Only a few cinematic experiments are as risky and difficult to execute successfully as anchoring a full-length film on two lead actors alone. As a subcategory of cinema, some fine films have been released from the Classic Hollywood Era till today, the latest being popular and critically panned, Malcolm & Marie. When everything comes together - from the script to the acting to the directing - two-handers make for very creative and introspective contributions to cinema and this is an exclusive list of some of the best which film lovers should see.


6. Heaven Knows, Mr Allison., 1956

Premised on the experiences and adventures of a World War Two U.S. Marine sailor and an isolated novice nun who are both stranded on a little, Tobago island in the Pacific Ocean. In order to survive, they must steer clear of rampaging Japanese foot soldiers, their romantic feelings for each other, and endure physical and emotional wounds. Led by the Hollywood legends, Robert Mitchum (as Mr. Allison) and Deborah Kerr (as Sister Angela), this John Huston film is about a confrontation of two commitments: Mr. Allison to his country, and the nun, to her god. Yet it does not lack in suspense. Kerr excels, (earning an Oscar nomination for her efforts) giving little away by portraying the existential mystery of a Catholic nun who had not seen another human being in 4 years, while Mitchum is at his best, undertaking life-threatening missions by raiding the Japs' stores for food and supplies. Directed with more bravado and humor than outstanding vision, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison hasn't aged badly compared to its contemporaries and succeeds as a fine adaptation of the novel by Charles Shaw.


5. Persona, 1966

Persona has infamously been described as "the Mount Everest of cinema." Yet, with Ingmar Bergman at the helm, Persona is an outstanding auteurist achievement pioneering the exploration of various existential, psychological, and sexuality themes via cinema. Anchored solely on its two lead characters, Alma, (Liv Ullman) a popular actress who suffers an emotional and nervous breakdown on stage, and her nurse, Elisabet Vogler (Bibi Andersson), it makes for an intriguing two-hander. With compelling performances from the lead actresses and steady, artistic handling of the camera by its director, Persona is widely regarded by film critics as one of the best movies of all time. 

4. The Sunset Limited, 2011 

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones and starring himself and Samuel L. Jackson, the movie is adapted from Cormac McCarthy's (legendary writer of No Country For Old Men) two-hander play. It depicts an existential discussion between a nihilist professor on the verge of suicide and a Christian who tries to lead the former to Jesus. The professor is convinced about the nothingness of life, the Christian is convinced, at least until the end, that the road to heaven must be fraught with obstacles and pious suffering. A thinking man's drama, The Sunset Limited unfurls existential questions of depth while showcasing the abilities of its two magnificent lead actors who are at the peak of their powers. 


3. Gravity, 2013 

Sci-Fi films don't come as limited in scope, cast and plot as Gravity does and excels at. Written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Roma) the story clears out all clichés of the sci-fi film genre and revolves around the survival in space of two astronauts, Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) after their space shuttle is totaled by high-speed debris released when a space vessel is shot down by Russian spacemen (the only cliché which survives: Russians as space villains). But as far as villains go, the dark, claustrophobic shots and eerie cinematography come together to make a compelling case for space being the true, invincible villain which maroons the helpless astronauts as they desperately fight communications failure, fatal hardware destruction, and invisible laws of physics to make it back home to earth. 

Garnering ten Oscar nominations is no mean feat and Gravity stakes its claim as not only one of the best two-handers on film but also as one of the best films released in the last decade.


2. Before Sunset, 2004

Nine years after meeting in Vienna and exploring the old city while talking about everything from existentialist to the mundane (and having a one-night stand?), Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) cross paths again in the heart of Paris. And after an awkward, heartwarming reunion, the couple, older and wiser, pick up from where they left off, and unlike Vienna, they don't go their separate ways at the end. Theirs is a love of words, of the mystery of worlds, of art, and ultimately, of each other. With Richard Linklater (director of Boyhood) at the helm, the camera and conversation flow through the streets and sidewalks of Paris, and the audience is carried along, even when both characters board a ferry at the river, like a mutual friend in the background tagging along unobtrusively. Nuanced and dismissive of cliché romance scripts, Before Sunset is as good as it gets. An unforgettable two-hander classic. 


1. The Lighthouse (2019) 

Robert Eggers' sublime psychological horror film is a black-and-white 1.19:1 aspect ratio picture that centers around two lighthouse keepers, Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, as they descend into madness on the remote island they are stranded in. Inspired by myths and horror legends of seamen and sailors, this film is a two-hander powerhouse. Both lead actors, Dafoe especially, produce award-winning performances that anchor the film solidly. Bizarre, dark, and scary, The Lighthouse is a true cinematic statement that the best of films can be well executed with just two hands.