I would like to hear some of your favorite couples out there. Let me know who they are by commenting on this post or any other. I'd love to hear from you.
John Wayne had a few women who played opposite of him, but none of them could stand up to him like the fiery red-headed Maureen O'Hara. Even as a shy Irish country girl in the "Quiet Man", Wayne would give his pardoning bow. They first starred together in "Rio Grande" and were teamed again in four other films. Here is the list: Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Wings of Eagles (1957), McLintock! (1963) and Big Jake (1971).
Cary Grant also had many leading ladies, but it was with Irene Dunne that I love his acting the most. They were paired during Grant's comedy years and she could dish it right back. When it came to romance they both could easily switch gears and top that as well. They were teamed in three films together: The Awful Truth (1937), My Favorite Wife (1940) & Penny Serenade (1941). Some of the movies they made, apart and together, have been duplicated with almost as much success as the first. 
The most successful duo in their youth was the talented Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland. They starred in the Andy Hardy Series while attending the same school, provided by MGM. They also starred in a few other films with the same Andy Hardy structure. The contribution to Hollywood, given by these two stars, together and apart, can never be duplicated. In contrast of Garland's short-lived life, we have Rooney's record for acting longer than any other star in the history of movie making. They cared for each other like a brother and sister and even more than that.
There have been musical couples before and after these two, but I love the team of Kathryn Grayson & Mario Lanza. They played together in "That Midnight Kiss" (1949) and in the "Toast of New Orleans" (1950). They were never as successful as the MacDonald & Eddy combination, but I could never find another film where an actress could reach his talent of singing. He is one of my favorite singers.
Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur only starred in two movies together, but since those movies were Capra films, that's all the world needed. "You Can't Take it With You" (1938) and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) were both comedic and monumental, as they were romantic and inspiring. At the center of this, you find two people being pulled in every direction as they choose to stick to each other. Unlike other couples who are re-used to play the same parts, Arthur and Stewart actually flipped roles from corky to understanding and vice-versa. These two have the ability to show the emotions of love and not just love itself.
Shirley Jones first film was the spectacular "Oklahoma!" (1955), opposite her idol Gordon MacRae. They went on to star in one more film, "Carousel" (1956), before the musical became a dying art. Gordon had had other leading ladies before, but Shirley seemed to be the perfect match. His broad stature was the perfect backdrop for her shy curls. Both films are a favorite of mine for the music, scope and this couple.
There are other favorites of mine, some of which blossomed into a real romance like Bogart & Bacall. I wished to list them all, but this will suffice for now.
The month of March will be covering my favorite Musicals. I hope you enjoy!
Awesome! Love it! Keep em comin!
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