The 7 greatest and most unlikely movie partnerships
As has been proven countless times before, a movie audience loves a great on-screen partnership. Whether it be in the diverse buddy genre or otherwise, across the spectrum of film history, there have been many notable examples of captivating and memorable characters converging and forming a partnership that helps drive the plot forward.
Partnerships come in many forms, from best friends to old rivals uniting with the ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ maxim in mind for the benefit of the greater good. Usually, the partnership is already established, or the characters are already aware of each other, as reflected by those found in The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, for example.
However, this is not always the case. Some of the best examples of partnerships have arrived in the unlikely form of two people from different backgrounds converging because of chance or necessity. Whether it be in Mr. Bean’s Holiday, The BFG or L.A. Confidential, there have been many great unlikely partnerships on screen.
Join us, then, as we list seven of the best unlikely partnerships in films. Expect to see some classics.
The 7 greatest and most unlikely movie partnerships:
Larry ‘Doc’ Sportello and Coy Harlingen (Inherent Vice, 2014)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 outing Inherent Vice is a criminally underrated movie, with some viewers put off by the meandering plot, courtesy of the original novel by American master Thomas Pynchon. Despite the criticisms, Inherent Vice is brimming with memorable characters portrayed by the likes of Josh Brolin and Martin Short.
However, the greatest pair is the stoned protagonist, Larry ‘Doc’ Sportello and the missing musician he is hired to find, Coy Harlingen. Played by Joaquin Phoenix and Owen Wilson, the chemistry is palpable. Together, they bring down the overarching conspiracy, with Harlingen saved from the clutches of doom by Sportello.
The relationship is both hilarious and heartwarming. The scene in which Doc drops Coy home is one of the most touching moments in the PTA oeuvre, augmented by the beautiful track ‘Amethyst’ by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.
John Klute and Bree Daniels (Klute, 1971)
In the contemporary era, Alan J. Pakula often gets forgotten. However, the late auteur was one of the best of his generation, giving cinema the utterly flawless ‘Paranoia Trilogy’ of Klute, The Parallax View and All the President’s Men. His first film of the three, Klute, is arguably his most impressive, complete with an intriguing story and a host of realistic characters that exhibit the dark underbelly of 1970s New York.
The two protagonists, detective John Klute, played by Donald Sutherland and call girl Bree Daniels, played by Jane Fonda, begin the story from two different positions. Klute is hired to find a missing businessman, Tom Gruneman, and before too long, he meets Daniels. The two start out highly sceptical of one another before mutual respect is developed. Eventually, romance forms as a string of murders begin to follow them, forcing both into an unlikely partnership.
Together, they unravel the mystery, and at the end of the film, it seems as if they have entered into a happy romance. However, this was never confirmed, with the rest of their stories left to the imagination.
Léon and Mathilda Lando (Léon: The Professional, 1994)
Luc Besson’s Léon: The Professional is one of the greatest films of the 1990s. An explosive action thriller, it sees the titular Italian hitman take in the 12-year-old Mathilda after her family is murdered by the corrupt DEA agent and drug addict, Norman Stansfield.
At first, Léon begrudgingly gives her shelter, but they quickly form a bond, with him teaching her all his skills in fighting and killing people. Near the climax, just before Léon’s apartment is blown up, he helps Mathilda escape and tells her he loves her, completely reversing how he felt at the film’s beginning. Then, in the final scenes, the young assassin-to-be offers her services to the late Leon’s old boss, Tony, highlighting the hitman’s impact on her.
We are still waiting for the sequel to tell the rest of Mathilda’s story.
Joe Buck and Enrico Salvatore “Ratso” Rizzo (Midnight Cowboy, 1969)
Midnight Cowboy is not only one of the greatest films of the 1960s but of all time. It tells the tale of Texan dreamer Joe Buck, who moves to New York hoping to make something of himself, taking up work as a male prostitute. Before too long, he meets ‘Ratso’ Rizzo, a small-time conman from the Bronx, and together they forge a working relationship that soon becomes a great friendship.
The story is a real adventure, full of comedy, drugs and hilarious characters. However, Buck and Rizzo’s partnership does not end like they or we would have hoped, with the sad death of Rizzo closing the book on the film and their friendship. It is a rare title that leaves an indelible imprint on the watcher, courtesy of the realistic bond between Buck and Rizzo.
Harold Chasen and Maude Chardin (Harold and Maude, 1971)
Another utter classic, Harold and Maude gave cinema perhaps the most unlikely partnership ever seen in Hollywood history. The film tells the tale of the young Harold, who is obsessed with death and finds himself at a personal crossroads, desperate to escape a life controlled by his overbearing mother.
He strikes up a friendship with the free-spirited 79-year-old Maude, a Holocaust survivor who teaches him how to have fun and the pleasures of art and music. The pair get into many shenanigans and even develop a romantic relationship, which truly terrifies Harold’s family. However, the story ends tragically with the shocking suicide of Maude. Despite this melancholy moment, in the final scene, we sense that due to the influence of Maude, Harold now has a firmer grip on life and a better perspective.
Danny Torrance and Dick Hallorann (The Shining, 1980)
Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s original novel might be a point of contention for the author. Still, almost every other horror fan can’t get enough of Kubrick’s adaptation, with the movie hailed as one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made. Set in the haunted Overlook Hotel high up in the Rocky Mountains, we witness struggling writer Jack Torrance’s descent into madness, with him finally snapping and terrorising his wife and son.
Dick Hallorann is the head chef at the Overlook, and he is the man who alerts the young Danny (Jack’s son) of his ability to shine. They connect via their power, and although he dies in the process, Hallorann saves Wendy and Jack after responding to an SOS signal sent out by Danny when Jack’s murderous rage reaches boiling point.
Jackson Healy and Holland March (The Nice Guys, 2016)
The cult classic The Nice Guys is one of the most rewatchable films of the 21 century, and the onscreen partnership of Russel Crowe and Ryan Gosling was not one we thought we needed, but boy, was it excellent. Since its release six years ago, we’ve been hotly anticipating a sequel.
It tells the story of the violent enforcer Jackson Healy and down-and-out P.I. Holland March, who are brought together by pure chance. They uncover a big-business conspiracy, and by the end of the movie, they have set up their joint detective agency, ‘The Nice Guys’.
