10) Frederick Frankenstein and others, Young Frankenstein
This film was my introduction to Mel Brooks, and needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. Frederick Frankenstein, Igor, Inga, the monster, and the loony residents of the town are what made me love Mel Brooks - and, indeed, the whole genre of satire - in the first place. The intelligence of the humor, coupled with the bonds between the characters, really roped me in. The chemistry the actors have is undeniable - whether it's Frederick's bonding with his creation, Inga and Igor's antics, or any of the other endearing factors in the film, these are some of the funniest friends in all of film. And they genuinely do care about each other, on top of all the humor. It's a mix of humor and seriousness, darkness and comedy, satire and originality. The monster's articulate remarks at the film's climax really cement the care and compassion within the crazy band.
Some of you may be screaming "Blasphemy!" since the band of rebels are close to the bottom of the list. Let me explain - as much as I love Luke, Han, Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and the rest of them, I can't put them above any of the others on this list in good conscience. I feel as though there isn't enough time in the films themselves to see the true progression of the relationships between them. It's heavily indicated that Luke really bonds with Han, Leia and Chewie between Episodes IV and V. They bond in IV itself, of course, but it's not enough to show the strength of their bond. It's implied in V that the group has gone through hell and high water together in the space between the two films, and I wish I'd gotten to see some of what happened in the three years separating the timelines in the two films. It's the same with the gap between V and VI - they've spent the past three years with Lando, who was a bit of an antihero in V. He comes around, of course, but it's not really enough to show the development and the solidification of their friendship. The friendships are great, as nobody will argue - I just wish I'd gotten to see more.
8) Atticus Finch and others, To Kill a Mockingbird
As I've mentioned previously, Atticus Finch is just about my favorite character in all of literature, and he's close to the top when it comes to film characters as well. I put Atticus and his host of friends and allies near to the bottom of this list because the friends and allies only figure in here and there. But when they do, they're excellent. It's the few good men and women in the town, including Atticus, who fight for justice in an unjust society. Take Arthur Radley, who risks his neck to save Atticus's children from a murderer. Take Judge Taylor, who does his utmost and puts his reputation on the line to see to it that Tom Robinson, the innocent black man accused of raping a white woman, gets the best defense possible (Atticus, of course). And, of course, there's Atticus himself. And I've gushed about him enough in previous posts.
7) Parry (Henry Sagan) and Jack Lucas, The Fisher King
In The Fisher King, an old cliché feels fresher than ever. That cliché, of course, is the one where fun-loving and wacky Person X meets grouchy and no-nonsense Person Y, befriends Person Y, and makes Person Y fun-loving and wacky him/herself. In The Fisher King, Robin William's vivacious madman Parry is Person X, while Jeff Bridges' cynical ex-radio host Jack Lucas is Person Y. But there's more to the story than the old cliché: Jack is indirectly responsible for events that killed Henry Sagan's wife and drove him mad in the first place. Over the course of the film, Jack comes to love the loony Parry like a brother. In the end, of course, Jack learns to take life a bit less seriously, and holds his loved ones ever closer. It's a happy ending that very nearly doesn't happen, which gives it it's magnitude. The Fisher King is a tale of one man's redemption through another man. If you aren't in STAC and/or you haven't already see it, go find it.
6) Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, X Men Franchise
I watch comic book movies for the same reason anyone else watches comic book movies - just for the action. In many cases, it's more about the effects than it is about the story lines or the plot or the characters themselves. The X-Men films are guilty of this, though perhaps not in the same city-destroying manner as films like Man of Steel or The Avengers. After all, the fight scenes don't occupy too much time in the film, though they do tend to showcase action over all else. And the characters aren't half bad, particularly the characters of Professor X and Magneto. Come on, they're played by Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan, legends of the screen and stage and real-life best friends. The two characters' relationship is probably the most complicated on this list. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, they fight for the same cause (mutant rights, in the context of the X-Men world, which heightens the analogy) in different ways, which often puts them at odds with each other. While the scholarly Professor Xavier tries his hardest to coexist with the normal humans, Holocaust-survivor Magneto doesn't trust them and believes that mutants should fight to win their security. The estranged friends' rivalry is complicated further by the brotherly love they feel for each other, which comes to highlight many of the struggles in the franchise.
