Apostic's post about the passing of Charles Bronson(this board is a damn fine source of info) got me thinking about my favorite Bronson performances, which in turn started me thinking of my favorite movie bad asses. I'm talking about the actors who best portray the cool, sometimes cynical, weary, "man alone" types. The guys who you'd put together for your team in a bar brawl.
The actors who,for me, typify this are:
Bogart
Mitchum
McQueen
Lee Marvin
Cagney
James Garner
Lee VanCleef
Richard Widmark
Clint Eastwood
And of course Charles Bronson. I miss his type of character, and I miss the actors who could pull it off. Thanks for informing me of his passing Apostic, maybe I should read a frikkin' paper once in awhile.
You always have to be dead sure. Dead sure or dead
Deej, Widmark is hard more me to watch on screen. No offense, but I'm trying to figure out why they used this guy in some of the Westerns I've seen. Garner I'm not sure of either, but the rest of your list is ok.
Lee Van Cleef might be my favorite of your bunch.
Yeah, Scott. I'm iffy on Widmark's westerns. Brings to mind Bogart and Cagney in The Oklahoma Kid. Great actors.....just not western types.
But for pure bad assitude, check out Richard Widmark in Kiss Of Death(f**king PSYCHOTIC!!) or as a good, but not quite upright cop in Madigan.
Of a different generaton but arguably Harrison Ford can play that type when he wants to
Rutger Hauer and Lemmy.
Brother R
I think John Wayne needs to be added to the list.
Michael Ironside
Kurt Russell (Escape from New York/Soldier KR)