What are some movies where the lead actors have excellent, on-screen chemistry?
I am just watching the end of The Taking of Pelham 123 and I gotta say, I think that John Travolta and Denzel Washington should make ten more movies together. Those two have the most amazing on-screen chemistry and that made the movie that much more interesting and enjoyable.
Actors get awards for portraying characters really well on-screen but they never get awards for playing off another actor really well. Can you tell me some movies where you think the lead actors just acted really well together?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
43 Answers
It Happened One Night
The African Queen
When Harry Met Sally
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
The Philadelphia Story
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon movies. I thought they played off of each other well.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and look how their chemistry ended up
Every one of the nine Tracy-Hepburn movies, from their first, “Woman of the Year,” to their last, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”
@Austinlad Yes, I was going to include one of theirs but couldn’t decide which one; they had their chemistry on screen and off.
@janbb, yes, and that chemistry was never better—or more touching—than in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” throughout the making of Tracy was so ill.
Saving Private Ryan, Memphis Belle, We were Young and Soldiers Once. Like my military flicks.
Sherlock Holmes. I think Robert Downey Jr. and the guy that played Watson did a great job (I forget his name right now).
Abbott and Costello
Martin and Lewis
Crosby and Hope
Shaggy and Scooby
His Girl Friday – Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell made a great pair.
Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman… Nurse Betty
Clint Eastwood and Clyde…Every Which Way But Loose
Liz Taylor and Richards Burton
Larry, Moe and Curly Joe
The Marx Brothers
Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide. Jeez, those two guys could read the phone book and make it sound dramatic!
Never mind…I misread the question
In one scene in one movie, two powerful actors had enough chemistry between them to melt the celluloid. They were DeNiro and Pacino in their brief conversation in the restaurent in “Heat.” Take a look
Not a movie, but I think Jim and Pam on the office are PERFECT on that show. It makes me sad they aren’t together in real life, lol.
Classic
To Have and Have Not (1944) – Lauren Bacall & Bogie
Splendor in the Grass (1961) – Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty
Gone with the Wind (1939) – Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) They Died with Their Boots On (1941) – Olivia de Havilland & Errol Flynn
The Night of the Iguana (1964) – Ava Gardner & Richard Burton
New
The Notebook (2004)
In the Bedroom (2001)
Lady Jane (1986)
Solaris (2002)
Fearless (1993) – Rosie Perez & Jeff Bridges
But.., perhaps more interesting if following the OP example of men only:
Men
Das Boot (1981) – Prochnow & Semmelrogge
Some Came Running (1958) – Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra
Ride with the Devil (1999) – Skeet Ulrich & Tobey Maguire
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – Chief Dan George and Clint
Heat (1995) – Jon Voight & Bobby De Nero
@ucme, Thunderbolt & Lightfoot is a great example! – others too, but that one particularly.
—-
Cutting Room Floor
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)
Rio Bravo (1959) – John Wayne & Walter Brennan
National Velvet (1944) – Elizabeth Taylor & ...the horse
Stagecoach (1939) – Claire Trevor & John Wayne
Barefoot in the Park (1967)
True Confessions. Robert DeNiro and Robert Duvall
Tombstone. Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer
Jonah Hill and Russell Brand in Get him to the Greek
Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper in True Romace in this scene!
Wow, this question got some great responses!
I think I have to throw Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in there from Benjamin Button, but then again, they’re both such amazing actors that it would be hard for them not to have great chemistry together. I also think the threesome from Keeping the Faith, Jenna Elfman, Edward Norton and Ben Stiller, were just amazing together.
this is definitely not the best movie of all time, but I really thought that Tina Fey and Steve Carell, in Date Night, had really good chemistry.
Sean Connery and Michael Caine in The Man Who Would Be King (one of my all-time favorites)
George Clooney and J.Lo in Out of Sight.
Bogie and Bergman in Casablanca (why didn’t they do more movies together?)
Myrna Loy and William Powell in the Thin Man movies (though it creeps me out when he starts calling her Mommy)
@ipso, you are sooooo right about Sinatra and Martin in “Some Came Running” (one of my two or three favorite Sinatra movies). They were great together in every scene.
Most of favorites have alread been mentioned but I will add:
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh Gone With the Wind
And also, not movies, but I’m putting in a good word for Booth and Bones and Scully and Muldar.
Edit: I’m going to add Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption
I agree with you on the Taking of Pelham 123. I thought it was great.
Bernie Mac and Sam Jackson in Soul Men. I think it was overshadowed by Bernie MAc’s passing, but it’s a really great film.
Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau – Anything really.
Steve Martin and John Candy
I agree with the Notebook – you could feel the chemistry – the movie would be nothing without them.
I also love the combo of Matt Damon & the German girl in the Bourne movies. I don’t particularly like either of them alone but together they are a very unexpected and interesting pair.
James Stewart and Donna Reed in It’s a Wonderful Life (it gets really interesting when they’re both listening in on the phone and he grabs her and starts yelling “now you listen to me, I don’t want any plastics and I don’t want any ground floors, and I don’t want to get married ever – to anyone”)
Another great pair is Benecio Del Toro & Halle Berry in Things We Lost in the Fire – really top-notch acting. I also love Benecio with Alicia Silverstone in Excess Baggage.
Oh, also, Paul Rudd & Jennifer Aniston in The Object of My Affection (in addition to the hotness that is Paul Rudd, there is something about their relationship and his being gay that makes their chemistry great).
I feel so dumb for almost forgetting this one and I just watched it last night.
Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco in Medicine Man.
@py_sue I love that movie. Medicine Man . I’m going to check right now if it’s free for streaming on Netflix. Edit: It’s not.
@Deja_vu Great answer. I was going to say Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, but I like your pick from the movie better. :)
@ipso Damn fine movie.George Kennedy also great in it, as i’m sure you’re aware.
Twilight: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Ugh. Kristen Stewart. She went to the Keanu Reeves School of Acting, I think.
She was excellent in Adventureland, though.
@janbb: Gonna have to politely disagree with you on that one.
Kristen Stewart, I could see what people mean. But to be honest, I thought she was a bit better in The Runaways. Megan Fox, however is another story.
Lawrence Olivier and Michael Caine in the 1972 Sleuth.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
