Dana
Peter and Dana
Winston and Janine
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While they don't stay together (as we learn in the second movie), these two are clearly from different worlds, but when Peter helps save the world, they come together in a big kiss at the end.
"Spaceballs" (1987) is a parody of the "Star Wars" franchise. Not only did we get to see some of our favorite characters re-imagined, we got the genius of Mel Brooks to go along with it.
"The Breakfast Club" (1985) was considered one of the best '80s teen movies. It has two love stories with people who you might not think should end up together, but in the end, we learn that clique stereotypes mean nothing.
These two are so in love, but do you remember their names?
Daisy and Inigo
Westley and Buttercup
Fezzik and Buttercup
Daisy and Fezzik
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Fantasy movies were nothing new in the 1980s, but fantasy comedies were pretty cutting edge. "The Princess Bride" (1987) showed us that true love exists and that giants are just plain awesome.
It could be considered kidnapping, but we called it love. What couple is this?
Mark and Angela
Angela and Michael
Joanna and Michael
Dean and Joanna
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When it comes to interesting situations in movies, "Overboard" (1987) shows us that it's totally cool to kidnap and enslave a rich woman, as long as the two of you fall in love later.
The caped crusader had a love interest in "Batman" (1989). Can you name the couple?
Chris and Jana
Bruce and Katie
Ingrid and Kit
Bruce and Vicki
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We all know (and most of us knew) that Bruce Wayne was supposed to be a billionaire playboy (or at least make it look like he was). Instead, in the 1989 rendition of "Batman" we see him as cool, calm, collected and interested in a reporter.
Do you recognize this couple from an '80s baseball movie?
Bill and Jill
Crash and Annie
Maverick and Charlie
Angela and Richard
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"Bull Durham" (1988) was a movie about a minor league baseball team. Every year, Annie picks out a young star to "help" get to the show. Of course, when she meets Crash, passion ensues, and we love watching their relationship bloom.
Who are these two characters who fell in love on screen?
Ren and Ariel
Joe and Stephanie
Stephanie and Newton
Carter and Reese
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What happens when dancing is against the law in a small town? Break the law, duh! We aren't sure how weddings were even fun back then, but when Kevin Bacon starts to dance, life changes for everyone.
Do you remember the names of these two lovebirds in a little-known '80s film?
Lane and Monique
Wayne and Cheryl
Carole and Fred
Andrew and Rachel
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If you haven't seen "Better Off Dead" (1985), it's time for you to go back to your '80s library and see just what love really is. When a foreign exchange student meets a recently single high schooler, everything changes for him.
Can you name this dysfunctional couple who didn't make it to the end of the film?
Heather and J.D.
Veronica and J.D.
Marissa and Jack
Julie and Jones
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"Heathers" (1988) wasn't your average teen movie of the time. There were deadly moments, and some pretty terrible things had to happen. It did encompass what it is like to live in a clique-based high school, though.
This couple gets together in an unconventional way. Who are they?
Michelle and Stan
Stanley and Cindy
Cindy and Ronald
Ronald and Michelle
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"Can't Buy Me Love" (1987) is about a young boy with money to burn. He helps a girl get out of a $1,000 jam, and in exchange asks her to act as though they're dating for an entire month. Obviously, she falls in love with him.
This odd couple ends up together at the end of a comedy. Do you remember their names?
Bonnie and Maurice
Louis and Ophelia
Billy Ray and Ezra
Clementine and Larry
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"Trading Places" (1983) really opened a lot of eyes in the business world. Sometimes, it didn't matter where you came from, as long as you knew people. And no one knew people better than Ophelia. She helps Louis get his life back.
These two had one of the best kisses in teen movie history. Who are they?
Keith and Amanda
Amanda and Joey
Wendy and Peter
Keith and Watts
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"Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987) was a typical "love is right in front of your eyes" movie, where you watch a character completely deny the fact that his or her best friend is the one they love. We are happy to see these two end up together.