My favorite male characters

Now, a list of favorite male characters is, in many ways, much easier to make than a list of female ones… of course, might have something to do with how different the choosing criteria is: female characters are those I either admire or find myself similar to… in the case of male characters, there are, of course, those factors… and the attractiveness one, not only physically (I’m not that shallow) but as far as character goes… so, basically, this is a list of fictional characters I’m in love with, so expect romanticized characterizations…

As far as the description of each of them goes, another problem comes along: if they’re well-written enough to be lovable, they should at least seem plausible, real - and I don’t understand men. I love them (for some odd reason, it seems sometimes) but I don’t get them… which is a big part of their appeal, to be perfectly honest. So, in all, these won’t be nearly as well described as [hopefully] the female characters were. However, I’ll give it a try, and here we go…

1. Rhett Butler, Gone with the Wind

With a dirty stare directed at the heroine, Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler was introduced to cinema: a bluntly honest, devilishly handsome, selfish and rebellious bastard boiling with sex appeal. To all this, add a couple of wicked ways, quick wit, charming sarcasm and, of course, an infinite devotion to both Scarlett O’Hara and Bonnie Butler, and you’ve got my favorite character of all time. Flawed himself just as much as his female counterpart, Rhett is, in so many ways, the perfect match for Scarlett – which, of course, dumb and blind as she is (a frightfully accurate portrayal of women), she doesn’t notice. And, in the end, even if it is Scarlett’s story entirely, Rhett is the glue that holds it all together.

2. Rick Blaine, Casablanca

There’s no doubt that whenever a camera was on Humphrey Bogart, cinema history was in the making – and this is truer in his portrayal of Richard Blaine than anywhere else. Rick, an American renegade full of New York attitude, is probably the coolest character ever filmed – a man that minds nobody’s business and expects the same towards him, as he watches World War II starting right by him, with no more interest in it than a “sporting” one. Cynical, cold, detached, Rick carries a different type of war wound – one from the time of the Paris occupation…

3. Christian, Moulin Rouge!

A true Bohemian revolutionary, filled up with hopes about beauty, freedom, truth and love, Ewan McGregor makes magic in Moulin Rouge! A hopeless romantic (*sigh* much like myself), Christian runs to Paris from what seemed like a life of boredom and restrictions, to find love and passion – and he finds all that, and more.

4. The many sides of 007

As clichéd as this choice might seem, it’s almost sinful not to mention the ol’ superspy. While my favorite Bond remains still Timothy Dalton, there’s something to say about Daniel Craig and Sean Connery’s versions of the role. Breaking it down a bit, let’s just name all three separately and get this over with:

License to Kill

A cold-hearted murderer on the exterior and a loyalty-driven man in reality, Timothy Dalton’s portrayal of the 007 agent is exactly what Ian Fleming intended Bond to be: cool, with a steady hand, a way with women… and some sort of humanity to him. As Bond takes on a personal revenge, leaving his work on a second place, we see an edgier and un-detached version of him, and Dalton is mostly responsible for this… not to mention nobody looked sexier asking for that Vodka Martini, shaken and not stirred.

Casino Royale

In black and white, brutal sequences, we are introduced to the Bond of the 21^st century (Die Another Day, just so you know, never happened): a blunt sex creature that practically rapes the franchise, in every possible way, and Daniel Craig was the right man for the job. Breaking every previous stereotype of the franchise, in comes this fair-haired (oh, the sin!) sex bomb that, not only doesn’t look like Bond, he doesn’t even have Bond’s personality until about halfway through the movie: we see a Bond that not only bleeds and messes his hair, but actually screws up, which is rather refreshing in a franchise that was starting to show off invisible cars…

Goldfinger

Sharp, sensual, suave, and attractive: this is the James Bond we met in a poker table in Dr. No, as he lit up a cigarette with a [now] famous theme as a background and, coolly introduced himself: “Bond, James Bond”. In his third appearance as the double-O seven agent, we see a fantastic character that reeks 1960’s pure class in every movement: and Connery’s Bond will forever remain iconic, if only merely because of him being the first one.

5. Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights

Burning with the passion of a wild creature, Laurence Olivier simply vibrates in 1939’s version of the Emily Brontë classic. Compelling, wild, romantic, Heathcliff is a very rare case of a rather heroic type of anti-hero… his actions might be vindictive and violent almost to the point of despicability, but… being, as it is, all for the sake of undying love – who can help but adoring him for it?

6. Count Laszlo de Almásy, The English Patient

With a power that’s almost palpable, Ralph Fiennes’s performance in The English Patient is one of the most romantic characters in cinema. Calm, cool, shy and seemingly afraid of commitment through the first hour or so of the film’s flashbacks (although obsessed with its heroine), Almásy slowly develops into this mad, violently in love, jealous and passion-driven man, willing to do anything for love. Rather Heathcliff-like, probably, and lovable for the same reasons.

7. Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Another for the obvious pile, but – how can one help it? What’s not to love about a crazy, clumsy pirate with very bad luck? Johnny Depp brings to life the most fun character of the decade, a completely insane and rude pirate with many incredible (mostly because they’re untrue) legends on his back. With an evil grin to die for, Jack Sparrow’s the filthiest and surprisingly most attractive pirate ever filmed – with a fetish for jars of dirt…

8. Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice

And another one for my share of 19^th century literary heroes, no list is really complete without Mr. Darcy. Honoring Keira’s Lizzie in the other list, I might as well add Matthew Macfadyen’s portrayal of Darcy – a very earnest, very rich, extremely attractive and quite proud English gentleman with a wonderful ability to say the wrong thing at all times… except when he doesn’t, and the most beautiful confessions of love come out of his mouth, said with enough power to make any girl, Lizzie Bennet [and myself] obviously included, swoon.

9. Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark

Sure, he’s practically James Bond with a different background (and with James Bond as his father, go figure), but Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones is still one of the most kickass characters in film, combining sexiness with smarts, an adorable love for hidden treasures, adventure [and his hat] makes dear ol’ Indy completely awesome.

10. Harry Lockhart, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

In the light comedic environment he probably works his best in, the nevertheless always great Robert Downey Jr. appears as the gentlemanly, funny, adorable and completely clueless robber turned actor turned private detective, Harry Lockhart. Wanting to impress a former teenage crush, the guy does everything in his power, from doing the knight in shiny armor thing by saving the girl to completely mess it up… by peeing on a corpse.