15 unforgettable kisses for International Kissing Day

In 1939, southern beauty Scarlett O'Hara (played by British actress Vivien Leigh) wrapped Rhett Butler (screen idol Clark Gable) around her finger in the movie "Gone with the Wind." But Scarlett is just using Rhett's crush to save her house during the US Civil War — and he catches on to her scheming just as she begins to appreciate his affection.

The short film "The Kiss" came out in 1896. In it, stage actors May Irwin and John C. Rice embrace before smooching. Under 20 seconds long, the filmed version of the closing scene of a Broadway musical was as successful as it was controversial for its realistic portrayal of an intimate moment. But it gave the new medium of cinema a great big boost.

Arguably the most romantic kissing scene in modern cinematic history took place on the bow of the "Titanic" between actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The sunset kiss shared by Jack and Rose comes just ahead of the sinking of the ocean liner, giving the star-crossed lovers their first and last night together. While Rose survives, Jack freezes in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.

The kissing scene from the original "Spider-Man" movie in 2002 looks romantic, but actor Tobey Maguire recalled it being a truly uncomfortable take. "I was hanging upside down, it was really late at night, it was raining, and the whole time I had rainwater running up my nose. Then, when Kirsten rolled back the wet mask, she cut off my air completely," he told Parade magazine in 2007.

The worst day of her life: On July 29, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer married Britain's Prince Charles. At least, that's how she remembered it 11 years after her picture-perfect "dream wedding" — Diana's dress, her happy smile, the prince who looked so stressed in the midst of all the pomp and circumstance. But Diana was Charles' second choice; only later did he reveal that he had another love.

In April 2011, Prince William, the eldest son of Diana and Charles, wed his Kate. Their marriage seems to be on firmer ground than that of his parents, though the tabloids constantly speculate about its downfall at even the slightest hint of an argument.

A kiss seen around the world: At the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003, Madonna planted one on Britney Spears live onstage, causing an uproar. She'd taken to the stage after Spears and Christina Aguilera paid tribute to the '80s diva in song and dance, and wanted to thank them with a kiss — one which many viewers, including Britney's ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake, found went on a bit too long.

US sailors and marines filled New York's Times Square on August 14, 1945 after hearing that Japan had capitulated, ending World War II. Their celebration was captured on film with this iconic kiss. It's a pose repeated by tourists to this day.

"Le Baiser de l'Hôtel de Ville" (Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville) is part of a series taken in Paris by photographer Robert Doisneau in the 1950s. This one is world-famous and has been sold as a poster or postcard a million times over. Many couples have come forward to claim it is their likeness (in order to gain royalties), but Doisneau had proof that it was a pair of actors.

The most famous of Gustav Klimt's paintings comes from his so-called Golden Phase, in which he used a gold bronze, reminiscent of Christian paintings from the late Middle Ages. The works of art gain a touch of preciousness with the color, employed here in "The Kiss," a quadratic 180 x 180-centimeter (6 x 6-foot) piece completed between 1908 and 1909.

In former Eastern Bloc nations, statesmen greeted each other with the socialist brotherly kiss. It's an intense display of body contact that is said to show a greater connection between the parties than a mere handshake, as shown here in 1979 when former head of the East German state Erich Honecker (right) received Leonid Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Germany became world champions in the football world for the second time on July 7, 1974, 20 years after their first championship, after a 2-1 win against the Netherlands. Captain Franz Beckenbauer (left) was handed the trophy first, and of course, every player had to take a turn carrying it. When given the chance, goalie Sepp Maier (right) couldn't resist planting one on the cup.

Pope John Paul II traveled all over the world. In each place he landed, he kissed the ground, whether covered in dust or asphalt or mud puddles. It was his way of honoring the place, as shown here in 1986 in Fiji. People used to joke, though, that he only kissed the ground as a show of thanks for having landed safely after a long flight.

Disney does kitsch better than anyone, and in "Lady and the Tramp," a 1955 animated film about two dogs in love, the moonlight in the background and a candlelit Italian dinner set the stage for romance. A violinist begins to play, the cook sings "Bella Notte" and a choir joins in while the dogs share a side of spaghetti until suddenly — a smooch.

But kissing isn't only for humans and cartoons. In the animal kingdom, there are a number of species that lock lips — and not always out of love. Often, the kiss is actually a fight between two rivals. Kissing gouramis, for example. The animals push against each other on the lips until one finally gives in and moves aside to find space elsewhere. A kissing contest, if you will.