5) Marty McFly and Doc Brown, Back to the Future Franchise
As with the X-Men movies and other comic book films, I don't watch Back to the Future for its artistic value. The soundtrack and the acting are excellent overall, but the premise and the effects are very '80's - over-the-top and dramatic. But the films still endear themselves to me, primarily due to the father-son bond that exists between Doc Brown and Marty McFly. It's present throughout all the films, and is tangible in virtually all of the scenes the pair share - it's one of the most genuine connections I've ever seen in film. Marty and Doc have one of the most heartwarming bonds on this list, with each risking life and limb for the other's sake on multiple occasions, all in the name of science and adventure. The two characters genuinely care about each other, and that's why I enjoy the films as much as I do.
4) Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, The Producers
Mel Brooks' second appearance on this list, The Producers is one of my favorite films of all time. Two, technically - I can't decide whether I prefer the original 1968 film, with Mostel, Wilder and Mars, or the 2005 adaptation of the Broadway musical with Lane, Broderick and Ferrell. At the center of the convoluted plot are Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, each being the foil to the other. Bialystock is adventurous, fun-loving, and risk-taking, while Bloom is reserved, cautious, meek, and (relatively) straight-laced. The two plan to put on the biggest flop in the history of Broadway, take the vast majority of the money they raise for the show's purposes, and flee to Brazil. The two become fast friends along the ride, staunchly supporting each other to the bitter end, when their scheme blows up in their faces and lands them in jail. Even then, the pair of them are inseparable. Max and Leo's scheme is undoubtedly one of the funniest in the history of film, landing them in close contact with a "former" Nazi who's rather obsessed with der führer, quite a few flamboyantly gay theater people, a drugged-out hippie (in the original), a Swedish bombshell, and others. But Bialystock and Bloom are at the heart of it all, watching each other's backs and growing closer all the time.
3) Forrest Gump and Lt. Dan Taylor, Forrest Gump
As with Bialystock and Bloom, one character in this pair is the foil to the other. But in this case, it's a very different situation. This particular friendship is, in a way, more like Parry and Jack's from The Fisher King, though with Person Y (pardon the repeated analogy) being less thoroughly changed by the friendship. That hardly makes it any less heartwarming. The titular character, a thoroughly naïve Alabamian with a heart of gold, meets the cynical Lt. Dan while serving in Vietnam. Dan's plan to die honorably in the field of battle is thwarted by Forrest, who carries his wounded superior out of the jungle along with a few other members of his company. While Forrest is awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and escapes relatively unscathed, Dan loses his legs and sinks into a deep depression. The two meet again, years later, in New York. Dan is initially cynical and scornful towards Forrest, making several jokes at his expense. However, he flies into a rage when a prostitute verbally attacks Forrest. Years after that, when Forrest starts a company in the Gulf, Dan joins him, fulfilling one of the joking promises he made earlier. Through a combination of hard work and sheer dumb luck, the two become wealthy businessmen. Through the process, Dan and Forrest develop an unspoken brotherly love, a bond that helps Dan to come to terms with his situation, break free from his depression, and, as Forrest puts it, "[make] his peace with God."
2) Miller's Company, Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks is back, this time in one of the most renowned war movies in history. This is one of the only groups of friends here where most members don't make it through the film alive. In fact, only one member of Miller's original company makes it through the film alive. They aren't necessarily the closest friends on this list - there's a lot of doubt and quite a bit of tension between them, thanks in large part to their situation - they're on a mission in German-held territory after having landed on Omaha Beach in one of the most dramatic opening scenes in the history of cinema. But through it all, they stick with one another and stand by each other, in the face of German soldiers, Panzerfausts, Tiger tanks, machine gun nests, the defenses at Normandy, and a hundred other challenges. The entire division, with the exception of Richard Reiben (Miller's biggest doubter), is killed in their mission to save Private James Ryan. Despite their seeming misgivings, no man among them is willing to leave his brothers behind. Indeed, Reiben is screaming for a medic as Miller lies dying towards the end of the film. Private Ryan goes home to his family, and the film begins - and ends - with him visiting the graves of Miller and his fellow rangers at the American cemetery in Normandy.
1) The Fellowship, Lord of the Rings Trilogy
If you've read my blog in the past, there probably wasn't any doubt in your mind. I've gushed and ranted about the bonds among the members of the Fellowship of the Ring so many times here, there's very little for me to say that I haven't said in months past. To summarize, they are, in my eyes, the closest and truest friends in all of media, be it literature or film. If you thought any of the previous descriptions were long, any description of the Fellowship would be easily twice that. So I won't bore you with another rant in which I praise the Fellowship. After all, if you've read the books or seen the films, you know full well what I mean. And if you don't know the books, why are you reading my blog instead of Tolkien? Go now! There's still time!
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