Top 10 Best Classic Hollywood Movie Couples

In “The Thin Man” series, literary characters Nick and Nora Charles were given the big screen treatment by these famous co-stars. Myrna Loy and William Powell have never been better than in this great collection – and they were paired up for fourteen different films over the course of their acting careers. This franchise in particular sees a lot of witty banter between the two, which allowed them to breathe so much life into the married investigators. Having made six entries together, the performers became an ingenious tag team by the end of their historic run. Loy and Powell bring a light touch to these comedic mysteries that just can’t be beaten.

Few pairs have captured the tremendous highs and staggering lows of a relationship like these performers. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were married on two separate occasions, making their legacy on film even more volatile and unforgettable. They share the spotlight on the famous epic “Cleopatra” which sees their complex union as a highlight. Their ability to chew scenery made them marvels back in the 1960s, never boring audiences with their intense passion in every scene. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” features them in top form as a broken couple with a dark sense of humor. While they didn’t last in real life, the fiery duo endures on celluloid forever with their visceral talents.

Bette Davis stars in this film about a woman who breaks free of her mother’s manipulative control and finds connection with an unhappily married man, played by Paul Henreid. The romance features Davis’ character Charlotte finally embracing life after opening up to Henreid’s Jerry on the cruise where they meet. The two end up stranded in Rio de Janeiro and develop a bond. Bette Davis once again proves that she’s one of the great stars of classic Hollywood with her scene partner providing ample amounts of charm. Full of nuance and chemistry, the moving conclusion puts their love story into perspective in a special moment under the night sky.

Billy Wilder has made his fair share of classic comedies, but “The Apartment” might be his finest romance. Shirley MacLaine stars as an elevator operator that crosses paths with Jack Lemmon’s clerk. They gradually build a compelling relationship in a complicated office setting that’s full of deceitful executives. MacLaine’s Fran and Lemmon’s Baxter are both nuanced characters, each able to laugh through the pain of their existence. Wilder’s dialogue puts them in real situations that bring out their faults, rather than making them caricatures in an average rom-com. The ending serves as a triumphant moment for the leads as they reunite over a card game.

It could be argued that this particular movie laid the template for the modern rom-com. One of the reasons for its success stems from the two main performers, Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable. The former plays an heiress that ends up on a bus ride with the latter’s reporter. Things only get complicated from there, with the two combative personalities heading out on an unlikely trip together. They both play the comedic moments well while leaving room for romantic growth. Colbert’s character initially clashes with the brashness of Gable’s before finding ways to break out of her shell during the plot’s high points. Frank Capra’s classic won multiple awards and also earned Oscars for both of its lead actors.

Humphrey Bogart was a Hollywood veteran by the time he met and fell in love with young starlet Lauren Bacall. They worked together on the Hemingway adaptation “To Have and Have Not,” which showed off the latter’s ability to go toe to toe with the older actor. The couple then got married in 1945, working in multiple projects together before Bogart’s death over a decade later. They have an electric chemistry that comes out in classics such as the noir “The Big Sleep.” Bacall brings out an energy in her counterpart that gives their dramas an extra edge. Even though they had a significant age gap, there’s no doubt about how skillfully they managed to intrigue audiences.

Starring in the most epic of all Hollywood movies, Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable are an undeniably compelling pair in “Gone with the Wind.” Leigh delivers a star-making role as Scarlett O’Hara. Her outspoken character meets her match with the dashing Rhett Butler, played by the always-charismatic Gable. Both Southerners find themselves picking up the pieces as the Civil War rages around them. The film is certainly controversial, but it also traces a complicated partnership that ranks at the top of other 1930s romances. And of course builds to a shocking ending, with the two separating in a memorable scene spotlighting on of cinema’s most iconic parting lines.

In the pantheon of Hollywood musicals, there are few onscreen couples more significant than Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. They shared the screen in ten films through the ‘30s and ‘40s. While the two participated in other projects, they were never better than when seen together. Their ability to act, sing, and dance still impresses to this day. Blending dancing styles from tap to ballroom, the pair were among the hardest working performers in show business history. Astaire and Rogers were also underrated dramatic actors. They could imbue lots of emotion through any scene, bringing a smile or a tear to the audience in films like “Swing Time” and “Shall We Dance.”

Over the course of several movies and 26-year career alliance, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy showed their love for each other on screen. The couple never married in real life, but their close relationship came alive in projects like the comedy “Desk Set.” They both felt comfortable enough to test each other in “Adam’s Rib,” sparring as two lawyers on opposite sides of a trial. Few pairings come close to their ability to explore humorous and dramatic aspects of their cinematic image. Before Tracy passed away, he starred one last time with Hepburn in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” The progressive film also gave them an opportunity to bring an emotional reality to the screen.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Ingrid Bergman & Cary Grant, “Notorious” (1946)
These Two Legends Light Up the Screen in an Underrated Hitchcock Spy Film

Doris Day & Rock Hudson, “Pillow Talk” (1959)
The Engaging Pair Bring a Lovely Chemistry to This Rom-Com About a Party Line

Debbie Reynolds & Gene Kelly, “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
Combining Their Earth-Shattering Talents, the Musical Geniuses Make One Heck of a Hollywood Classic

Rita Hayworth & Orson Welles, “The Lady from Shanghai” (1947)
The Glamorous Starlet & the Mythic Director Give Their All to an Underseen Noir

In just one film, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart assembled to create cinematic history. The romance between Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund in “Casablanca” stands the test of time for its tragedy. Building off of a rich backstory, the actors move audiences considerably as their characters reunite and provide us with many memorable moments, including a song that defines their relationship. Although Ilsa is with another man, audiences still feel some hope that she and Rick could get together again. This hope is, of course, shattered in a tearful goodbye – one where the actors give their finest performances before parting ways. The silver screen has rarely seen such a compelling couple before or since.