My Favorite Movie Kiss

People Magazine, my weekly resource for in depth news, recently asked a bunch of celebrities what their favorite movie kiss was.

I wondered if anyone would mention my favorite suck face moment.  But no. Someone did like my second favorite, however, when Han Solo kisses Princess Leia and says "You like me because I'm such a scoundrel."

When I tell you what mine is, you won't remember it. But it gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.

The movie where you can watch this romantic interlude is the first Rocky. I can see your brow beginning to furrow. Rocky I?  A memorable love scene?  That's a boxing movie. GI Jane had more memorable love scenes.

But there is one shining moment.

Adrian and Rocky have just started seeing each other.

One night she is alone with him at his place. Apartment is too fancy a word for where he lived.  He gives her a tour of the one and only room. She, petite and delicate, nervous and shy, hides behind her horn-rimmed glasses. She is clearly feeling overwhelmed by his presence.

You sense that this is first time she has ever been alone with a man in his home.

He, the big lug, is like a gorilla playing with a kitten -- a clumsy galumph who is surprisingly gentle with such a small creature. He keeps up a nonstop line of snappy patter, trying to distract her, while also trying not to frighten her away.

When it's time for her to leave he follows her to the door and backs her into the corner. He looks huge looming over her. But he speaks gently to her, almost nonstop so she can't protest, eventually getting her to take off her glasses. Immediately we can see how pretty she is without them, as she looks up at him with those huge dark eyes.

He leans over her. He doesn't want to scare her any more than he has, since this is probably her first kiss ever. So he moves very slowly. They move closer and closer to each other. After a couple of false starts, he finally gets close enough to kiss her with an unexpected sweetness -- in complete contrast to his size and coarse brutality. She responds to his gentleness with surprising heat for a newbie.  And they lock in a passionate embrace. 

I know, you still don't remember it.

But I think it's one of the great kisses of all time.  Meanwhile let me track down the dialog for that scene. So I can see if I'm even remembering it right.

What's your favorite movie kiss?