Five Movie Men Worth Loving

The other day, the Trifecta watched Moulin Rouge. In addition to loving musicals and French things, we also love Ewan McGregor (see Amanda’s post on her blog, These Are a Few of My Favorite Things).

Part of the reason Ewan is so swoon-worthy in Moulin Rouge – besides being HOT and having a hot accent – is because his character, Christian, is a very appealing character. It got me thinking about some of my other favorite fictional characters (who also happen to be handsome men). So, without any further adieu, I give you Five Movie Men Worth Loving:

5) C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), The Philadelphia Story (1940)

When it comes to pure, classic charm, George Clooney ain’t got nothin’ on Carey Grant, and Carey is at the height of that charm as C.K. Dexter Haven, the rich playboy ex-husband of Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn). Besides having a most excellent name, C.K. Dexter Haven is handsome, witty, clever, and just a lot of fun all-around. Who wouldn’t love him?

4) Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), On the Waterfront (1954)

Terry Malloy is the complete opposite of C.K. Dexter Haven in everything except good looks. Where Dexter is rich, Terry is poor. Where Dexter is a suave society man, Terry is a washed-up boxer working on the docks. Dexter mingles with socialites, Terry mingles with the mob. So what’s so great about Terry Malloy? He is the ultimate brooding, misunderstood, trying-to-make-it-right guy you’re going to find in the movies. Plus, where Dex is handsome, Terry Malloy is sexy. It makes watching Marlon Brando’s later movies that much harder.

3) Captain Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer),
The Sound of Music (1965)

Let me start by saying that Captain Von Trapp is not sexy upon his first appearance in The Sound of Music. He is kind of weird looking, and an asshole, AND has seven children to boot. This does not add up to sexiness. But Captain Von Trapp grows on you. Maybe it’s the singing. Maybe it’s that whole not-giving-in-to-the-Nazis thing. Maybe he just looks good in a fedora. All I know is every time I get to the end of The Sound of Music, I’m pretty much willing to escape to Switzerland.

2) Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), Gone With the Wind (1939)

If you don’t think Rhett Butler is sexy, well, you’re just dumb. Yes, he is pompous and selfish and arrogant…and witty and passionate and did I mention extremely good-looking? Bonus points for wearing a cape and having a mustache and still being sexy. And underneath it all, he turned out to be a fairly decent guy. He sweeps women off their feet – literally.

1) Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), Casablanca (1942)

Like Captain Von Trapp, Rick Blaine is not the most classically handsome man in the world – but he is one of the best dressed. Watching Casablanca can cause one to think that white dinner jackets are overdue for a comeback. Whether in his dinner jacket and bowtie or his trench coat and fedora, Rick Blaine is always dressed for the occasion and tailored to the max. Personality-wise, he’s got it going on as well: the brooding “why-me” of Terry Malloy; the dapper society outlaw-ishness of Rhett Butler; some of C.K Dexter Haven’s witty comeback ability, and just enough of Captain Von Trapp’s “do the right thing” moral standard to be appealing rather than annoying. Plus he owns a bar and that’s just cool. Also, Rick made smoking look hip and classy, a definite no-no in today’s movie making atmosphere. All of these attributes add up to unequivocally give Rick Blaine the number one spot on this list.

I limited this list to older movies – there are definitely modern movie men worth loving (I could write a whole post on how much I love the character Indiana Jones alone) but these are movie men who stand up to the test of time.

Which movie characters do you love?