AS YOU WISH, LADIES - YOUR SECRET FANTASY COME TO LIFE.

Byline: Sharon Kaplan Staff Writer

Women are always looking for a little more romance in their lives. And if they can't find it at the watercooler or the supermarket, or even on their latest blind date, they can always fall back on the movies. Even married women look to films to fulfill a secret (or not-so-secret) fantasy they can't find in their own relationships.

After all, relationships have a way of working out within about two hours up on the big screen. ``A movie! That's your problem!'' Rosie O'Donnell tells Meg Ryan in ``Sleepless in Seattle.'' ``You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie.''

It is for these very reasons that the following 10 films are some of the best date movies around:

``Sleepless in Seattle'': The tag line for this romantic comedy reads, ``What if someone you never met, someone you never saw, someone you never knew was the only someone for you?'' In the real world, a woman would be talked out of traveling across the country to meet a stranger by every girlfriend she had. But this is the movies, and O'Donnell encourages Ryan to go after Tom Hanks. ``Sleepless'' sets the bar for romance really high - all the way to the top of the Empire State Building, on Valentine's Day no less, where they meet for the first time and know instantly that they are made for each other.

``When Harry Met Sally'': The orgasm scene proved women can be just deceiving as men. But forget the orgasm scene. This is the movie that made women take a second look at that guy they couldn't stand and think, no way! But Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal mastered the will-they- or-won't-end-up-together genre. Ryan was on top of her game in this film, even if she sported the worst example of Jersey hair this side of the Atlantic.

``Pride and Prejudice'': Jane Austen's classic romantic and humorous tale set in Georgian England proves that love can conquer all - including social class, family scandals and corsets. For my British pound, the BBC miniseries adaptation starring Darcy-incarnate Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet - and clocking in at a whopping 300 minutes - ranks the highest on the romance meter. If your own Mr. Darcy makes it through this, he'll have learned chivalry from the master. And lord knows, a little of that goes a long way.

``Bull Durham'': Kevin Costner, as a down-and-out minor-league baseball player, is at his sexiest as he woos co-star Susan Sarandon by extolling the virtues of ``long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.'' Where do I sign up? This might make your Valentine's Day go into extra innings - and there's some baseball in it, too, if the romance gets too much for your sweetie.

``My Big Fat Greek Wedding'': An ugly duckling, Nia Vardalos, becomes a swan and meets her extraordinarily handsome and smart Mr. Right, played by ``Sex in the City's'' John Corbett. Why doesn't this happen in real life? Well, there's a catch. Mr. Right has to meet this bird's crazy, intimidating and ultimately lovable Greek family that doesn't like him. Ain't that always the way? This movie and a few shots of ouzo are the Grecian formula for wooing even the manliest of men.

``The Princess Bride'': Three words: ``As you wish.'' If your honey doesn't utter those words to you after watching this delightful and silly fairy tale of true love starring Robin Wright Penn and Cary Elwes, then you are dating a Prince Humperdinck. Dump him.

``Shakespeare in Love'': The Bard needed some inspiration, too. And he found it in Viola De Lesseps, a wealthy aristocrat bound to marry another man. A young William Shakespeare's love inspires him to write the most famous romance of all time, but the real bonus is the love scenes with stars Gwenyth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, which are hot enough to make your significant other want to play the part of Romeo after the credits roll.

``A Room With a View'': The English really know their romance. This time, true love is set in Victorian England, during a holiday in the Tuscan countryside. Could there be a more romantic location? Lucy Honeychurch's (Helena Bonham Carter) and George Emerson's (Julian Sands) chance meeting changes their lives forever. And speaking of bonuses, there's full-frontal male nudity. It must be that wacky British sense of humor.

``An Affair to Remember'': This one is, if you will, the grandmother of all chick flicks - the one that started it all. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr star in this 1957 film that once again puts the Empire State Building at center stage. It was mocked ruthlessly in ``Sleepless in Seattle,'' but I defy anyone with two X chromosomes not to cry at the end when the two lovebirds overcome the usual obstacles of stupid misunderstandings and terrible accidents for their love to prevail.

``Jerry Maguire'': ``You complete me.'' After a line like that, does anyone really need to show you the money? Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger shine in this utterly quotable romantic comedy. ``You had me at hello'' worked for Zellweger's character in the movie but failed the actress in real life. Too bad all relationships aren't just like the movies.

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Photo:

(1 -- color) she said: `sleepless in seattle'

(2) she said: `an affair to remember'