Top Five Underrated Movie Tough Guys
by Jeffrey JenaI just finished voting for the Screen Actors Guild awards and after wading through the five “screeners” they sent me I started wondering about the leading men of today.In this day of confused metro-sexual male stars one might wonder where all the real men have gone.
Look at the leading men of today. When I saw Leonardo DiCaprio as a tough guy in Gangs of New York I wasn’t sure if it was a drama or a comedy. Matt Damon isn’t too bad but I‘m not convinced he could take a punch. I like Bill Pullman but he looks like he is always on the verge of breaking into tears. George Clooney, please my sister could throw him down and twist him up like a pretzel.
Here are my top five unrecognized real men of filmdom. I skipped the obvious choices like The Duke and Clint and went for some guys who are well known but not often looked at as Alpha dogs. Can you imagine any of these guys sitting in anything but a leather barber chair? Can you see any of them wondering if they should get frosted tips or a mani-pedi? Just being a tough guy wasn’t enough for my list they also had to have the craft of acting down too!
Even modern actors who seem to know their way around a good street fight like Vin Diesel and The Rock don’t have the acting chops that a lot of the classic tough guys did. What’s that? Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme? I like Chuck’s politics and Seagal’s new reality show has promise but please don’t waste my time trying to convince me that those guys wouldn’t wilt under the steely eyed stare of any of the five guys in my list. Hum… While you’re reading I’m stepping out for a burger.
5. Richard Roundtree
One word – Shaft! They say this cat is a bad mother….and he is! Richard is a New Yorker, football player and manly enough to beat a rare form of male breast cancer.
4. Lee Marvin
One of my favorite all time movie bad guys is Liberty Valence. So much pure evil without a hint of any redeeming social value he could have been a Democrat. He served in World War Two and was wounded in the battle of Saipan. He would have been higher on my list but I have talked to a few people who knew him and he was apparently a pretty nasty guy in real life. They invented the word “palimony” for this guy.
3. Charles Bronson
From The Magnificent Seven to his series of Death Wish films he was a man of few words. He hung in with wife Jill Ireland as she suffered through cancer. That’s a man!
2, Edward G Robinson
The real OG! From being Little Caesar Rico to the evil Dathan and then slapping down a straight flush on fellow tough guy Steve McQueen in the Cincinnati Kid nobody was more the quintessential American tough guy than Eddie G. Not bad for a Jewish kid from Romania!
1. Denzel Washington
The epitome of the modern strong silent type. Who else could play Malcolm X, the rogue cop in Training Day, a stoic naval officer and a tort lawyer and make them all sympathetic? I can’t wait to see the Book of Eli. My favorite Denzel tough guy line is when as Detective Keith Frazier in Inside Man he enters a restaurant and the maître d asked him, “May I have your hat?” He comes back with, “No get your own!” Shades of Philip Marlow!
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199 Comments
I'd have to put Christian Bale on the list. He's done artsy fartsy stuff when he was younger, but his action flicks are pretty good too, imo.
WILLIAM SMITH. Clint Eastwood's longest fist fight was with William Smith in "Any Which Way You Can" and William Smith almost won!
Other runner-ups would have to include Michael Madsen, Powers Booth & Sam Elliott
In what sense are these guys underrated? Except for Denzel Washington, they are all on every Classic Tough Guy list I've ever seen.
Bronson is a thousand times more of a man than John Edwards. Charles stuck with his love of his life in the hardest time of their lives, to the end of her's. When Elizabeth Edwards got TERMINAL breast cancer, it was licensee for Edwards to party and father a child with another woman.
I guess we know what a real tough guy would do! Not every fight you use your fists, you use your moral character.
And we see each man's character just fine.
Joe Don Baker was a pretty good bad a in Walking Tall
Richard Boone, Robert Ryan (heck all the guys in the Wild Bunch–Holden could play the metrosexual lead ad well as a convincing hard-ass–see the Earthling) totally blow away anything Denzel has ever done. Put your game face on!
Chow Yun Fat's gotta be on the list. Good with guns, bad *ss martial arts and looks cool in dark shades and sharkskin.
You are correct. Edwards was so bad, the libtards threw him under the bus… and justifiably so.
Those are definitely tough guys. Now contrast them with the spineless eunuch we have for president who's bowing to a mayor for cryin' out loud. Hussein you bedwetting pansy, others bow to the American President if there's to be any bowing at all. You are such a pitiful embarrassment; step down for the good of the nation.
The mayor must be thinking "what is wrong with this imbecile? I hope there are no cameras for his sake."
http://minx.cc/?post=297685
"In this day of confused metro-sexual male stars one might wonder where all the real men have gone"
Why, they're blogging of course!
Kurt Russell. Criminally underrated tough guy. Damn near perfect as McReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," among others.
How about Clint Walker — no one throws a better right hook.
