Two spots for Swayze in top romantic films poll

Patrick Swayze films 'Ghost' and 'Dirty Dancing' have taken the top two positions in a poll of romantic movies for Valentine's Day.

'Ghost', in which Swayze stars alongside Demi Moore as he plays a young stockbroker who is killed, came out on top with 8.7% of the vote, pipping 1960s-set feelgood film 'Dirty Dancing', which received 8.4%.

Swayze has been battling pancreatic cancer for the last year and last month he spent a week in hospital after contracting pneumonia.

In previous years, films such as 'Romeo And Juliet', which came top in 2008, and 'Casablanca', have tended to dominate in the poll by hmv.com.

This year 'Romeo And Juliet' was at number seven and 'Casablanca' slipped from second place last year to 18.

The annual survey of top 50 romantic movies took place on retailer HMV's website during a four-week period from January 12, with more than 25,000 votes cast.

'The Notebook' jumped more than 30 places from its position last year to come third.

'Titanic', starring woman of the moment Kate Winslet, achieved another top five finish, as did 'Pretty Woman' for the first time.

Here are the top 20 romantic films, with their previous year's position in brackets as well as the year of release and share of vote:

1. (10) 'Ghost' (1990) 8.7%

2. (5) 'Dirty Dancing' (1987) 8.4%

3. (34) 'The Notebook' (2004) 7.8%

4. (4) 'Titanic' (1997) 6.8%

5. (9) 'Pretty Woman' (1990) 6.3%

6. (11) 'Love Actually' (2003) 6.1%

7. (1) 'Romeo and Juliet' (1996) 4.6%

8. (15) 'An Officer And A Gentleman' (1982) 3.3%

9. (6) 'Moulin Rouge' (2001) 3.2%

10. (25) 'Amelie' (2001) 3.0%

11. (3) 'Sleepless In Seattle' (1993) 2.6%

12. (14) 'Notting Hill' (1999) 2.5%

13. (12) 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' (1961) 2.4%

14. (24) 'Pride And Prejudice' (2005) 2.2%

15. (16) 'Gone With The Wind' (1939) 2.0%

16. (8) 'Brief Encounter' (1945) 1.8%

17. (26) 'Four Weddings And A Funeral' (1994) 1.7%

18. (2) 'Casablanca' (1942) 1.7%

19. (7) 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989) 1.5%

20. (new) 'Mamma Mia' (2008) 1.5%

And here are the rest of the top 50 romantic films, with last year's position in brackets and the year of release:

21. (28) 'Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind' (2004)

22. (32) 'Grease' (1978)

23. (45) 'You've Got Mail' (1998)

24. (29) 'Love Story' (1970)

25. (new) 'Gregory's Girl' (1981)

26. (21) 'West Side Story' (1961)

27. (22) 'Dr Zhivago' (1965)

28. (37) 'Secretary' (2002)

29. (19) 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)

30. (30) 'The English Patient' (1996)

31. (20) 'An Affair To Remember' (1957)

32. (23) 'The Bridges Of Madison County' (1995)

33. (new) 'Sex And The City The Movie' (2008)

34. (33) 'Wuthering Heights' (1939)

35. (18) 'Atonement' (2008)

36. (42) 'My Best Friend's Wedding' (1997)

37. (13) 'Sense And Sensibility' (1995)

38. (new) 'My Girl' (1991)

39. (17) 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)

40. (new) 'The Way We Were' (1973)

41. (39) 'Shakespeare In Love' (1988)

42. (46) 'Out Of Africa' (1985)

43. (27) 'Moonstruck' (1987)

44. (38) 'Roman Holiday' (1953)

45. (41) 'Annie Hall' (1977)

46. (new) 'My Fair Lady' (1964)

47. (new) 'Remains Of The Day' (1993)

48. (35) 'Working Girl' (1998)

49. (44) 'From Here To Eternity' (1953)

50. (new) 'Last Tango In Paris' (1972)