John Ford–John Wayne
The Quiet Man, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
They are responsible for popularizing and laying the foundations and archetype of the West. The two erected the modern American myth, the one that was the most ancient example of manhood: the man who defends his family and his homeland with death.
Ford was already a well-known director in Hollywood when he met a University of Southern California student who was working at Fox as a production intern and convinced him to enter the world of cinema. Little by little, the young actor, now called John Wayne, starred in mediocre films by other directors until Ford found the perfect role for his protégé: the lead in The Stagecoach.
That was the first participation in more than a dozen films that, over more than three decades, were the pillar of a genre and of a country submerged in post-World War II pessimism.
Wes Anderson – Bill Murray
Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom
A duo that complies with the canons of an artistic collaboration par excellence: their work has led to raising their artistic potential and film legacy. For the past 20 years, Murray and Wes Anderson, who first met on the set of Rushmore (Murray cut his salary to a bare minimum), have automatically complemented each other and helped shape their legends.
Murray became a post-Anderson indie icon (Lost in Translation or Broken Flowers) and the director found a lacking father figure in his works: Steve Zissou and Moonlight Kingdom. One of the favorite and most beloved couples of the last 25 years.
Sergio Leone – Clint Eastwood
For a fistful of dollars, for a few more dollars
They founded the Spaghetti Western together. In addition, Leone placed Eastwood in the industry elite, who before their first participation together, was an actor who seemed headed for failure and oblivion.
The relevance of this couple goes beyond this trilogy. Eastwood learned the basic techniques of his craft from Leone, and that now, several decades later, has positioned Clint as one of the most important directors in history.
Danny Boyle – Ewan McGregor
Shallow Grave, A life less ordinary
One of the couples that took British cinema by storm in the early 90s. Boyle and McGregor were Britpop turned into movies and we were lucky to witness how they were born into independent projects and became stars: they began their career with a best-selling thriller Edgar Allan Poe style and reached a zenith when they decided to immortalize a speech about choosing a life, a job and a washing machine in Trainspotting.
However, their friendship was ended by a dispute between the two after the director decided to cast Leonardo DiCaprio instead of McGregor on The Island and they cut off any kind of communication for almost a decade until they reconciled after an emotional speech that the actor launched. during an award ceremony honoring Boyle.
Tim Burton–Johnny Depp
Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Factory, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland.
Burton's visual style could only be conceived under the eyes of Johnny Depp, his white makeup, and his chameleon face. Depp was the muse that combined Burton's imagination into unforgettable characters from the first time they worked together on Edward Scissorhands and the director was captivated by the professionalism of a boy who, dressed in black leather, did not utter a single word even though the heat of almost Florida's 35th, stalked all production.
Together they monopolized various genres: comedy (Ed Wood), musicals (Sweeney Todd), thriller (Sleepy Hollow), drama (Young Scissorhands), animation (Corpse Bride), children's (Willy Wonka), and even in a mess like Dark Shadows.