Also, what about the late, great Leo Gordon. Now that's a tough guy!
And Ron Ely. Did all of his stunts for Tarzan and was the only saving grace in Doc Savage: Man of Bronze.
Lee Marvin, Eddie G and Charlie Bronson underrated tough guys? I don't think so but I'll throw in a few names. Paul Newman in Hombre, Alan Ladd in Shane, William Holden in the Wild Bunch,Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson, Robert Taylor in the Last Hunt and Jack Palance in Anything.
GS- you may find this amusing. It is rather amateurish, but my first effort at robotic theatre.
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6039781/
On Deadwood, I was pretty sure Powers Boothe's character could survive on a diet of nails and blood.
In your description of Denzel, you failed to mentioned his role as Creasy Man on Fire. I had no problem believing that guy could survive multiple gun shot wounds.
Edward G. is definitely overlooked however the others I say are always on most lists. Your shot at Norris is unfounded. Yes he supported Huckabee but apart from that he is pretty tough.
I would like to add Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas. That guy was the man! He could act his ass off, from what I could tell he was tough and generous. Nobody can walk around with a lollipop and look good doing it if he wasn't tough!
His quotes: "Who loves you baby?" and my favorite "Everyone's born bald, baby!"
Denzel is good but I don't know if he's number one though.
Is that Will Smith of the Fresh Prince of Bellaire and Independence Day fame. Not saying he is not a tough guy I just did not realize he did a movie with Clint Eastwood?
Uh, how can we overlook the GREAT Rudy Ray Moore as Dolemite! Seriously people…
MITCHELL!
Creasy was one of the greatest tough guy characters in film history.
Too true. Let's also not forget his work in Big Trouble in Little China.
Add to that, Eric Bana in "Black Hawk Down" and Kevin Costner in "Open Range".
I like it. Can you make President Bush kick Hussein?
That's a great movie.
You know I think that the top of this list of underated bad guys should probably be John Travolta. He plays really cynical and terryfying bad guys when he is not dancing disco.
What about John Amos? A long career toiling in the character-actor salt mine, (+sitcoms)- but from Roots to Die Hard 2 this guy's sweat dripped more testosterone than DiCaprio has in his whole girlie-man body.
No, it's the William Smith who was also in "Red Dawn" (he played the Russian Special FOrces officer brought in to take down down Swayze and the Wolverines).
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810342/
Robert Mitchum
Absolutely. The guy cut off another guy's finger and cauterized the wound with a car lighter….and I bought every second of it. At no point in that film did you question that he was capable of everything he was doing.
"Tombstone!"
My vote would have to go to Jack Palance. He had about 5 spoken words in Shane, but he became the quintisential tough guy for me from there after; sometimes good, a lot of times bad.
I'd also have to give a vote to Richard Boone, particularly for his work in Hombre and Big Jake.
Not sure if he'd qualify as underrated (then again Bronson shouldn't either) but any Tough Guy list is not complete without Captain Quint himself – Robert Shaw.
If I were half the man Charles Bronson was, I could kick anyone's ass on the planet…
I tried to write Chuck, but I immediately edited it…that's tough…
Right here, baby…
Although he is more well-known for his TV work, how about Chuck Connors. Tough and wise; that's what I like.
Don't sell Seagal short…akido is one badass martial art…like Chuck Norris, he's the REAL DEAL…
But on film, all of these guys were hard, capable tough guys…
DiCaprio…? Damon…? Pullman…? CLOONEY, fer cryin' out loud…?
Give me a friggin' break…
Let's add, in no particular order:
Edward Woodward
Patrick McGoohan
James Garner
Gregory Peck
Richard Boone of course
And among the younger set (contemporary):
Damien Lewis (Band of Brothers, Life)
Adam Baldwin (Firefly, Chuck, My Bodyguard)
Liam Neeson (Taken)
If you haven't seen Life, see it on Hulu or NBC.com (it's free). Amazingly tough character by the lead, Lewis, including some very shockingly tough moves totally in character. Tough without being posturing-bravado.
Sorry to go all Euro here, but the best candidate for number one is…Jean Gabin! A slow moving rockface with superb acting skills and camera sense. Didn't waste a blink. Best at playing relentless, code-driven tough guys.
By the way, he never required rescuing: a decorated hero, Gabin was with the Free French forces that entered Paris with the Yanks.
Mind you, Telegony's got a point about Richard Boone.
As my room mate once put Damien Lewis' Life character: "So basically the guy's an enlightened badass. Sweet."
Yes! Robert Shaw is the quintessential Bond henchman (From Russia with Love) and I can't describe his roll as a Mossad agent in Black Sunday without using the word "badass."
And Jaws. And Pelham One-Two-Three (the good one). Hell, even Force 10 From Navarone.
For your enjoyment, GS
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6042445/
Oh, hell yes.
