In the company of characters
The author of the ever-lovely willowmanor recently assembled a list of 12 of her favorite movie characters. A meme, I believe?
I decided to give it a try, too, but I'm going to change up the rules a bit. Today it's the men's turn, and I picked 15 (not 12), which was still hard. Later: women, children, and animals.
In no particular order:
1. Elwood P. Dowd
Played by James Stewart the 1950 film Harvey.
Why: Totally charming, harmless, sweet as a sugarbeet, best friends with a Pooka
Quote: "Miss Kelly, perhaps you'd like this flower. I seem to have misplaced my buttonhole.
2. Indiana Jones (aka "Junior")
Played by Harrison Ford beginning in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Ark
Why: Fallible, funny, sharp as a whip, constantly in trouble, big-time Dad issues, afraid of slithering reptiles, and an archeologist who always finds his hat.
Quote: "Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes."
3. Walter Eckland
Played by Cary Grant in the 1964 romatic comedy Father Goose
Why: Irascible beach bum and sot turned foster father to lost boarding school girls
Quote: "So far you've shared me out of my clothes, my food, and my house. Now, how about sharing some of my things with me."
4. Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Played by Peter Sellers in the 1963 commedy The Pink Panther
Why: No one does klutzy with more panache
Quote: "Des yeer dahg bite-uh?"
5. Henri "Papillon"Charriere
Played by Steve McQueen in the 1973 biopic Papillon
Why: Falsely imprisoned hero who never ever ever gives up, helps his friends, won't be bullied, pays attention to details, great tatoo
Quote: "Hey you bastards, I'm still here."
6. Detective Virgil Tibbs
Played by Sidney Poitier in the 1967 race bender In the Heat of the Night
Why: Class-act, brilliant detective who outshines idiocy and racism
Quote: "They call me Mr. Tibbs."
7. Atticus Finch
Played by Gregory Peck in the 1962 mystery To Kill A Mockingbird
Why: A paragon of integrity, best father figure, best eligible bachelor in film history
Quote: "You never eally understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
8. Javier "Javi" Rodriguez Rodriguez
Played by Benicio Del Toro in the 2000 thriller Traffic
Why: One suave Mexican narc who'll do anything to get a baseball field for kids back home
Quote: "You like baseball? . . . Everybody likes baseball. Everybody likes parks."
9. Dr. Hannibal Lector
Played by Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs
Why: Cunning, pure evil, with excellent diction and a soft spot for an up-and-coming FBI agent
Quote: "Fly, fly, fly little sparrow."
10. Dith Pran
Played by Dr. Haing S. Ngor in the 1984 epic The Killing Fields
Why: Survivor of horrifying massacre yet retains his humanity and tells the story
Quote: "Here, only the silent survive."
11. General Maximus Decimus Meridius
Played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 box office smash The Gladiator
Why: Hardened Roman warrior with heart of gold determined to return to his beloved family
Quote: "Allow me to go home."
12. Kip
Played by Naveen Andrews in the 1996 epic The English Patient
Why: Tender-hearted bomb diffuser who sure knows how to romance a woman
Quote: "It's what I do."
13. Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson
Played by Sir Alec Guinness in the 1957 WW II film Bridge Over the River Kwai
Why: Full of stubborn integrity, determined to protect his men, knows how to whistle
Quote: "You have turned defeat into victory. I congratulate you. Well done."
14. Jack Foley
Played by George Clooney in the romantic thriller Out of Sight
Why: Totally adorable, irrisistable bad boy who falls for the officer who must arrest him
Quote: "You'd be surprised what you can get, if you ask for it the right way."
15. Paul Rusesabagina
Played by Don Cheadle in 2004 Hotel Rwanda
Why: Goodness galore, able to show emotions and stand up to genocide, wonderful hubby and dad
Quote: "We must shame them into sending help."
Anyone see any pattern?
Tag, you're it!
I decided to give it a try, too, but I'm going to change up the rules a bit. Today it's the men's turn, and I picked 15 (not 12), which was still hard. Later: women, children, and animals.
In no particular order:
1. Elwood P. Dowd
Played by James Stewart the 1950 film Harvey.
Why: Totally charming, harmless, sweet as a sugarbeet, best friends with a Pooka
Quote: "Miss Kelly, perhaps you'd like this flower. I seem to have misplaced my buttonhole.
