July 8, 2008 • Uncategorized •

GUEST POST – Paul’s Ten on Tuesday: Favorite Movie Characters

Please welcome the return of a guest blogger who has been here before and therefore needs little introduction, but I’ll give him some anyway: PAUL VASQUEZ is the father of two terrific kids, a talented illustrator/graphic designer and photographer, a lifelong movie buff, a nerd (and proud to be one, thank you very much), a very smart and funny guy, and, most importantly, my husband, generally better known in these parts as “Tall Paul” (because he is).
I realize it might be sort of odd to have a guest post for Ten on Tuesday, but this week’s topic, “10 Favorite Movie Characters,” is so much the kind of thing that my husband gets into that I invited him to play along. He put so much into creating his list that I decided not to do one of my own, especially since it would have some overlap with his. Although a few of his favorite characters didn’t originate in movies, they’ve been in movies, so they count. (Please remember in your comments that this is his list, and I’ll invite him to respond here, as I have done with all guest bloggers!)
Paul’s Ten Favorite Movie Characters, in no particular order:
Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. If you have to ask what movie is he from, welcome to Earth. How could he not be on anyone’s top 10? OK, the second movie kinda blew (why would Indy want such a whine-bag of a woman?), but the other three are top-notch. I was hesitant about the fourth movie (God, please don’t let it suck!), but I was happy to see where the character was, had been, and was heading.
Rick Blaine in Casablanca. OK, Casablanca is probably my favorite movie of all time, and a big reason is Humphrey Bogart’s portrayal of Rick Blaine. Rick “sticks his neck out for nobody,” and seems to everyone else to be mercenary, but his humanity is what makes the character so wonderful. He makes decisions that he knows are right even if it means losing everything that is important to him.
Walter Christopher Eckland in Father Goose. My favorite Cary Grant movie and character. An imperfect “rude, drunken, foul-mouthed, filthy beast” according to Catherine Freneau (played by Leslie Caron). The movie is a love story at heart (get it?) and contains some wonderful dialogue. Cary Grant said that this character was probably the closest to what he was like in real life.
Peter ‘Junior’ Potter Jr. from Son of Paleface. Probably my favorite Bob Hope movie. It also stars Jane Russell (as Mike ‘The Torch’ Delroy), Roy Rogers (as Roy Barton) and, of course, “the smartest horse in the world,” Trigger. The jokes are fast and frequent and Bob Hope is at the top of his game playing a “shnook” who inherits he father’s (“Painless” Peter Potter, also played by Bob Hope in The Paleface) fortune… well…sort of. One of my favorite scenes is when Potter is forced to share a bed with Trigger, and they fight for the covers.
Sir Robin of Locksley (Robin Hood) from The Adventures of Robin Hood We are talking about the Errol Flynn version (there is no other). Rob from the rich, give to the poor, win an archery contest, swordfight Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and woo Maid Marian (Who-hoo! Olivia de Havilland) all the while laughing, smiling, and cracking-wise.
Captain James Tiberius Kirk from Star Trek. KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHN!!!!! Captain Kirk has been, and always will be, my hero. I grew up watching Star Trek TOS, then Star Trek: The Next Generation. Although TNG is probably the better show, I have a deep affection for the original. Naturally, in 1979, when the original series was being made into a movie, I was a nerd with a mission: As soon as school let out, it was warp speed (OK, 45 M.P.H.) ahead to the see Star Trek: The Motion Picture. What a disappointment. Who were these people? Was Star Trek past its prime (directive)? Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan more than made up for the first movie. Kirk was at the top of his game again. My other favorite movies with Kirk were Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Star Trek: Generations. It is a shame that Kirk was killed off in Generations, as I would love to see him in Star Trek next summer.
Han Solo from the Star Wars trilogy (Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi). He’s a wise-cracking smartass who shoots from the hip (Literally. Just ask Greedo), and has the fastest ship in the galaxy. What’s not to love?
Al Czervik from Caddyshack. Rodney Dangerfield was perfectly cast in this role:
“Oh, this is the worst-looking hat I ever saw. What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? [looks at Judge Smails, who’s wearing the same hat] Oh, it looks good on you though!”
[to his Asian companion] “I hear this place is restricted, Wang, so don’t tell ’em you’re Jewish, okay?”
“Oh, this your wife, huh? A lovely lady. Hey baby, you must’ve been something before electricity.”
“He called me a baboon, he thinks I’m his wife.”
Inspector Jacques Clouseau from The Pink Panther Strikes Again. No one else Peter Sellers could/should ever play this role.
Otto from A Fish Called Wanda. Kevin Kline’s Academy Award winning performance. You didn’t know whether to love him or hate him, but every second he was on screen made the movie that much better.
Honorable Mentions:
Danny Ocean from Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, and Ocean’s 13. If only I were half as cool as him.
Jake and Elwood Blues form The Blues Brothers.

“It’s 106 miles to Chicago. We’ve got a full tank of gas, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.”“Hit it.”

Vin from The Magnificent Seven. Steve McQueen did not talk a lot, but could do so much with just a look or gesture (he’s always doing something!), that his performance makes this movie that much more fun.
Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King). I have this thing about characters who are more than they appear to be and, often times, more than they feel they are, or should, be.
Peter Parker from the Spider-Man Trilogy ((first) (second) (third)). As a nerd myself (no, no, it’s true!), I could associate a little too much with Peter.
Professor Fate from The Great Race. Jack Lemmon’s brilliance made this character so much fun to watch. The arch enemy of The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), you didn’t know whether to despise or pity the Professor.
So, are any of Paul’s favorites yours too? Please share in the comments, and if you’ve also played Ten on Tuesday this week, leave a link to your post!

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13 comments

  3. Teena – You had a couple of other characters overlapping on your list, too, I noticed.

    Milet – I liked the way you chose several paired characters.

    Thanks to you both for stopping by on this fun assignment!

  6. Great list. I kind of hate reading the lists of everyone, because you see some that make you say “Damn, I should have thought of that one!”. but then who do you leave off the your original? Otto was a great choice.

  8. Otto was great!
    So I take it you won’t be seeing the next Pink Panther movie with Steve Martin? I was surprised they are making another.

    I went with a different Star Wars character, but Han Solo was cool — and he knows it.

    Yes, the second Indy movie was not great. It seemed rushed or something, and Spielberg’s wife was annoying in the movie.

  11. Y’all have some interesting lists out there! I can’t address too many of your comments on this one, but I’ve passed them on to Paul to give him the chance to reply.

  12. I’m embarrassed to say that there are several characters listed from movies I have never seen. What a great list though. I’m off to Netflix to add a few movies to my list.

  13. Literary Feline – Let me guess – the Bob Hope, Cary Grant, and Jack Lemmon characters/movies? I didn’t know them either until I started seeing Paul; his love of movies extends back a ways, and he’s helped broaden my film literacy :-).