When I think of "tough guy", I think of that one scene in Tombstone when he is smacking around Billy Bob Thorntons character.
"You gonna do something, or just stand there and bleed?"
Do not forget Yul Brynner when you talk about bad-asses people.
The love of Charles Bronson's life happened to be the wife of David McCallum when he met her …
"The Killer" and "Hard Boiled" – Two Hong Kong CLASSICS!
Just before he bumps off a pleading Angie Dickinson in The Killers the already shot and dying Lee Marvin mouths, "Lady, I don't have the time." Classic.
"Black Sunday" is an underrated classic, and well ahead of its time in terms of Islamic terrorism coming to the US.
And Richard Boone in "The War Lord" is one of my all-time favorites. For all those metrosexuals out there, he even shows his sensitive side at the end! (well, sort of)
Awwww yeah. Great line. I love that movie.
John Wayne. The original tough guy.
It's too bad more people didn't see Death Proof.
How can you be so hard on little Johnny? He channeled himself and went with his heart… and Rielle. Surely you can't blame him.
Edwards is simply in the wrong profession. He'd be the perfect modern leading man. Hypocrite is the technical word for actor.
He's been acting for years.
Smile when you say that, pardner.
See James Earl Jones in The Great White Hope.
Mickey Rourke, anyone?
Okay – WHAT IS IT with you reviewers that you have something against Russell Crowe?! REPEATEDLY commenters on this board have said how much they like his various performances…and y'all? NADA.
So here is me: RUSSELL CROWE – tremendously underrated by even the article writers here. From stealing the stage out from under your vaunted Sharon Stone's nose in The Quick and the Dead to commanding a brilliant performance in A Beautiful Mind to a glorious personification of Jack Aubrey. The man is constantly short shrifted.
Yes, Im a fan, dammit. Sue me.
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Good stuff.
Off topic….
In regards to the pro-life Tebow ad that’s going to run during the Superbowl, renowned feminist bitch, abortion cheerleader and publicity whore, Gloria Allred, is laughably demanding that the Tebow ad have some sort of disclaimer. Who the phuq does this little leftwing tyrant bthink she is? Disclaimer? How about this for a disclaimer, “Gloria Allred is worthless ambulance-chasing parasite. I’m deeply disappointed that her mother chose life.”
For those who like Charles Bronson,you may be interested to know he was a B-29 gunner in the the 314th Bomb Wing. James Garner was a rifleman in the the 45th Division in Korea and James Arness was a rifleman, i think also 45th Division at Anzio.
Di Caprio? My spayed Golden Retiever has more manhood than that little twerp(Brighter as well)
If you're going to watch Mitchell, watch it on MST3K.
I heartlly agree! He is one rough looking customer. He's probably best know as the evil Falconetti in Rich Man, Poor Man. Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyeF-XDZrTo
What a country where it's controversial and offensive to advocate letting babies live.
Don't forget about Snake Plissken in Escape From New York. Awesome movie.
that's the only way to watch Mitchell
Richard Boone – there you go! Very underrated tough guy. Wouldn't have wanted to meet him in a dark alley.
Humphrey Bogart
James Cagney
Two words: Bud White.
James Garner. Wounded twice in Korea. Played crazy funny characters in Support your Local Gunfighter/Sherrif. Got the crap beat out of him with the French middleweight champ in Victor/Victoria. Hint- don't piss off a middleweight. Below them they can't really throw a knockout punch; above they probably can't catch you- but a middleweight can both throw a punch and run ya down. In the case of middleweights ALWAYS bring a gun to a knife fight.
On second thought how about George Kennedy. Enlisted in the Army in 1941 at age 14. Jumped into Normandy and Holland. Retired as a LTC, US Army Airborne Infantry.
Liked Liam Neeson in Taken. Took my daughters to see it- age 22 and 20. Afterwards I told them I thought his character was a p&ssy- he left too many people alive in his wake- and that if that happened to them I wouldn't make the same mistake. "Course I wouldn't let them go to european city as teen-agers without me… just sayin'
Good tough guys, all. But remember the words of Tom Powers: "I ain't so tough."
Charles Durning- may be the last surviving actor to go ashore at Normandy.
Christian Bale's tough guy imagine took a nose dive with his infamous rant at a crew member. Tough guys don't whine like little bit#ches.
Current era:
The great Roy Scheider. (practically everything)
Tim Roth. (Tweeker division.) Little Odessa, Hoodlums
Jean Reno.(Makes up for being French in a big way)
Earlier:
Dan Duryea. (Background scumbag roles)
Peter Lorre. (Gritty in some roles, waaaaaaaaaay past metrosexual in others.)
Point taken, but then again Bale is method and no one messes those freaks. Besides, Mr. Jena admits that #4 was reportedly a 'nasty guy' and yet he's on the list.