2. Indiana Jones (aka "Junior")
Played by Harrison Ford beginning in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Ark
Why: Fallible, funny, sharp as a whip, constantly in trouble, big-time Dad issues, afraid of slithering reptiles, and an archeologist who always finds his hat.
Quote: "Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes."
3. Walter Eckland
Played by Cary Grant in the 1964 romatic comedy Father Goose
Why: Irascible beach bum and sot turned foster father to lost boarding school girls
Quote: "So far you've shared me out of my clothes, my food, and my house. Now, how about sharing some of my things with me."
4. Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Played by Peter Sellers in the 1963 commedy The Pink Panther
Why: No one does klutzy with more panache
Quote: "Des yeer dahg bite-uh?"
5. Henri "Papillon"Charriere
Played by Steve McQueen in the 1973 biopic Papillon
Why: Falsely imprisoned hero who never ever ever gives up, helps his friends, won't be bullied, pays attention to details, great tatoo
Quote: "Hey you bastards, I'm still here."
6. Detective Virgil Tibbs
Played by Sidney Poitier in the 1967 race bender In the Heat of the Night
Why: Class-act, brilliant detective who outshines idiocy and racism
Quote: "They call me Mr. Tibbs."
7. Atticus Finch
Played by Gregory Peck in the 1962 mystery To Kill A Mockingbird
Why: A paragon of integrity, best father figure, best eligible bachelor in film history
Quote: "You never eally understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
8. Javier "Javi" Rodriguez Rodriguez
Played by Benicio Del Toro in the 2000 thriller Traffic
Why: One suave Mexican narc who'll do anything to get a baseball field for kids back home
Quote: "You like baseball? . . . Everybody likes baseball. Everybody likes parks."
9. Dr. Hannibal Lector
Played by Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs
Why: Cunning, pure evil, with excellent diction and a soft spot for an up-and-coming FBI agent
Quote: "Fly, fly, fly little sparrow."
10. Dith Pran
Played by Dr. Haing S. Ngor in the 1984 epic The Killing Fields
Why: Survivor of horrifying massacre yet retains his humanity and tells the story
Quote: "Here, only the silent survive."
11. General Maximus Decimus Meridius
Played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 box office smash The Gladiator
Why: Hardened Roman warrior with heart of gold determined to return to his beloved family
Quote: "Allow me to go home."
12. Kip
Played by Naveen Andrews in the 1996 epic The English Patient
Why: Tender-hearted bomb diffuser who sure knows how to romance a woman
Quote: "It's what I do."
13. Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson
Played by Sir Alec Guinness in the 1957 WW II film Bridge Over the River Kwai
Why: Full of stubborn integrity, determined to protect his men, knows how to whistle
Quote: "You have turned defeat into victory. I congratulate you. Well done."
14. Jack Foley
Played by George Clooney in the romantic thriller Out of Sight
Why: Totally adorable, irrisistable bad boy who falls for the officer who must arrest him
Quote: "You'd be surprised what you can get, if you ask for it the right way."
15. Paul Rusesabagina
Why: Goodness galore, able to show emotions and stand up to genocide, wonderful hubby and dad
Quote: "We must shame them into sending help."
Anyone see any pattern?
Tag, you're it!
Comments
Jane
Thanks, Marie.
Distracted--Let me know what you think of those two...Javi positively stole my heart, and Jack, well is there any reason not to love George Clooney in any role?
Rudee--I've never seen Guns of Navarone. It's on my list now. Oh yes, Omar Sharif...his role in Lawrence of Arabia nearly beat out a few contenders. I'll have to revisit Dr. Zhivago. It's been a long time since I've seen it.
RUnotentertained--Ha! I almost used that as the quote. That or "strength and honor." I totally agree with you about Russell Crowe. His character in LA Confidential was a close contender in this list. Get this: I saw Gladiator 17 times in the theatre. Talk about obsessed. Fortunately, my daughter was working there so I got in free!
Not too many people saw Out of Sight, so that was a great dark horse choice.
I just don't have enough memory left to pull up my favorites from the burnt out ends of my brain cells, but I'm thinking maybe Johnny Depp in Chocolat.
Kip was the only character who rescued The English Patient for me. I think I'm one of 10 people in the world who didn't care for the movie. I believe Elaine from Seinfeld was another of the 10.