[dropcap size=small]I[/dropcap]f you could pick two of your favorite characters from one of your favorite movies, and give them a spin-off, who would you pick? It’s a downright delicious thought, eh?
Oftentimes, the best thing about a great movie isn’t always necessarily the lead actors. Sure, we love ’em, but more often than not it’s the supporting characters that make a good movie a great movie. Or, maybe the supporting with the lead. Or maybe just the supportings and not the leads at all. Let’s face it, there are plenty of times when they run away with the whole darn film, leaving us bored whenever they’re not on screen. In fact, we often find ourselves really, really wishing they’d had a movie all their own.
For your consideration here are 6 classic movie duos that, in this writer’s opinion, would have had a seriously fantastic spin-off.
Of course, there are dozens more where this came from. Tell us your picks in the comments below!
EDWARD EVERETT HORTON & ERIC BLORE, in darn near every Fred & Ginger movie
“Oh, you… you blundering…blunderer!” Fred and Ginger moves would not have been the same without Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore. Those two flamboyant fussbudgets teamed up three times with Astaire and Rogers in Top Hat, The Gay Divorcee, and Shall We Dance, always involved in some outlandish misunderstanding and disliking the other immensely. It would have been fun for the two of them to have had their own series of mis-adventures, galavanting on the Continent in a perpetual state of utter confusion.
Rhett Butler and Belle Watling, Gone with the Wind (1939)
“You’ve got a heart, Belle. And you’re honest.” So hear me out on this one. In Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Belle Watling, Atlanta’s infamous Madam, has a long-standing friendship with Rhett Butler. Rhett also funds Watling’s whorehouse. That’s right, folks: Rhett Butler is Belle Watling’s pimp. I don’t quite care whether or not Scarlett gets Rhett back … but I do want to know if Rhett is really Belle’s baby daddy! That’s my kind of sequel.
Inigo and Fezzik, The Princess Bride (1987)
“Fezzik, are there rocks ahead? If there are, we’ll all be dead!” I ship Buttercup and Wesley to the death, just like any self-respecting Princess Bride fan. But the Inigo and Fezzik bromance is just too adorable for words and their (mis)adventures really would have made a fantastic buddy flick. Then again, so would every last one of the characters in this charming fairytale, but … Inigo and Fezzik for the win.
Osgood and Daphne, Some Like it Hot (1960)
“Nobody’s perfect.” Let’s be honest. Sugar Kane and Joe aren’t going to last. Like, at all. Oh sure, they’ll have the greatest sex of all time for a good month or two , but five will get you ten that Joe is gonna drop poor Sugar on her little ukulele, because, you know, he’s Tony Curtis.
But Osgood and Daphne? Now that’s love.
Han and Chewbacca, Star Wars (1977)
“Let the Wookie win.” Han Solo and Chewbacca the Wookie are like the intergalactic Odd Couple. Solo, a charming rake, is the most entertaining personality in the original Star Wars trilogy, and the most exciting thing to watch (outside of Leia’s iron bathing suit), is his chemistry with his 7 foot co-pilot. Instead of the prequels, Lucas should have given these bad boys their own spin-off.
Captain Renault and Rick Blaine, Casablanca (1942)
“Louis? I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Only it wasn’t. After Casablanca was released and became a box office hit, there was serious studio discussion over a Casablanca sequel following the adventures of Captain Renault and Rick Blaine. One script even had a name: Brazzaville. (But … it’s probably best that never happened.)
For your consideration: Uncle Willie & Dinah;The Philadelphia Story, Butch Cassidy & Agnes (Cloris Leachman); Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Sylvester Marcus (Dick Shawn) & his twisting girlfriend; It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
I am now feverishly working on my Osgood and Daphne spec pilot.