Steve McQueen, Mel Gibson…. Hybrid DiCaprio?? Pretty Boy Damon? LOL
No Bruce Lee? Tough as all get out, capable of turning most of your list into little piles of shrubbery. With just one toenail. In his sleep.
A.MEN.
Sam Elliott is probably one of the few men out there who could ask another man on board his boat for tea and still ooze masculinity and toughness while doing so. I've always loved his work.
Maybe the funniest MST3K ever (and they're all great).
Wakeup people..Steve McQueen and Karl Maulden ..Lee J Cobb…Richard Widmark..Bruce Lee
Klaus Kinski..(the dude whose eye was twitching in the bar in fistfull of dollars).
Good for you, Jim Bob; my dad was (and is—and I'm 47 and married) tghe same way.
Hard as Iron.
A bad dude, who managed to hold onto Goldie, without a ring I might add, for years… If I was hittin' that, I'd be bad too…
True, but killing him in the end–though very "Christ-like" was a bummer…
Charles Bronson, yes. Richard Boone, yes. Lee Marvin, yes. Liam Neeson, yes. Add Gene Hackman.
Did anyone mention Burt Lancaster? He did all his own stunts!
I thought this was for UNDERRATED tough guys. Marvin, Palance, Bronson, et al are all headliner tough guys. How about Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying? How about Tom Berenger? The first Sniper is a great performance, but check out the short-lived series Peacemakers. Saving the best for last, how about Scott Glenn? The Right Stuff, Silverado and Hunt for Red October were all great tough guy roles for him.
Anthony Quinn in The Guns of Navarrone, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.
In "Hard Times" Bronson invented a whole new level of "tough guy". His character was a hard as his fists. Highly underrated actor. If you doubt it then name an actor who could play that part today. Gerard Butler maybe.
Kit- thanks for the supportive comment. I grew up in a time where men didn't abuse women and survive it. No onwe will kidnap my daughters and survive. I told told them that if necessary, I will lay waste to whatever city they are in to rescue them. Not hyperbole- just serious intention.
Whenever someone talks about movie tough-guys I immediiately think of James Cagney in White Heat, man was he tough and crazy in that film. Gary Oldman was a creepy sci-fi tough guy in the Fifth Element and Air Force One. Excellent actor. Russell Crowe was grimly tough in Romper Stomper, Virtuosity, and as Bud White in L.A.Confidential and 3:10 to Yuma. What about Gene Hackman in the Unforgiven or the politician in No Way Out,very menancing.. And let's not forget Kurt Russell as Snake Plisskin.
Nice list!
Nope, Bale is a wuss who only has two looks for his acting – constipated (which I think is supposed to be his tough looks) and confused.
Neville Brand – "The one person you don't want to meet in a dark alley is a fightin' man."
Edmond O'Brien – pugnacious as hell. He always looks like he is ready and happy to punch somebody.
Lawrence Tierney – Don't let the suit fool ya.
Every list is of course subjective, but I would say that Marvin and Bronson have always been recognized tough guys. After you do The Dirty Dozen – and Mr Myjestik? Or the Death Wish series????
Heard an interesting story about Lee Marvin – he and Richard Burton became good friends while filming The Klansmen, a rather forgettable movie. They both liked to drink in the evenings, and Burton said to Marvin that he
wanted to have a part in a particular movie coming up-, but he was worried that he couldn't have a believable American accent. Marvin told him that "You are a great actor, and you can learn anything!". Burton took that compliment to his grave, always remembering it.
This was told by Burton's daughter. Oh, to see ourselves as others see us.
Richard Roundtree – yes, I would agree as Denzel Washington. Robinson? Thought he always had that personna.
But that of course is just my opinion.
Well you are hardly alone. To me he is one of the most versatile actors today playing everything from a Roman general turned gladiator to a brilliant scientist.
The only actor with similar range to me is Lawrence Olivier.
How many could play everything from Hamlet to Joseph Mengele (The Marathon Man) to his hunter (Simon Wisenthal – The Boys from Brazil). And play each convincingly?
Mr. Bronson would beeyoith slap ever member on your list with the exception of Lee Marvin, in which he starred with in Death Hunt.
If there is one under-rated actor that should be given consideration on your list, I would like to nominate Ben Kingsley. Sexy Beast is one of the most underrated movies of the decade, and his character pisses on the floor to "mark his territory."
Hells Bells, any actor or actress in a Peckinpah film (Warren Oates- anybody?) could be listed. Great Post fellas!
Buford Pusser was a hero of mine! Great Post!
Mr. Bronson would beeyoith slap ever member on your list with the exception of Lee Marvin, in which he starred with in Death Hunt.
I nominate any Actor or Actress in a Sam Peckinpah film. Warren Oates rules. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia? Discussion closed.
