O Romance, Romance, Wherefore Art Thou Romance?

We polled over 1,000 of you to find out the most romantic movie of all time and asked Neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis of Mind Laboratories analysed the results to determine the movie most likely to bring on that "loving" feeling.

Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrman's1996 adaptation of the Shakespearian tragedy starring Leonardo DiCaprio, produced the biggest neurological and physiological responses amongst film fans. Nearly one in five (19 per cent) experienced increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, sweating and goose pimples due to 'mirror neurons' in the brain experiencing the same emotional feelings as the movie's characters.

Dr. Lewis explains:
"By mirroring inside a person's head what is unfolding before their eyes, neurons inside the brain enable movie fans to unconsciously experience the intense emotions depicted on screen. This means if a plot involves romance, viewers will experience the same responses as if it was actually happening to them."

Casablanca (1942), the romantic classic set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II and starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, was named second greatest love story with one in ten (12 per cent) experiencing the biggest emotional response to the plot. Ghost (1990) starring Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze provoked the third biggest neurological and physiological response with 10 per cent of viewers most affected by the plot. Gone With The Wind was fourth (9 per cent).

Dr. Lewis continues: "The more romantic the movie, the more physically and emotionally aroused viewers become as their 'mirror neurons' go into overdrive. In addition, powerful chemicals, related to amphetamines, will be released into the blood producing the "giddy high" often experienced with romance."

The top ten Romantic Films that stimulated the biggest emotional responses are:

1. Romeo + Juliet (1996) = 19 per cent
Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes headed a stellar cast in Luhrman's modern day adaptation of Shakespeare's greatest love story. We're not sure William had Venice Beach in mind for the Montague-Capulet stand-off but how it worked…

2. Casablanca (1942) = 12 per cent
Set in World War, Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine is shocked when his old flame Ilsa Laszlo (Ingrid Bergman) arrives in town with her husband, a resistance leader who is on the run from German forces. The chemistry sizzled between the two leads but take note film fans, the famous line, "Play it again, Sam" is never actually spoken in the film.

3. Ghost (1990) = 10 per cent
Pottery classes have never been the same this film was released in 1990. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze played Molly and Sam, whose lives are torn apart when he's murdered - by someone his best mate has hired. Whoopi Goldberg stole the show as a dodgy psychic who somehow managed to tune in and help Sam talk to Molly from beyond the grave.

4. Gone With The Wind (1939) = 9 per cent
Another love story set against a backdrop of conflict - this time, the American Civil War. As manipulative Scarlett O'Hara fell for roguish Rhett Butler, audiences across the world swooned when he kissed her like she deserved to be kissed…

5. Titanic (1997) = 8 per cent
We know this is one of the cheesiest love films ever made, but we still love it. Let's call it a guilty pleasure. You can't deny that the steamy scene in the car gets pulses racing as Jack (Leonardo Di Caprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) eventually get down to it in the boat's storage room.

6. The Notebook (2004) = 7 per cent
One for the blubbers. After becoming inseparable at a young age, rich girl Allie and poor boy Noah are separated by her evil mother, only to be reunited in adulthood as she's on the brink of marrying someone else.

7. Brief Encounter (1945) = 6 per cent
A story of forbidden love, a passionless marriage and a lot of cinema trips which begins when Laura (Celia Johnson) meets Dr Alec (Trevor Howard) in a railway station waiting room and he (romantically) removes grit from her eye. What a smoothie.

8. Pretty Woman (1990) = 5 per cent
It's your every day fairytale set in Beverly Hills - rich businessman needs escort for social events, sees beyond her spandex boots and potty mouth and falls in love with her. We knew Julia Roberts' trashy hooker Vivian would eventually kiss Richard Gere's prudish Edward on the mouth.

9. Love Actually (2003) = 5 per cent
It's overly schmaltzy and sentimental but you've got to hand it to director Richard Curtis - the film is a great tourist promo for London. The cream of British talent plough their way through domestic dramas and love tangles, leaving the audience feeling as warm inside as mug of hot eggnog.

10. Dirty Dancing (1987) = 4 per cent
This film is single-handedly responsible for making it socially unacceptable to carry a watermelon in public. Audiences couldn't get enough of the bumping and grinding at Kellerman's holiday camp - we're surprised it didn't rate more highly in this poll

* Other = 15 per cent