Woody Allen + Diane Keaton
The on- and offscreen sparks between Woody Allen and Diane Keaton are redolent of a connection Scarlett Johansson can only dream about. Allen named their seminal work and Best Picture winner Annie Hall (1977) in Keaton’s honor (her real last name is Hall and her nickname is Annie), and the pair went on to star in seven more films together. Allen’s cultural wit fuses with Keaton’s practical charm to form a pairing that’s more aesthetically pleasing than Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, proving that even after the passion fades, true inspiration lasts a lifetime.
Don’t Miss: Play it Again, Sam (1972), Sleeper (1973), Love and Death (1975), Manhattan (1979)
—Julie Steinberg
Martin Scorsese +
Robert De Niro/Leonardo DiCaprio
Director Martin Scorsese is a fan of the double D’s — De Niro and DiCaprio, that is. Both actors have developed a symbiotic relationship with the renowned director that has resulted in myriad accolades for their collaborative works. Scorsese and De Niro’s relationship has spanned over 30 years and eight films, capitalizing on the combination of De Niro’s animalistic aggression and Scorsese’s dark realism. Eventually, De Niro passed the Scorsese torch to DiCaprio, whose complex portrayal of a cop in The Departed nabbed Scorsese the Oscar for Best Director that had eluded him for so many years. While “golden boy” seems too frivolous a title for either actor, it’s clear that Scorsese's alchemy brings out the Midas touch in both.
Don’t Miss: Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006)
—Michelle Nguyen
Tim Burton + Johnny Depp
Once upon a time, a bromance blossomed between that really hot guy from 21 Jump Street and a quirky director bearing a striking resemblance to a demented Albert Einstein. The resulting cinematic progeny are required viewing for any goth wannabe or lover of macabre fairy tales. Now, we could ask why Tim Burton keeps casting Johnny Depp in almost everything that he’s directed since 1990, or why he even cast him, literally, in claymation for Corpse Bride. Maybe it’s Johnny’s penchant for playing sensitive misanthropes or his superhuman ability to sullenly wear Kohl eyeliner. Or, you know, his genuine talent. Whatever it is, you can’t have too much of a good thing. We’re especially looking forward to Burton’s upcoming Alice in Wonderland, starring Depp as the Mad Hatter.
Don’t Miss: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007)
—Victoria Mazgalev
The Coen Brothers + Frances McDormand
When Frances McDormand walked onto the set of Blood Simple, the Coen brothers’ directorial debut, it was love at first sight: the actress married Joel Coen later that year. The Coens coached McDormand to a Best Actress Oscar for Fargo in 1996. McDormand emanates quirkiness, making her an ideal part in realizing the brothers’ eccentric visions. A dynamic trio, indeed.
Don’t Miss: Blood Simple (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Fargo (1996), Burn After Reading (2008)
—Mary Eileen Fagan
Alfred Hitchcock + Grace Kelly
Alfred Hitchcock famously had a thing for blondes, but sparks really flew when Grace Kelly was the legendary auteur's leading lady. Though Hitch only directed the future Princess of Monaco in three films over the course of two years, their chemistry was immediate and obvious: in Dial M for Murder, the duo's first collaboration, Kelly delivers arguably one of the best performances of her short career. Kelly retired from acting in 1956, but Hitch never forgot her — he even wanted to cast her in 1964's Marnie (the role went to Tippi Hedren). One needs merely to watch Kelly's first scene in Rear Window to know that when she and Hitchcock worked together, it was movie magic.
Don’t Miss: Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955)
—Jessica Spiegelman