LOL- great comeback- I'd give ya plus 100 if I could.
Count me in when it comes to Crowe. Criminally underrated, I think. With great elan, he played what had to be one of the toughest, of not THE toughest, men in the history of film. No, I'm not talking about Bud White. I'm talking about boxer Jim Braddock in "Cinderella Man." A man with granite-like integrity, depthless courage, bottomless love for and devotion to his wife and kids, unbreakable decency, unshakeable faith and resolve. Hard-working, honest, humble: The quintessential ideal of the American Man.
Oh, and he could take –and he packed– a pretty mean punch, too!
How embarrassing. Shaw is not only my favorite tough guy, he's my favorite actor of all time…and I completely overlooked him until you mentioned him.
In addition to the roles already mentioned, who can forget him as Doyle Lonnegan in The Sting and King Henry VIII in A Man for All Seasons? (I don't know if the real Henry was tough, but Shaw's Henry certainly was.)
I like Bale, but in terms of on-screen thoughness he doesn´t belong next to Bronson, Marvin and the rest.
Yes on all three, but especially Powers Boothe.
I won't, though I'm trying to forget Snake Plissken in Escape From LA. Crap movie.
But yes Kurt is a great movie tough guy, love Tombstone and Big Trouble In Little China. He also played the brainy guy who is tougher then he looks in Executive Decision.
I didn´t like Death Proof at all, but Kurt Russell was excellent in it.
Beat me to it.
Great pick.
Wait a minute! Wait a minute!
Where's the original tough guy? James Cagney! Are you kidding?
Jack Palance. The meanest face to ever cross the silver screen, even meaner than Van Cleef!
Oh, man. How could I forget John Amos? He's perfect for this list.
Amen to that.
Jack Palance
Robert Duvall
and the incomparable Lino Ventura
Christian Bale is my All-Time Second Favorite Actor….since 1990.
A twenty-year crush.
"Why?"
(if you're a long-time Glenn Beck fan…you'd remember the 11 Aug 2008 show….where we played the game "I Can Beat Up John Edwards More Than He Can Beat Up Himself")
Underrated tough guys:
Gerard Butler – "Phantom of the Opera" and "300"
Russell Crowe – "LA Confidential" "Gladiator" and "Master and Commander"
Liam Neeson – "Taken" and "Rob Roy"
Brad Pitt – "Troy" ( What? Am I crazy)
I laughed when I heard Pitt was going to play Achilles but he portrayed the Greek hero better and more believably than anyone before. "Troy" should go down as the most underrated film of all time. Diane Kruger gave Helen a depth of character that no one else ever had, not even Homer. Eric Bana was great as Hector. Peter O'Toole's speech was magnificent.
I completely understand, I think it was '93 I saw him in Newsies. I've loved a man that can sing and dance!
Russell Crowe: my All-Time Favorite Actor since 1993's "The Quick and the Dead" (and living in Japan, I was lucky enough to see the international-release, not the lame US version).
A 17-year crush.
Thank you, God, for creating Australia and New Zealand.
Yes, you're crazy: "Troy" wasn't an action film; it was a posturing film with a disappointing James Horner score.
The build-up to "Troy" was amazing: the trailers, the website, Eric Bana AND Orlando Bloom AND Sean Bean?! CRAZY talk!!
But then, you watch it…and it's just a boring movie with hot guys once in a while clashing swords (or in Sean Bean's case, just standing around, looking good).
Do I own it? (sigh) Yes
Do I like it? Mmmm, it's okay
Do I love it? Please – I have "Gladiator" to watch
Agreed. I've never seen Bale in any role (even Dark Knight) that someone couldn't do as well or better. In fact Michael Keaton DID do Batman better than Bale…just got too old for a reprise. He faded into the woodwork in the Jackman-Bale-Caine movie — Jackman (who never acts up to his potential) never the less made Bale seem insignificant. I do not see what anyone sees in this actor either as an actor or as a leading man.
One of my favorite Russell films was "Breakdown". First, he worked with the adorable Kathleen Quinlan, a classy and underrated actor. And J.T. Walsh played one of the most hateful characters I've ever seen on the screen, and he did it without chewing up the scenery. But Kurt was the man, on a quest to rescue his wife, not always sure where he was going, but never giving up. Good grief, he hung on the bottom chassis of a moving semi and somehow managed to pull himself to safety in the process. His climactic scene with Walsh on the bridge was classic. I was drenched in sweat at the end the first time I watched he.
Most underrated tough guy? No question – That would be a tie between Lawrence Tierney and Charles McGraw. Tierney was one of the few guys who honestly did prefer boozing, brawling and fighting to maintaining a Hollywood career. In the famous final scene of "Reservoir Dogs" with Keitel, Madsen, Penn et al, the toughest guy in the room was still the 73-year old Tierney. And who could ever top Charles McGraw for gravel-voiced menace? Watch the way that McGraw and Robert Mitchum size each over up in "His Kind of Woman." You can almost feel the testosterone. Then there was McGraw's great bit as Marcellus the gladiator trainer in "Spartacus." I don't care what Dalton Trumbo's script said. McGraw could have taken anyone on the set with the possible exception of Olympic-class athlete Woody Strode.
