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My Top 10 Movie Characters


Birgit of BB Creations wrote a list of her 10 favorite film/TV characters and invited other bloggers to come up with their own list. Two things I like to do—making lists and watching movies.  It took me awhile, but I finally came up with 10 of my favorite movie characters. I didn't want to try ranking them, so I present them to you alphabetically. And, because I ramble, I give you my first fave five today. I'll post the second five this coming Saturday.

Bruce Garrett in Cuban Fury (2014)

Bruce Garrett (played by Nick Frost) is a teddy-bear English guy in his 40s who wants to win the heart of the new woman (Rashida Jones) in his office. Until she entered the scene, he had been going through the motions of living ever since he stopped dancing in salsa competitions as a young teen. When Bruce learns that she loves to salsa, he finds a reason to salsa again. That's the premise of this British romantic comedy movie.

Frost took salsa lessons everyday for several weeks before shooting began on the movie. It shows as he brings Bruce alive. The big dancing scene is between Bruce and his creepy co-worker (Chris O'Dowd) who has the hots for the same woman. They do a salsa dance-off in a parking garage. Wowza!

I wondered whether I liked Bruce because I like Frost. There is some of that. But, nope. I like the character because he is a wallflower who finds himself, and finally realizes there's no shame in him showing his passion through salsa.


Uncle Buck in Uncle Buck (1989)
The lazy, goofy, and sweet Uncle Buck was my introduction to John Candy. He was a perfect match to the three kid actors (Jean Louisa Kelly, Macaulay Culkin, and Abby Hoffman) who played his nephew and nieces. I don't think any one of those actors stood out more than the others.

If Uncle Buck had showed up at my door when the Only and Older Bionic Brother and I were kids, I would probably burst into tears and demand that my parents come home right now. (Yes, when I was very young, I was known to cry when strangers appeared in our house.) I would eventually learn that Uncle Buck gets me and has my back. I would come to love how clumsy he is about doing grownup things. And, I would cry when it is time for him to go home.


Bunny Watson in Desk Set (1957)
Desk Set, a romantic comedy, was a late-night movie on TV that I saw when I was an impressionable teenager. Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) is the head reference librarian at a large company. She has wit, style, intelligence, and character. She's in her 30s or 40s and unmarried. She has a cute boyfriend (Gig Young) who is taking his sweet time in asking her to marry him.  Then along comes Richard Summer (Spencer Tracy), a somewhat absent-minded, odd, and humorous consultant who has great repartee with Bunny. I bet you know which guy I root for.

As a teenager, I wanted to be like Bunny. I wanted a job that involved books. Check.  I wanted my own office in a company. Check. I wanted to be a single woman living in my own apartment in a big city. Check. I wanted to grow a philodendron plant which vines wrapped around the room. Check. I wanted to meet a man with whom I could talk about anything under the sun and enjoy our conversations. Check and Check.

Amazing, huh?


Calamity Jane in Calamity Jane (1953)
Calamity Jane was another late-night movie on TV that I saw for the first time when I was a teenager. It's my favorite Doris Day movie.  I think the actress had a lot of fun being Calamity Jane. I certainly have a lot of fun watching it each time.

Day played Calamity Jane with a lot of spunk, bravado, and heart. Her singing and dancing was flawless. She jumped up and down from bars, stagecoaches, and horses effortlessly. When I watch the movie, I don't think that's Doris Day singing, dancing, and jumping around. Uh-uh. It's Calamity Jane herself. 


King Louis XVI in Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)
"I thought it was a costume ball," said King Louis XVI, greeting his guests at a formal ball. He's dressed as a chicken.

That was the best, and funniest, line and scene in Start the Revolution Without Me. I don't remember anything else about the movie other than Donald Sutherland and Gene Wilder play two sets of identical twins who were switched at birth. One set of twins guard King Louis, while the other twins  take part in overthrowing the king. The twins are continually being mistaken for each other.

The King is played by Hugh Griffith, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1959 for a role he played in Ben-Hur. He should've gotten an Oscar for King Louis.



Comments

  1. Oooh _I love your picks!! Thanks for doing this! I have not seen the first film but really want to and had forgotten the name so i plan on seeing this film this month. I can't picture Katherine Hepburn with Gig Young so of course she is meant for Spencer Tracy. I have not seen Calamity Jane in years and I think it is one of her best roles and so much fun to watch. I had a crush on Howard Keel whhen i was young (I was weird what can I say?). Now I can't believe you know this great comedy "Start the revolution Without Me." I love that scene of the poor King Louis and then the madness of the ball where everyone slips notes asking everyone to kill everyone else. I love the king just writes "Kill"-hahaaaa-one of the best comedies ever!!

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    Replies
    1. Gig Young rarely got the girl. Poor guy. I wonder if that contributed to his depression.

      Howard Keel was a cutie. My heart went thumpy-thump for him in Calamity Jane. The lieutenant that Calamity had a crush on was nothing compared to Buffalo Bill, or was he Wild Bill Hickock. Guess it's time to see the movie again. Yi-haw!

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  2. Apparently Doris Day injured her back either just before or during filming Calamity Jane and did most of her scenes in a back brace ... thereby epitomising, 'the show must go on'!

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    Replies
    1. Wow, I did not know that. No wonder she had such great posture. That makes her even more admirable in my eyes, especially during this song with her jumping up and down on the bar.

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Thanks for the good cheer. :-)

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