In romance movies about nannies, the nanny always falls in love with the attractive single father/guardian. She’s builds a relationship with the children first, earning their trust where previous nannies failed. Over time, the love extends to the father figure, and they become one big happy family.
This is more or less the plot for several movies on this list but not all. A shout out to Mrs Doubtfire and Big Momma In The House 2; they didn’t make this list because there’s no love story, but they’re classics that deserve recognition. Without further adieu, here are the top 10 romantic movies about nannies ranked.
1. The Sound of Music (1965)
Of course, we had to give the number one spot to the famous Maria and Captain Georg von Trapp from the Sound of Music. Maria is training to become a nun when she is sent to be a governess to the widowed Captain’s seven children. The children are naughty at first despite being used to a military-style disciple from their father, but Maria soon wins them over.
Maria and the Captain are opposites initially, especially in their approach to the children. Still, she chips away at the hard exterior the Captain built around his heart and brings song and laughter back into this life.
The movie is packed with world-renowned musical numbers like Edelweiss, My Favourite Things and Do-Re-Mi. The backdrop of Nazi Germany invading Austria heightens the threat to their relationship while demonstrating a beautiful trust in each other.
2. Nanny McPhee (2005)
“The person you need is Nanny McPhee.”
She may have warts, a large nose and an overgrown tooth, but this magical governess has the powers to rein in seven bright but misbehaved children. The romance, however, does not involve the mysterious nanny but rather the maid.
Evangeline knew the children had good hearts despite their actions. She hid her feelings for their father, accepting her place in the world while trying to improve herself. Widower Cedric is under pressure from his aunt-in-law, Lady Adelaide Stitch, to marry by the end of the month.
A ploy devised by the eldest son, Simon, allows Evangeline to live with Lady Adelaide, where she is transformed into an elegant young lady. When Cedric sees hers again, he’s taken aback but not surprised, as if he always knew she was a diamond in the rough. How their story ends is beautiful, especially since there’s snow in August.
3. Anna and The King (1999)
This biographical period drama tells the story of the romance between the King Mongkut of Siam and widowed British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens during the 1860s.
King Mongkut had dozens of children with several wives, and Anna taught English to them all. She treated them like ordinary schoolchildren, and although she and King Mongkut had different cultural beliefs, they also had mutual respect.
In some ways, it makes sense that the King fell in love with Anna. Each of his wives mothered the children they birthed; Anna was maternal to them all. She opened their eyes to a western way of life, especially with her abolitionist views, yet acknowledged they had their own traditions.
Anna helped save Siam from invasion and made King Mongkut come to the starling understanding of “how a man could be content with only one woman.”
4. The Nanny Diaries (2007)
College graduate Annie goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. She takes care of their spoiled young son Grayer who initially resents her but eventually grows to love her. Living in the rich apartment building is “Harvard Hottie”, who is interested in Annie and persists in asking her out.
What’s great about this movie is you get to see a young Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have a romantic relationship. Since Black widow and Captain America did not share more than a few kisses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this movie is a substitute for the would-be romance.
5. Jane Eyre (2011)
There have been several adaptions of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Plain Jane is a governess to Adèle Varens, Edward Fairfax Rochester’s young French ward.
Thornfield Hall is a miserable place with haunted people, Rochester being one of them. But Jane’s presence softens her employer’s heart, but she soon discovers that he’s hiding a terrible secret.
It’s not the happiest of stories but Jane and Rochester’s sweet and witty chemistry makes this an intriguing watch.
6. Uptown Girls (2003)
Molly is the daughter of a late rock legend and grows into a fun-loving young woman with childish instincts and behaviour. When her father’s accountant embezzles all her money, she works as a nanny to 8-year-old Ray, who acts like an adult.
Molly has a romance with a singer named Neal, but that doesn’t have the best ending. The real love story is between Molly and Ray. Ray helps Molly become a grow-up, and Molly helps Ray helps become a child. It’s a match made in heaven.
7. Firelight (1997)
It’s likely you’ve never heard of Firelight, but it’s definitely one to watch.
In 1837, Swiss governess Elisabeth agreed to bear a child for an anonymous English landowner in exchange for money to pay her father’s debt. She shares three nights with him at an isolated hotel, where they grow intimate in and out of the sheets. She gives up the child at birth as agreed.
Seven years later, she is hired as governess to an unlovable girl who happens to be her daughter. Charles Godwin, the anonymous landowner, is outraged to discover she is the new governess, but Elizabeth promises to keep their past a secret.
However, memories of their shared nights together are hard to forget, and soon they find themselves drawn to one another.
8. The Pacifier (2005)
Having recovered from wounds received in a failed rescue operation, Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe is handed a new assignment: Protect the five Plummer kids from enemies of their recently deceased father – a government scientist whose top-secret experiment remains in the kids’ house.
In this case, we have a manny rather than a nanny, but it still works. This light-hearted comedy movie is a fun watch for the family.
Shane develops a relationship with former Navy officer and current school principal Claire. The children and Claire give a man who’s constantly moving cities a reason to stay in one.
9. The Nanny Express (2008)
Kate is finishing up her teaching degree while caring for her sick father, so she needs a job to cover the bills. Widower David’s 9-year-old son and teenage daughter have chased away six nannies and he’s desperate for one to stay. Kate resolves to stand up to whatever tricks and pranks the kids can dish out—and to help them cope with the death of their mother three years prior.
As Kate slowly wins over young Ben, dad David finds himself falling for her. The feeling is mutual, but a bitter Emily is determined not to let Kate into her life—or her father’s. Somehow, Kate must find a way to reach the angry and isolated teen since Emily’s happiness—and Kate’s as well—depends on it.
10. Reluctant Nanny (2015)
New to Los Angeles, tech executive Libby loses her job on her first day. As if things can’t get any worse, she is also mugged. She runs into police officer Dan, who is looking after two foster kids who have run away from their three previous homes. Dan suggests he hire her as a live-in nanny. Libby and Dan grow closer to the kids, and she suddenly feels like she has a family. She realizes she’s living the dream she never knew she had.
There conclude our 10 romance movies about nannies. How many have you seen? Which one is your favioute? Share your thoughts below, and if you liked this article, please follow the Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter pages. Also, check out:
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