Charles McGraw and Lawrence Tierney talked the talk (in low, raspy menacing voices) and walked the walk.
I have to respectfully disagree. I can understand why some are put-off by the guy and some of his choices for roles. But for me, I look at the wide variety of characters and genres of movies he's done. Which many actors can't really do. You watch a movie like the Prestige and think Jackman outshines Bale, whereas I see a guy that plays a character with an understated quality.
But I also will admit my biases where Bale is concerned and will label myself a Bale-apologist.
Bea Arthur…."what? Bea was a what? oh, well I guess nevermind."
No one has a bigger right hook. LOL. The man was HUGE.
As far as modern tough guys go I kinda liked Ed Norton in American History X and Fight Club. The scrappy little guy that just won't go down.
Thank you Esgaroth for bringing up Russell, if you didn't I was going to.
From Bud White to Jim Braddock to Maximus, they were all great roles. But for me I will always remember Rusty for one of his earliest roles as the skin head leader Hando in Romper Stomper, he was scary in that role, he had a menace that you could feel through the screen. If you haven't seen it do yourself a favour, the movie itself it not great, but his acting (and the other male lead) is top notch.
I also liked him in Virtuosity, The Sum Of Us (Aussie comedy which deals with the relationship b/w his gay character and his father), Mystery Alaska, Master And Commander and so on.
There's no let up to the jokes in MITCHELL!
Word on the street is you're a jerk, Mitchell.
He was fantastic as Coach Brooks in "Miracle."
He's so bad, he kicks his own ass twice a day!
I'm going to throw in Rod Taylor ( I don't think he's been mentioned). His fight scene in the movie Darker Than Amber is fantastic even though its a forgettable film. A tough guy in real life as well.
Jimmy Cagney.
Olivier??? The 2 gay guys on the street stealing Elaine's armoire were tougher than Olivier.
Tom Selleck in Quigley Down Under. Harrison Ford can take a pretty good beating and still bring the whoop @ss, too.
FYI the great Jean Reno is not French, he's Spanish (real name is Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez). Not many better hit man creations than Leon in the Professional.
I agree on Denzel. He can be really amazing. What's that other one where he plays the police chief who takes the drug money and gives it to his girl friend?
The others arehn't underrated, though. The name mentioned so far that rings a bell with me is Clint Walker, from the late '50s. HE WAS TOUGH! I wonder how many cute little girls named 'Cheyenne' know that they're named after his, very masculine, character. I know he's still alive, but I haven't seen him anywhere since forever.
That is a great list!
You know who I have never understood how he gets tough guy role after tough guy role? James Woods!! Kinda skinny and a little bit of a pretty boy. He tries to play tough and all he does is talk loud and yell expletives. He comes off more as a 12 year old kid who just had his play station taken away.
I wouldn't praise Bronson too much. Bronson lived in Vermont and the local scuttlebutt was that he was a real prick. I also remember reading that he was not very supportive of Ireland after she got sick. He didn't divorce her, but he apparently had no patience with anything to do with her illness. Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors, but if Bronson did have any compassion for Ireland after she got cancer he only showed it in private. For a man like him, that's entirely possible, but from everything I read about them he did not make her last days very easy.
Bronson. Seconded.
Jack Elam. Nuff said?
Yep, King Harry was one badass, at least in his youth. Liked tournament foot combat with un-blunted swords.
Is Crowe underrated, though? He's pretty much perpetual Oscar bait.
Arness was chosen as the first man off the landing craft at Anzio because he was six foot seven. First man off was *definitely* not good for your health.
Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, Robert Mitchum should be considered
I agree with whiskey on the Adam Baldwin. I also agree with Ken in Irvine, Man on Fire was the BOMB.
Really good calls. Thanks.
Agreee with all mentions,especially, Scott Glenn. His earlier version of 'Man On Fire' is worth seeing, as is Puerto Vallarta Squeeze'. He's a very tough and sexy fellow. Also liked him in 'Absolute Power'. I enjoy his work.
Brian Denehey and Paul Sorvino… Sorvino has the quite tough-guy thing working for him. He sings opera a little, and ain't no one gonna call him other than "sir".
"Steven Seagal: Lawman" is a strangely entertaining show. He combines the gritty camera style of "COPS" and gives the perps free spiritual advice while cuffing them. On A&E.
Since this is underrated tough guys, I must mention Woody Strode.
("The Professionals" put Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Woody Strode, Robert Ryan and Jack Palance in one movie. That´s a lot of testosterone.)
