Top 10 Friendships in Classic Movies

So yesterday was National Best Friends Day, but I thought it was today *everybody rolls eyes at Carol*, so bear with me, this is a day late. Anyway, in this Top 10 Countdown, I will pick my favorite friendships in classic movies.

CRITERIA

– The friendship has to have some degree of relevance to the story or character development

– The two characters have to have more than 15 minutes worth of screen-time together

– Family relations or couples will not count

 

Here we go!

10 – Don (Gene Kelly) and Cosmo (Donald O’Connor), Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Funny, adorable and boy, can they dance! They have been best friends since their days as vaudeville performers, so they go way back. They make a fantastic duo and their friendship is one of the highlights of the film for me.

9 – Bunny (Katharine Hepburn) and Peg (Joan Blondell), Desk Set (1957)

What a wonderful friendship they have. Inside jokes, drinking, laughing, sharing, plus they work together… These two are not only #FriendshipGoals but also #CoworkerGoals, if there’s such a thing. Probably not.

8 – Dennis (Dennis O’Keefe) and Tony (Alfred Ryder), T-Men (1947)

In noir world, relationships of any kind are fast, fickle, and often fake and you must never take them for granted. Which is why Dennis and Tony’s friendship, however brief, is so poignant. It was the only thing they had. Their job made them do things they had to be prepared for, but probably never really were. The few moments they share are like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise incredibly heavy film noir.

7 – Baxter (Jack Lemmon) and Dr Dreyfuss (Jack Kruschen), The Apartment (1960)

This is an interesting one, because it’s purely based on the fact they live next to each other. But nonetheless, they have a very amicable relationship, great banter and they always seem to be there for each other.

6 – Terry (Katharine Hepburn) and Jean (Ginger Rogers), Stage Door (1937)

In a movie where friendships are actually the main focal point, it was difficult to pick just one. In the end, I had to go with Terry and Jean’s friendship, because it was always such a love-hate type of relationship, with its ups and downs, and it came out on top in the end. 

5 – Margo (Bette Davis) and Birdie (Thelma Ritter), All About Eve (1950)

I was torn between Margo and Birdie, and Margo and Karen, but I decided to go with Birdie in the end. She is the only person who can see through Eve the entire time and is always trying to warn Margo about her. She is also the only one who can tell Margo off when she’s being an idiot and because she’s her assistant/maid, she’s always taking care of her.

4 – Walter (Fred MacMurray) and Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), Double Indemnity (1944)

The only ‘I love you too’ that ever meant anything in noir world. Regardless of the film’s plot and outcome – no spoilers, although, who in the world hasn’t seen it?! – they were always close and their friendship was real.

3 – Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Sam (Dooley Wilson), Casablanca (1942)

Louis would probably get jealous if he read this post, but I just have to include this particular friendship instead. It is probably the oldest relationship in the movie, and the one that never changes throughout. At the end of the day, Rick will come back to Sam, and Sam will play ‘As Time Goes By’ for Rick.

2 – Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon), Some Like It Hot (1959)

Even though they had to join a female band because they were trying to avoid getting killed, it still sounds like a really fun thing to do with your best friend. I love their moments together, they are funny as hell, have incredible chemistry and I just want to go party with them.

Before I reveal my number 1 pick, here are some honorable mentions:

– Jim (James Dean) and Plato (Sal Mineo), Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

– Lily (Marlene Dietrich) and Hui Fei (Anna May Wong), Shanghai Express (1932)

– Aunt Elizabeth (May Robson) and Major Applegate (Charlie Ruggles), Bringing up Baby (1938)

– Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Louis (Claude Rains), Casablanca (1942)

– Margo (Bette Davis) and Karen (Celeste Holm), All About Eve (1950)

– Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) and Maggio (Frank Sinatra), From Here to Eternity (1953)

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1 – Dorothy (Jane Russell) and Lolerei (Marilyn Monroe), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Even though you could argue that the film’s themes are a bit shallow and outdated, you can’t deny that the friendship between Dorothy and Lorelei is real and pretty much the driving force of the film. Dorothy’s protectiveness over Lorelei, and Lorelei’s adoration of Dorothy in a world full of men and diamonds is what gets them 1st place on my list.

 

There you have it! Happy belated Best Friends Day!