This is going waaay back, but does anyone remember Neville Brand? He was in "DOA," "Kansas City Confidential" and a bunch of other film noir classics. A really creepy bad guy. But in real life, he was the fourth most decorated soldier in World War II.
Well, I would have to agree with you there but the conversation took a slight diversion from "tough guy" to "versatile"
I wouldn't consider Crowe to be a "Hollywood Tough Guy" either. Both extremely wide ranged as to parts they have taken.
What?? No Jack Palance?? He was great as Wilson in Shane — and a thousand other movies.
Tim Roth was also great as the dirtbag in "Rob Roy."
Let's talk REAL tough guy. Steven Segal is a REAL tough guy both on screen and for 20 proven years as a deputy sheriff in one of the toughest Parrishes in Louisanna. Talk about underrated! Also Jean Claude Van Dam. Another REAL tough guy and underrated by Hollywood. Ever see Hard To Kill? Van Dam did all of his own stunts. Both of these guys could kick the azz of any other Hollywood tough guy mentioned here including the 'TOP 5'.
Bravo! Good inclusion!
He's the toughest of the tough even in his 'throw aways' like Soldier and Stargate.
I'm going to have to go with a previous nomination: our own Adam Baldwin:
Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket
The King in Radio Flyer
Major Mitchel in Independence Day
Cpt. Wilkins in The Patriot
Vinnie Krailes in Double Bang
Jayne Cobb in Firefly
John Casey in Chuck
and if that's not enough, not only a voice actor in the ultra-slaughter video game Halo 3 but he's a self admitted right wing conservative in the ultra left wing Hollywood – these days it don't get tougher than that.
Denzel Washington…yes, I completely agree. Easily the most consistently good actor of the last decade or longer. I would like to add Kurt Russell and Jason Statham to this list as well. Jason Statham has made otherwise bad films like "Crank" and "The Transporter" not only enjoyable, but borderline genius while still acknowledging that they are basically bad films. I would have thrown Vinnie Jones on the list as well, but he seems somewhat unknown to many people still.
I'll have to see that…
I'm not the biggest Seagal fan, but I do enjoy martial arts, which is why I enjoyed Seagal employing the various holds, locks, and throws of akido in his movies…
Akido is right up there with Jeet Kune Do to watch in use…such efficiency of action in employment…
I owe Adam Baldwin an apology…I said there were no real Tough Guys in the contemporary…
I was very, very wrong…I apologize…
Three words: Lee Van Cleef.
I liked Mel Gibson's character, Porter in Payback.
@The Great Satan
You know, Tebow makes a great tough guy. Like the actors on the list, Tebow is not ashamed of being ethical, compassionate, and masculine.
And Tebow plays football, the toughest sport around.
Troy is a hoot. Remember the scene when the proud, defiant Trojan princess is tied up in Achilles tent?
In comes Brad, all bulging muscles, covered in nothing but blood, sweat and a loincloth, kneels down and "washes" himself very superfically in a water basin. Three seconds later, she´s his, like, forever!
But I must admit that Pitt was ok in that role and I guess he does look good with his shirt off.
Now that you mention him … Sean Bean! Not sure if he is an underrated tough guy since he is so likeable. This despite having played a number of villains which never made sense to me. He´s hero material.
Come on, everybody knows Bullet Tooth Tony! But he wasn´t so tough – he wouldn´t open up that dog. And he doesn´t look believeable shooting a Desert Eagle .50 with one hand.
No argument from me. The big brother you wish you´d had. Menacing, dependable, funny – sometimes all at once.
Agreed.
Most of the guys on this list I would fight in real life without thinking twice. However, a few like Baldwin, Tierney, Bronson – these guys would make you think before throwing that punch.
Daniel Craig deserves a mention for his roles in Casino Royale and Layer Cake alone, though he does probably not qualify as underrated at this point. Quantum of Solace was a piece of shite but it was not his fault.
I'm going to go with modern underrated tough guys:
Mel Gibson – ditto on Porter in Payback, the Lethal Weapon movies (just a little "scrunch" here to dislocate/relocate the shoulder…), and of course, Mad Max. Other fare shows his range. He's underrated as a "tough guy"
Viggo Mortensen
Pierce Brosnan – yeah, a bit foppish in comparison to Sean Connery, but with the same core of cold iron, which also shows in some movie I saw where he did some brawling. Sold it, completely sold it.
Madsen, yup, he has it. Tommy Lee Jones is another one to consider. Bruce Willis – (he really carries the tough guy in The Whole Nine Yards, the contrast between his character and the softie played by Matthew Perry is superb.)
Michael Clark Duncan – plays a great tough guy, even though most of his work is in family films and voice work. Go figure. He's got "the voice", which is such an important part to selling "tough".
Kiefer Sutherland (?)
Danny Trejo
OtherStories, thanks for the clip from Rich Man, Poor Man.
(That never came out on DVD did it?)
Seeing that clip reminds me that sometimes Nick Nolte could play a badass rather convincingly.
Soldier. He starred in it (sort of), and spoke maybe 35 words.
How can anyone forget James Evans, Sr.?
Sean Bean scared the daylights out of me in Patriot Games. He acquired the scar over his eye when Harrison Ford took too real a swing with a boat hook when they filmed the final scene.
Two words: John Quade.
I love Tim Roth as an actor (esp. as Mr. Orange in Reservoir Dogs), but I don't see him as a tough guy.
Hey! Cyborgs don't count!
Jack Palance, Tommy Lee Jones in Lonesome Dove, Jack Elam, and Barney Fife (only needed one bullet)
Oh yes, I see. You are quite correct.
That was one tuff gay guy, though.
Yep – I mentioned Neville Brand a few posts back. He was tough and he could take out anyone on this list.
He was a total Bad @ss but the love he showed towards 'Pita (Dakota Fanning) was what really made me like him as a tough guy…viciousness and brutality with a purpose. Protecting those that cannot protect themselves.
I am always impressed with BEN JOHNSON in the first bar room scene in SHANE with ALAN LADD. Totally menacing, quiet talking and he spends half the scene seated in a chair, then spends the rest talking quiety to Alan Ladd and letting him know what;s what and that he needs to hit the dirt.
"They call that one Sodee Pop." There's no comeback from an insult like that,
fwiw – BEN JOHNSON gives a great performance and the subtle evolution of his character from hired thug to disenchanted thug to good guy is masterful. He's moved his chair to the other side of the porch away from his co-workers and when one of them laughs at the crying widow of a man Jack Palance has just killed, Johnson delivers a low key expression of moral disgust with what he has been involved in.
Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer in the Spaghetti Western's "They Call Me Trinity", "Trinity is Still My Name", "My Name is Nobody" with another tuff guy, Henry Fonda.
I have to say…. if Hollywood would give him a chance…at least the chance they gave everyone else on your list….hands down no comparison..VIN DIESEL !! Over Denzel any frickin day of the week!
YES! Go VIN!
The others how ever…just because Clooney has done everything else..don't sell the man short…go ahead..piss him off, see where it get you.
LOL
Now as far as De and Pullman..Matt Damon…I could throw up right now. Paul Walker could stare them down in a half beat.
Now…let's get to some serious tough guys.
Telly Savalas, yes. Danny Ttrejio (possible bad spell) Vin Diesel (never changing my mind here) Sam Elliot and Jack Palance.
Just because they have a sense of humor people doesn't mean they can't laugh their asses off while they're ripping you limb from limb or conversing your soul into hell or making hamburger out of your flesh. As far as the script goes…Riddick would have all of them wetting themselves. okay,…. Bruce Willis would be comming back with a few really good songs along with a great sarcastic line but he'd mean every word you betcha!
As far as I'm concerned..Riddick is the ultimate BADASS!
Go Vin!
I take that as a compliment and say "Thanks"
I'll take some heat for leaving out James Garner! My bad! I even got to meet him once. Sorry JIm!
No shot intended at Chuck. I even extraed in Code of Silence back in my Chicago days.
Underrated and completely overlooked tough guy: WALTER MATTHAU
Don't laugh. Go watch "Charlie Varrick", "The Laughing Policeman" and "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three". Also pretty tough though an SOB bad guy in "Charade" and "Fail Safe".
Tom Selleck, Chuck Conners, Robert Mitchum Robert Conrad.
http://livingfortruth.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/ho...
I'm with you on William Smith, too. He truly is what you see onscreen. Check his bio info on IMdB. And he was speaking perfect Russian in Red Dawn, that wasn't dialogue training. I remember his character taking on Caine in Kung Fu, that was one of my favorite ep's.
Neville Brand, played Reese Bennett in Laredo with that booming gravelly voice of his, was the lead POW suspecting Bill Holden in Stalag 17. He was the recipient of the Silver Star for gallantry in combat. His other awards and decorations are the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Ribbon, the European/African/Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Battle Stars, one Overseas Service Bar, one Service Stripe, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
And I would not have run off at the mouth to him at any point in his life, that was one tough SOB.
You've got that right about Clint Walker, Marc! He could quite easily hand you your ass if you riled him up, but he wasn't all macho about it.
Ken Foree – Dawn of the Dead
Ving Rhames – just about anything he is in
Bill Moseley – Otis Firefly in The Devils Rejects
Bruce Willis
Tommy Lee Jones
When did Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson become under-rated? Both received quite a bit of credit as tough guys. In fact, that's exactly what both are known for!
- Greymarch
I write about movies at my website.
http://www.greymarch.com
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